Look, iTunes, I see what you were doing here... but it is weird. Just like Tricot can be, some times. Bah gawd, these songs have so much attack - they sound like they are just straight-up beating these songs out of their instruments. I think the kids call this math rock? All the crazy time signatures and whatnot are fun and all, but I kind of prefer when the songs are a bit more straight indie rock. Either way, this is all pretty badassery.
Highlights: Noradrenaline, い～ん (A N D ver.), 食卓, Break
7/10
Nameless Fiction - Hello Sleepwalkers
More Japanese indie math-rock style? This time with a bit more of a RADWIMPS flavour. Having both male and female vocals gives a nice mix.
Highlights: 天地創造, Mr.Dの手記
6.5/10
Native (Deluxe Edition) - OneRepublic
This album often feels like reworkings of other songs. Honestly, I think they should have at least given Kanye and Florence + the Machine songwriting credits. Some of their stuff is pretty average, but certainly when they are copying other people is when they are at their best.
Highlights: Burning Bridges, Life in Color, Counting Stars, If I Lose Myself
6/10
Nature's Best - Various Artists
How do I have YET ANOTHER compilation of New Zealand music? And more than half the songs here are duplicates from the other New Zealand music compilations I have. I do not need ANY Dave Dobbyn in my life. BUT I will take this as a fun excuse to listen to Jesus I Was Evil again...
Highlights: Six Months in a Leaky Boat - Split Enz, Jesus I Was Evil - Darcy Clay, I See Red - Split Enz
7/10
Naveed - Our Lady Peace
Fun story time: I got this album for free when I bought Clumsy on CD, but later decided I did not think much of it and traded it in. A few years later, I realised I was stupid and had to buy it again. Early OLP had so much passion and energy in their songs. The result of having an awesome drummer and a singer that goes hard. Denied is just unhinged!
Highlights: Denied, Naveed, Starseed, Julia
7.5/10
Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
Fairly predictable American country-pop. They sure love their Americana and... drinking alcohol, apparently. I am not saying this is bad, I am just saying this is an hour I could have spent listening to more Our Lady Peace, because Canadian alt. rock is clearly a better option, and after that album I really need a dose of Happiness...
Highlights: Perfect Day, Our Kind of Love
6/10
Neighborhoods - blink-182
The first 'reunion' album... I have not bothered with the second reunion, yet. Mostly because I thought Skiba was an improvement. Especially after this album; there are some great songs that follow on nicely from the self-titled album, but Tom's voice is pretty bad and the recordings do not hide the fact they were not really enjoying this. The fact they recorded their stuff separately is quite apparent.
Highlights: After Midnight, Snake Charmer, Mh 4.18.2011, Even If She Falls
6.5/10
Nellyville - Nelly
Dissing KRS-One is not cool. The rest of this album, however, is. Which is bizarre, because it is just the epitome of early 00s hip-hop; super slick production, rapping about yachts, blues guitar, The Neptunes and even a cameo Justin Timberlake (before the NSYNC split). But Nelly just has a swagger that works, for me. But, like, the real hip-hop is over there...
Highlights: Hot in Herre, On the Grind, Work It, Say Now, #1
7/10
Nena - Nena
This is only the song 99 Red Balloons. Because I am from the 80s where it is law to enjoy this song. I think I need the Goldfinger cover as well, because that was pretty rad. It was Goldfinger, right? Apparently pop punk covers of 80s pop songs works.
8/10
Neon Ballroom - Silverchair
This album was the first steps in changing my mind about Silverchair; until this, I saw them as purely some stupid kids trying to sound like Nirvana and they sucked. This is very far from that. Big epic songs with manic piano pieces and orchestral arrangements, angry screams about animal liberation, heartfelt ballads and straight decent radio rock numbers. Their follow-up album was even better musically, but for some reason I have never picked it up. I am a weird person to try and understand... And some of this album still sounds like Nirvana wannabes.
Highlights: Anthem for the Year 2000, Miss You Love, Ana's Song (Open Fire), Point of View
7/10
"Albums" listened to so far: 1155
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