After moving into a new sound with the 2018 record Youngblood, 5 Seconds of Summer continued to branch out in terms of their sonic direction with their fourth studio album, Calm. While Youngblood (which is my personal favorite record of theirs) was very cohesive and focused on a pop-rock sound, Calm is much more eclectic and experimental. That’s not to say it doesn’t flow well though, because it does. Even though the songs all have very different sounds, the album still manages to feel like a complete, compact body of work, which is something that I have to give 5SOS praise for.
Tag Archives: album
Ariana Grande: Yours Truly (2013) Songs Ranked
Recently (like over the past month) I’ve gotten into Ariana Grande’s music, so I’m very excited to begin reviewing her albums. For this one, I’ve found that she, similarly to most artists, has a debut album that, while not bad, is somewhat bland, with a few really good songs but mostly just filler-esque tracks.
Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982) Songs Ranked
I don’t even know what I can say about this album that hasn’t already been said. It’s just an iconic piece of work. I don’t even think it needs an introduction but I’ll try my best. Michael Jackson’s Thriller ushered in the new sound of 80s R&B/pop with it’s glossy, slick, stellar production. I honestly think the production is my favorite thing about this album. Even if there were no vocals and the entire album was just instrumentals I would still be down to listen to this album (however I’m glad that’s not the case because, even though it surely doesn’t need to be said, Michael is an outstanding vocalist who adds so much personality and flair to everything he sings).
5 Seconds of Summer: Youngblood (2018) Songs Ranked
After taking a three-year break from creating music, 5 Seconds of Summer came back in 2018 with a bang, crafting an album that was more or less a complete departure from the sound of their earlier music. With Youngblood they ditched angsty-teenage anthems for pop-rock bangers, and I have to say, I think they created an absolutely incredible body of work. Youngblood is actually my favorite album of theirs by far, and it’s one of very few albums where I can actually say that every song is a masterpiece in it’s own right, and there isn’t one truly skip-worthy track.
Taylor Swift: Folklore (2020) Songs Ranked
Although it was entirely unexpected, I’m very happy to be reviewing a new Taylor Swift album. I wasn’t expecting to be able to do that for at least another year, but here we are and I’m so happy. This is definitely my favorite project of Taylor’s that she’s released in a while, and I love the storytelling and sonic direction she went in for this record.
The Beatles: Beatles For Sale (1964) Song Ranking
I’ve viewed a fair share of “Ranking The Beatles Albums” articles in my time, and an overwhelming majority of the time, I’ve seen Beatles For Sale ranked as the worst in the band’s catalog. Because of this, I had pretty low expectations going into this album, and unfortunately, I have to agree that this is my least favorite project from them (out of what I’ve listened to). With the exception of one song (which is in the top spot), none of the songs were that impressive. This album just didn’t have the charm that a Beatles album usually has for me.
John Mayer: Continuum (2006) Song Ranking
Continuum is often considered to be John Mayer’s masterpiece album, but it’s also a departure from the sound he had established for himself prior to the album’s release. Continuum is a blues/soul-inspired album, and though I think some songs work better than others, I do think that John created a wonderful and endurable piece of work.
One Direction: Made In the A.M. (2015) Songs Ranked
Not gonna lie, it kind of hurts me to begin writing this review right now because I know that this will probably be the last 1D album I am to ever review on this blog – unless of course, they come back, which I hope happens but don’t wanna get my hopes up for. This album is my favorite of all of their albums. I’ve always thought that Four and Made In the A.M. are basically equal but opposite albums. They’re equally good, but they have very different sounds, so the one that you like better will basically come down to your music preference.
5 Seconds of Summer: Sounds Good Feels Good (2015) Songs Ranked
After the success of their debut, self-titled album, 5 Seconds of Summer had lots of expectations placed on them for their second album, which they came out with a year after the release of that first record. It would’ve been very easy for them to stick to the formula they had gone with for the debut record, but instead they opted for a more aggressive sound and entirely different lyrical themes. And honestly, I thought this was a great album. You can tell that the band really wanted to move into more emotional territory than they were in on their debut album, and you can also tell that they wanted to create an album that their fans would really resonate and connect with. This is an album for people who feel like outcasts and misfits, and though that may lend itself to very emo/angsty songs, it makes for a very commendable musical statement.
Billy Joel: Cold Spring Harbor (1971) Song Ranking
Okay, I wasn’t planning on reviewing any more Billy Joel albums. Especially not this one, since it’s usually ranked as one of his worst (it was his debut, so let’s all be nice). However, one of my favorite BJ songs ever is on this album (you’ll see which one that is at the end of the ranking), so I decided to give it a listen. And honestly, this was much better than I was expecting. Is it as advanced lyrically and musically as most of his later work? No. But is there still enjoyment to be had out of this album? Very much so.
Anna's Music World 