I started this project about a month ago, mainly as an effort to get better at staying current with new music and to force myself to try new things. I started small with my favorite songs for each week, mainly due to past experiences with biting off more than I can chew with personal blogs. At this point, though, I think I’m ready to expand things with a new topic: album roundups!
Starting with June, I’ll make a post rounding up my favorite albums of each month. The cadence may be changed in the future, especially if there’s too many albums to write about each month. I am certainly not a savant with endless musical knowledge, and my music tastes have a definite lean towards pop, rock and indie. That said, I’ll try my best to step out of my comfort zone and give quick, honest thoughts!
But how shall I score them? Boring numbers? Move over, Pitchfork. Stars? You can go to rateyourmusic.com for that. Let me introduce you to my pal EDNEY, who’s going to help me with scoring records, serving as a quick reference to how I feel about them. Edney will give an album one of six possible ratings, which are as follows:
Edney thought this album was MIND BLOWING!
This album was the créme de la créme… A G.O.A.T., if you will. Edney only hands these out to albums that he thinks are a masterclass in some area, whether it be songwriting, lyricism or experimentalism.
Edney LOVED this album quite a lot!
Edney gives these out to albums that he thinks are great. He may nitpick some aspects of the record—perhaps he didn’t like some of the lyrics, or maybe he thinks the mixing could use a little work. Overall though, he thinks this is a record that he’ll remember as one of his favorites!
Edney thought this album was pretty DECENT!
Look, this album may have lots of issues, but ultimately, Edney is leaving the experience with a positive opinion. This is not a record that Edney will probably return to, but he thinks it may serve as a stepping stone in the right direction for the artist, or maybe there’s a song or two that he’ll add to one of his playlists.
This album left Edney feeling a little UNIMPRESSED…
Edney thinks one of the coolest things about music is how it serves as a vehicle for communicating ideas and emotions. Nothing is quite as disappointing as music that goes in one ear and out the other without leaving much of an impression. Edney would give this score to albums that may have redeeming qualities, but he ultimately thinks they are too boring or derivative to enjoy.
This album was a bit of a STRUGGLE for Edney…
Maybe one of Edney’s favorite artists put out a bit of a dud. Maybe it’s just not Edney’s cup of tea. Either way, Edney had a very hard time making it through this record without skipping a significant amount of its tracks.
Edney is pleading to please MAKE IT STOP!
Edney does not hand out this rating often. If he really dislikes a record, he prefers to just not talk about it. However, there are occasions when he can’t ignore a record—maybe it’s from his favorite band, or maybe it’s a popular artist that he can’t escape. This album breaks new ground for Edney’s conception of how unenjoyable a record can be for him.
The art is all done by myself. Hopefully at some point I can make some more to spice up this page. I had a lot of fun coming up with this idea, and I’m excited to apply it. Stay tuned for the Albums of the Month – June 2021, coming next week!
Amped! 