The Bends

Started strong but lost me in the back half. The opening three tracks had me excited and then it just sort of coasts on autopilot. Would have been a much stronger EP than it is an album.

Ambitious and mostly successful. A couple of missteps keep it from true perfection.

Decent album with a handful of really excellent tracks. The problem is the material between those peaks isn't compelling enough to hold your attention. Worth cherry-picking the highlights for a playlist.

Some interesting ideas here that don't always pan out. You can tell they were trying to push in a new direction and I respect that, even if the results are mixed. A couple of tracks are genuinely great.

I was skeptical of the hype but this completely lives up to it.

Love the sonic palette on this record. Every sound feels intentional and the mix is pristine. A couple of the songs blur together on casual listens but focused listening reveals the nuances. Very strong work overall.

This is the kind of album that makes you reconsider your entire relationship with music. I thought I knew what this genre could do, and then this came along and expanded the boundaries so far that everything before it sounds slightly incomplete in comparison. Bold statement, I know, but I stand by it. The production is absolutely jaw-dropping. There are textures here that I've never heard on any other record. But what really makes it work is that all that sonic experimentation is in service of genuine emotion. It never feels like showing off. Every choice, no matter how unconventional, feels emotionally motivated. That's mastery.

Changed the way I think about music. Nothing else sounds like this.

The talent is obvious but the execution is inconsistent.

Really impressive debut that announced a major new talent. There are a few rough edges that betray inexperience, but the raw ability and creative vision are undeniable. Can't wait to hear what comes next.