Isn’t Anything (1988)
This is mood music, but it’s not good enough to immerse yourself into and go for a trip. I find a couple of songs decent and worthy of existence, but most of them are either completely forgettable (moreso than normal, that is) or mildly annoying. I can’t bring myself to truly dislike it…it’s so soft and gentle, and I would probably hate myself in the morning.
Grade: C-
Loveless (1991)
This is soft, pretty trance music for the most part. Great for when you want something pleasant to wash over your ears. It’s slightly hypnotic and lyrically indecipherable (to me at least, feel free to try), but the point isn’t in the words anyway, it’s in the music. Adjust the grade accordingly if you need to hear the lyrics to enjoy a song.
Grade: B+
2010: I mean, it’s flawless…but what IS it?
Grade: A-
7/30/23: I must have been in a really good mood, or just *SO* into new music-type interests, because this is pretty good background noise and nothing more. And that’s not an A-. Not to me, at least. In my defense, this came out a LONG time ago in a musical setting far, far away. It was a *LOT* harder to create something this “polished” and “trancy” that stood out in a good way. Also in its defense (and mine), not being able to hear the potentially stupid/horrible/annoying lyrics does really help you just lay back and let it wash over you…ahhhhhhhhhhhh… *snore*
Grade: B-
m b v (2013)
Don’t bother. More of the same, only worse.
I would say that it leans more heavily on (mostly non-hooky) guitar than previous full-length works (all two of ’em), but that’s not really accurate. It leans on…nothing. It’s just a bunch of dull noise that for some reason took a billion years to perfect in all its dull imperfectness, leaving you waiting for the good stuff (that never arrives). Every time they approach a hook they seem determined to veer away from it and get back to the annoying cacophany that is most of the album.
“Nothing Is” is the one decent exception, IMPO. But if the idea of that being extended to 46:37 and cutting the rest can be viewed as a definite improvement, that’s kinda sad.
Inspirational Quote (from a Mel Brooks movie): “Hold it, hold it…what the Hell is that sh1t???”
Grade: D-