Bad Brains

Bold artistic choices that mostly work. Rewarding for patient listeners.

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

Perfectly serviceable album that I enjoy in the moment but forget about as soon as it's over. That's not necessarily a criticism — sometimes you just want something pleasant on in the background. It fills that role well.

I remember exactly where I was when I first heard this and how it made me feel. Very few albums create that kind of indelible memory. The craft on display here is extraordinary but it never feels cold or calculated — there's real heart behind every note.

Some truly transcendent moments here. A few tracks feel like filler but overall stellar.

The production is interesting but the songs themselves are lacking.

I keep going back and forth on this one. Some days I think it's underrated, other days I think the consensus is about right. The production is genuinely interesting — there are textures and sonic choices here that I haven't heard elsewhere. But the songwriting underneath all that ornamentation is sometimes pretty thin. It's one of those albums that's more fun to think about and discuss than it is to actually listen to, if that makes sense. The concept is great, the execution is uneven. I respect it more than I enjoy it, but I do respect it quite a bit.

Probably the most perfectly sequenced album I've ever heard. Each track sets up the next one beautifully and the climax hits like a freight train. The fact that they pulled this off is honestly kind of miraculous.

A decent listen but it doesn't hold up to repeated plays the way their best work does.

The talent is obvious but the execution is inconsistent.