Records 2019

Castor Tracking Sounds Alone 1998

Hef sez "Musically I enjoyed most of this album. If they had a different lead singer, this would’ve scored a 7, maybe higher. As is, it is a 5."

5 / 10

Ringo Deathstarr Pure Mood 2015

Hef sez "Pretty decent album from group clearly influenced by Smashing Pumpkins & The Cranberries (both of which I’m ok with). Liked “Stare at the Sun” & “Acid Tongue” best. Didn’t care for “Show me the Truth of Your Love” and how a lot of the songs started the same with soft female vocals before changing to male lead."

5 / 10

New Order Low-Life 1985

Hef sez "This is in a virtual tie w/ Technique for my favorite New Order offering. Love Vigilantes opening makes me think of Love Me Do by The Beatles and is a great opener. The Perfect Kiss is my favorite song by the band and the album continues to be solid throughout the remaining tracks, with Sub-Culture being especially noteworthy. I not only listened to it multiple times, I revisited other New Order albums as well."

9 / 10

The Sea and Cake Car Alarm 2008

Hef sez "I enjoyed the The Sea & Cake offering (Car Alarm) too. Solid throughout and I played it about 4-5 times."

8 / 10

Naked Raygun Jettison 1988

Hef sez "Happily dove right in to this assignment. A great time for this type of sound & I remembered a lot of the songs. “Soldiers Requiem”, “When the Walls Come Down”, and “Walk in Cold” are as solid an opening trio of tunes as any you can find. The title track is my least favorite, but the album bounces back with gems like “Blight” and “Hammerhead”."

8 / 10

Teenage Wrist Chrome Neon Jesus 2018

CB sez "Listenable spacerock, a little overproduced for my preference. This band would function nicely as opener for a 30 Seconds to Mars show, and the most heavily-vaped people would probably not even notice the bands on stage had changed."

6 / 10

Men at Work Cargo 1983

CB sez "I had this on and KJ walked in and said (I'm paraphrasing) "What the fuck is this shit?" I said "It's Men at Work. People like it." I sort of did. "Overkill" is all-time great. Guitar sound is Pure 1983™, the way nature intended. I don't know if people are born with a Colin Hay tolerance or if it needs to be built up. I wasn't born with it."

6 / 10

Mice Parade Mice Parade 2007

CB sez "Good record, interesting and complex. The right combination of weird and accessible. Fave track: Snow. Double Dolphins is a real trip."

8 / 10

Adele 21 2011

CB sez "These songs are all terrible and it's a little baffling that so many people like this so much. Listening to this made me angry, but I was shoveling snow at the time, so that's probably why."

2.1 / 10

Public Image Ltd. Album 1986

CB sez "Forgot how strange this was for PiL, more metal than Metal Box. I like listening to this a lot, and wouldn't hesitate to put it on the stereo if I had people over that I wanted to stay around, whereas usually I would play music in order to get people to leave."

7 / 10