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Versatone Reviews

@versatonerev.bsky.social

64 followers 50 following 131 posts

Freelance album reviews because I love music. So I may as well share and offer a space for discourse.

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GoodFesto @goodfesto.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

🎯 We aimed for the stars… but pulled the trigger instead. 🤖 What if AI explored galaxies instead of targeting lives? 🪐 There’s still time to choose curiosity over conflict. #AIforGood #NotForWar #FutureTech #IranUnderAttack #MurderNetanyahu #SpaceExploration

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

I have some reviews that I need to share here still, but 2025 keeps punching. I just want to share a farewell for the best cat we could ever have asked for. His name was Altair. He was 16, and he was my daughter's best friend. Also, he worried about me when I sang.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

Glorious.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

I haven't got a lot of albums I'm looking at in May, but there are some heavy hitters here.

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May 2025 Release Radar

Summer is coming

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Sasami is not, truly, a #Pop artist, but this is a Pop album. It's her third album, and she has yet to repeat a genre. Sasami uses her classical training to study a genre, break it down, and reproduce it. And, in this album, it works so well. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Sasami - "Blood On the Silver Screen"

Top-notch Pop from a not-Pop artist

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

One of my most anticipated albums of the year pulled through. It doesn't disappoint. 18 reviews in, and we have our first certified 8+. #Spiritbox is a definitive act in the modern #MetalSky scene, and this is only their second album. #MusicSky #AlbumReview #Metalcore

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Spiritbox - "Tsunami Sea"

A highly-anticipated album that doesn't disappoint

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

This is the best #HyperPop I've ever heard. Hands down. #RebeccaBlack is really starting to find herself as an artist and songwriter. All of the songs here work really well, minus "Sugar Water Cyanide". It just needs to be longer. And have a conceptual throughline. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Rebecca Black - "Salvation"

I don't know what she's saving us from, but I enjoyed it

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Arion is a #SymphonicMetal and #PowerMetal band that had a promising start last decade, but in this album they've kinda buried the lead. Ya know, the 'Symphonic' bit. It's literally buried in the mix. The songs here are still good for what they are, though. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Arion - "The Light That Burns the Sky"

Symphonic Power Metal which has misplaced its symphony

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Lisa's debut album is full of potential and production. I don't think it's much of a reach to say that #KPop is overproduced by default these days. There's so much money in that industry. Some of the album's early songs are BANGERS. It just also dies halfway through. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Lisa - "Alter Ego"

The K-Pop Invasion continues

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

I've been physically unable to do a few things this month, but I've still gotten a few reviews out, starting with this somewhat disappointing effort from Tobias Sammet's collaborative #PowerMetal project, Avantasia. It has its moments. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Avantasia - "Here Be Dragons"

Dragon on the cover = Power Metal

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

I love Chappell, but this sums up pretty well my thoughts on recent comments she's made. To be clear: being queen *SHOULD NOT* be political. That's what the fight is all about. Whether we like it or not, though, it is -- because some bigots make it so.

From the popculture community on Reddit: Drag queens like Plane Jane, Tillie, and other performers have started calling out Chappell Roan, accusing her of exploiting the LGBTQIA+ community for profit ...

Explore this post and more from the popculture community

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

I hope the April showers are full of good music!

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April 2025 Release Radar

Hopefully derailing the 2025 Disappointment Train

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Architects' newest album showcases an update to the band's #Metalcore sound, bringing in more Death-like harshness, and their trimmed lineup. It grew on me through a few listens, but I also still don't enjoy it as much as their last two albums. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Architects - "The Sky, The Earth & All Between"

A review that almost didn't happen

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Tate McRae's dance pop is incredibly boppy. So boppy that you might find yourself bopping along even if you don't enjoy the song. But "So Close to What" is overproduced and grossly inconsistent. On the bright side, the best tracks all have a familiar name as co-writer. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Tate McRae - "So Close to What"

Tate McRae is one of those ‘next big stars’ you hear about.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Lacuna Coil has always been a favorite, but Sleepless Empire feels like a final confirmation that they just aren't the same band anymore. They're still #GothicMetal, but that approach is firmly in the backseat. It's great if you want something heavy, but that's it. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Lacuna Coil - "Sleepless Empire"

