Illinois

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

Really strong album with only a couple of tracks that don't quite land.

I go back and forth on this — some days it's a 4, some days it's a 4.5. The inconsistency in my own feelings about it probably reflects the slight inconsistency of the album itself. But at its best, this is breathtaking.

The atmosphere this album creates is incredible.

Came to this late and wish I'd found it sooner. The way it balances experimentation with accessibility is remarkable — it never dumbs things down but it never alienates you either. Every listen reveals something I missed before. Absolutely essential.

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

Worth a listen but doesn't demand repeat plays.

Actively unpleasant listening experience for me. I can appreciate craft without enjoying the result, and that's exactly what happened here. Well-made music that I never want to hear again. Different strokes, I suppose.

A mature, confident album that knows exactly what it wants to be. No wasted tracks, no unnecessary detours. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but it polishes it to a brilliant shine. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I can see why this has its fans but it just doesn't connect with me the way their other work does. The songwriting feels less inspired and the production, while technically impressive, feels a bit sterile. A few standout moments keep it from being a total miss.