Paranoid

The kind of album that makes you want to pick up an instrument.

A once-in-a-generation artistic achievement.

Pretentious and meandering. Style over substance.

Incredibly well-crafted. A few moments don't work but the highs are very high.

I've written and deleted this review probably five times now because I keep feeling like I'm not doing it justice. How do you review something that feels this essential? Every time I think I've identified what makes it great, I notice something else. The interplay between the instruments. The way the dynamics shift. The moments of silence that hit harder than any note. I think what makes this a genuine masterpiece rather than just a very good album is its sense of completeness. It doesn't feel like a collection of songs — it feels like a world you step into. And when it's over, you feel genuinely different than when you started. Not many albums can claim that.

This grew on me a lot. First listen I thought it was good, not great. By the fifth listen I was completely hooked. The subtlety of the arrangements really rewards patience and close attention.

There's a really great EP buried inside this album. The problem is the surrounding material dilutes the impact. When this hits, it HITS — a couple of these tracks are among the best things they've ever done. But then you get a run of three mediocre songs in a row and the momentum completely dies. I appreciate the attempt at a longer, more ambitious project, but I think this artist works better in shorter formats. The ideas here are strong but they're stretched too thin. Still worth hearing for the highlights though.

An absolute masterpiece from start to finish. Every track earns its place.

Ambitious album that mostly delivers. There are one or two moments where they overreach, but the confidence and vision on display are admirable. The standout tracks here are absolutely world-class.

Perfect from front to back. Not a single moment wasted.