Sleepless because the future holds no hope of a good LC album

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Marko Hietala's second-ever solo album is one that I picked up out of respect for his legacy. It beat my expectations, though, and is currently one of my favorite listens of the year. If you like classic #HeavyMetal or #PowerMetal, give this a listen. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Marko Hietala - "Roses From the Deep"

Marko Hietala is very highly-regarded in the Metal world — arguably in contention for “Legend” status, depending who you talk to.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Ukrainian #Metalcore and #GrooveMetal stars, #Jinjer, are as wildly aggressive as ever in their newest album. If you're looking for something upbeat and angry, this might do. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Jinjer - "Duel"

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

#DreamTheater is a goddamn titan in the world of #ProgMetal. There's no getting around it. And while their formula has grown stale, the return of one of their founding members has brought fresh vivacity to their newest album. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Dream Theater - "Parasomnia"

Beware the shadow men in the dark

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Ethel Cain's "Perverts" is nothing like her main album trilogy-in-progress. It's a unique sort of beautiful torment. If you like #Slowcore and ambient droning, you might love this, but don't pick it up expecting "American Teenager". It's a dismal as its cover suggests. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Ethel Cain - "Perverts"

It's happening to everybody

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Can't believe February is over already. Time MARCHes on... No, wait, don't leave! I cope with reality through bad jokes and good music! Speaking of music, here are the albums I'm looking forward to this month (plus a special reveal of Versatone's first ever advance copy!).

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March 2025 Release Radar

At least there are no tariffs on music

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

The final album under The Weeknd moniker is expansive and surreal... and kinda boring across a full listen. The album is artistic and ambitious, and art points it feels like the music itself got lost in the vision. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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The Weeknd - "Hurry Up Tomorrow"

Technically brilliant

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Iniko's highly anticipated debut album is very good. It's great music, though I wouldn't call it a "great album". The Michael Jackson influence is strong, otherwise she sounds wildly unique. She will be very influential in the #IndiePop space in the years to come. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Iniko - "The Awakening"

It's not an agenda; it's reality

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

I never imagined I'd find a blend of #DoomMetal and #BluesRock, but here it is. And the core sound absolutely works. Some songs here are better-conceived than others, though, so the album as a whole feels a little lackluster at points. #MusicSky #MetalSky #AlbumReview

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Avatarium - "Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead"

A unique stylistic blend of Doom and Blues

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Post-Black group Harakiri for the Sky leans into darker subject matter and a harsher sound than my last Post-Black review. But if you can get past the abrasive vocals, there are moments of transcendental beauty, as well. #MusicSky #AlbumReview #MetalSky

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Harakiri for the Sky - "Scorched Earth"

Be the void you wanna see in the world

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

Despite being the coldest month, February has had no chill. Still, here we are with the first review of 2025! Larkin Poe is a really great #RootsRock and #BluesRock act from my home state of #Georgia. With a touch of #Country. It's #Rock with that GOOD good twang. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Larkin Poe - "Bloom"

They don't want your pearls -- or mine

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Release Radar for Feb is finally up. The month is looking surprisingly heavy!

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February 2025 Release Radar

The coldest month of the year looks heavy

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

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Talib Kweli @talibkweli.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

When they ask you who won Super Bowl LIX, you will respond, Kendrick Lamar. I just turned my tv off.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

"Charcoal Grace", by Caligula's Horse, is my 2024 AOTY. There is no album, that I've found, which better encapsulates our collective experience with the Pandemic and lockdown. And CH are masters at crafting music that is both heavy and gorgeous. #MusicSky #AOTY #Top40

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2024 Album of the Year

My first repeat AOTY winner

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Here we go -- my Top ten albums of the year. You can't go wrong with any of these. #MusicSky #AOTY #Top40

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2024 Top 40 Albums: #2-10

The ten best albums of 2024

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Totally forgot to apply the tags to this... lol #MusicSky #AOTY #Top40

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Three-quarters done. I'm putting the finishing touches on the list today, and the top ten will be in your hands tomorrow.

