Man on the Moon: The End of Day

I wanted this to be better than it is. The ingredients are all there — the talent, the ambition, the production budget — but it never quite gels into something greater than the sum of its parts. Still a pleasant enough listen though.

I appreciate what they were going for even if it doesn't fully land.

I can hear why this was praised at the time — the production was clearly ahead of the curve, and there are a few genuinely innovative moments. But stripped of its historical context, this is a pretty uneven listening experience. The first third is strong, the middle is forgettable, and the back end is a slog. I don't think this is bad by any means, but I do think its reputation has outpaced its actual quality. There are better albums in this genre that get a fraction of the attention. Worth hearing once for context, but I won't be coming back to it.

Fine album from a good band. Nothing offensive, nothing transcendent. It sits comfortably in the middle of their discography and that's okay. Not everything needs to be a masterpiece to be worth your time.

Just when you think you've heard it all, an album like this comes along.