Author: Nathaniel FitzGerald

Record #571: Michael Jackson – Thriller (1982)

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

For a moment, let’s forget about the plastic surgery, the Peter Pan syndrome, the dynastic marriage to Lisa Marie Presley, the allegations against him, and his bizarre persona.

Michael Jackson was the bonafide King of Pop. And no one else even comes close.

And while his studio discography has no shortage of straight bangers, Thriller was the album that cemented that status, and it remains the most consistent and rewarding listen. But hidden deep within the wall-to-wall hit singles is one of the most revolutionary albums for racial justice ever.

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Record #570: HUM – Downward is Heavenward (1998)

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

HUM may have never gotten much mainstream recognition, but you’d never guess their cult status based on the pantheon of groups that list them as an influence. Their huge, earth-shattering brand of space rock influenced groups from Deftones to Hopesfall to Cloakroom to Smashing Pumpkins (who some accuse of getting famous off of HUM’s template).

Most people point to their seminal record You’d Prefer An Astronaut as their finest work. And while they pioneered their trademark sound on that record, their swansong Downward Is Heavenward is a much heavier and more cohesive record.

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Record #568: Basement – Colourmeinkindness (2012)

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

At some point in college, I decided that I was “over” all of my adolescent tastes. I ignored all of the emo, punk, metal, and whatever else in favor of folk, indie rock, post punk, and “weird” stuff like Krautrock and dub reggae.

I’ve since come back around, but I’m still trying to catch up on all of the stuff I’ve missed during that time (I still haven’t listened to a full album by The World Is A Beautiful Place). In trying to sort out what’s worth diving into and what isn’t worth my time, a friend recommended Basement. And from the first listen, I was absolutely enraptured by the jangling chords, soaring melodies, and dynamic shifts.

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Southbound

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

Hello, fellow turntablists! I’m in St. Petersburg, Florida for a conference. The city’s got a few great record stores that I plan on visiting, but since I’m separated from my turntable, I won’t have a chance to actually review anything. But, I’ll be back in action next week.

Be excellent to each other.

Record #567: MGMT – Congratulations (2010)

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

A hit song is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can thrust you into widespread acclaim. But on the other, it can pigeonhole you, your audience forever using your old stuff as a metric. Your work progresses, but your fans are stuck in the past. For a great example, remind yourself that “Creep” is still Radiohead’s biggest hit.

For another example, look to MGMT, who had three such songs. “Time to Pretend” and “Kids” especially were already several years old by the time they appeared on Oracular Spectacular. And overall, that synthpop sound wasn’t very representative of that record. If you just look at the neo-psychedelic freak folk on the deep cuts, Congratulations is a faithful follow up.

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Record #566: MGMT – Oracular Spectacular (2007)

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

Every once in a while, a new act comes around that lands like a nuclear bomb. No matter where you go, you can’t escape them—not that you’d want to.

MGMT was this act. And their debut full-length, Oracular Spectacular was one of those rare records that was as poppy as it was bizarre, as dancy as it was experimental. Tracks from this album appeared on Top 40 radio, TV commercials, and even the most cynical hipster’s year-end list.

It was a groundswell, and rightly so.

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Record #565: Hopesfall – Arbiter (2018)

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

Despite my love of mid-2000s Christian post-hardcore (exhibit A, exhibit B, exhibit C…it goes on), I had somehow missed Hopesfall during their heyday. I remember hearing the name tossed around, but I always lumped them into the same pile of hyped bands that I didn’t have any interest in, like Haste the Day, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, etc. (someone is going to tell me I need to listen to them now, I can feel it).

So when a friend recommended their most recent release, I was expecting a warmed over Underoath clone (their place on the Equal Vision roster didn’t help).

I was absolutely not expecting the best mix of hardcore and space rock this side of Cave In.  Continue reading →

Record #564: JD Wright – Lake Effect (2018)

/ Nathaniel FitzGerald

A few weeks ago, my friend Ryan Kerr played in my living room with some friends he was touring with.

One of those friends was JD Wright, a singer/songwriter from Detroit who grew up in a small coastal town overrun with tourists.

And as he played alone and unamplified in my living room, that sort of small-town disillusionment was the loudest part of his performance. But on record, he’s joined by a full band that puts some volume to his disenchantment—and with excellent results. Continue reading →