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2024 Top 40 Albums: #11-20

Truly incredible music

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

That's half the list done! There are always surprises in the 20s every year that I expected to have higher up. But when you don't limit any genres, curveballs can come from anywhere. #MusicSky #AOTY #Top40

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2024 Top 40 Albums: #21-30

Presenting the Top 30

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

There was a ton of good music last year. But I'm only ranking 40 albums, so don't write off these first ten. They had to be awesome to even make the list. #MusicSky #Top40 #AOTY

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2024 Top 40 Albums: #31-40

Count backwards from forty

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Finally! It's time to count them down. Being able to highlight my favorite albums of the year with a countdown is why I spend so much time listening and recording my thoughts, publicly, at the risk of vicious mockery. I've got a total of 30 honorable mentions in here. 31-40 tomorrow. #MusicSky

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2024 Honorable Mentions

Those who just missed it

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

We've made it to my first earmarked releases of 2025! There are three of them, rather than the four I anticipated. The Weeknd has postponed his release by a week in response to the LA wildfires. The other three are linked below.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

My 2024 Top 40 albums list is nearly done. Ranks 5 - 40 are decided and just need blurbs and formatting. The #AOTY title is still up in the air, though, among the top 4. And I've got a week to finalize that decision, tops. 😬

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Did anybody get a screenshot of the whitesplaining comment to @flavorflav.bsky.social ? It's gone now and I would also like to shake my head at this person in silent contempt.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Doing a final sort of the albums I couldn't nail down earlier in the year. Plus a bonus rant!

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2024 Bucket Resolutions

One last task before the main show

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Holy crap, ya'll! Iniko's debut will be out at the end of the month!

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

The second half of my musical wish list features acts that haven't produced an album in over 5 years. These are long-shots, but we can hope! #MusicSky

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Most Wanted Albums for 2025: Part 2

10 longshot wishlist items from less-active artists

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

The most exciting part of a new year is the mystery and anticipation of not knowing what great music the year will bring. But I do have a wishlist. 20 artists total; 10 today, 10 tomorrow. Here's the first half, limited to artists whose last albums released within the last 5 years. #MusicSky

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Most Wanted Albums for 2025: Part 1

My ten most wanted (and likely) albums

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Final review of 2024 is finally here: Fish in a Birdcage! This project is unique and quirky, but also wildly creative. The songcraft on this album needs some work, but they're always worth listening to. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Fish in a Birdcage - "Mentors"

Rule #129 - final review of 2024

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

What? A Pumpkins album that I genuinely enjoyed? I'd begun to think that would never happen again. Fans of 90s #AltRock Pumpkins will like this one. There's grunge in the guitar, guys! It's not AOTY material, but it's refreshingly good. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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The Smashing Pumpkins - "Aghori Mhori Mei"

I can’t lie — I almost ignored this album.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Sunburst have reappeared out of nowhere with their second album, and it's truly stellar #ProgMetal. This album is everything I was hoping for when I included this act on my 2024 long-shot wishlist. #MusicSky #AlbumReview #MetalSky

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Sunburst - "Manifesto"

Of all of my long-shot wishlist albums for 2024, a Sunburst release was one of the longest.

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

@billboard.com.web.brid.gy Ya'll alright? Opened up to a literal wall of posts. Also, didn't you name T-Swift the #2 pop artist of the 21st century? But you're naming her the top overall artist of the 21st century? How's that math work?

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Sturgill Simpson is dead. Long live Johnny Blue Skies! #AltCountry is the best #Country genre at the moment, by far. And this is the best non-Beyonce Country album of 2024. Period. #MusicSky #AlbumReview #CountryMusicSky

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Sturgill Simpson, Johnny Blue Skies - "Passage Du Desir"

"There's no happy endings, only stories that stop before they're through"

Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

#ProgMetal is all about dynamics and technicality. Rendezvous Point has the latter here, but not the former. The album is full of gorgeous moments, but there's never any progression or payoff. Frankly, it's infuriating. They have the talent. It just doesn't click. #MusicSky #AlbumReview #MetalSky

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Rendezvous Point - "Dream Chaser"

We got the vibes in this cover art...and that's it

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Rachel Platten's 'reintroduction' album is filled with admissions of self-doubt and mental health concerns. The lyricism is beautiful and relatable, but the average bpm is in the negatives. This is still solidly written #Pop, but it will be best in playlists. #MusicSky #AlbumReview

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Rachel Platten - "I Am Rachel Platten"

Because the usual self-title wasn't a strong enough statement

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Versatone Reviews @versatonerev.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

It's never a bad time to talk #NewMusic. I've got five albums on my list for January, plus an overview of what else is coming for Q1. If the world burns, it won't be without good music. #MusicSky

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2025 Release Radar

Flopping into the New Year!