Favorite Albums

Second Quarter - 2016

Staff | August 9, 2016

SYFFAL has had a pretty busy summer bro. 

  • Brando has been off for 9 weeks and managed to grow SEVEN inches of beard hair, which he then shaved off and sold to a Panamanian fellow named Saredge, for use in his furbaby farm named "Furbaby Farm".
  • Tom did a lot of tubing this summer so far. He's such a pro on the tube that people don't assume he's supporting a large hemorrhoid anymore, which is a victory for America.
  • Me (Joel), I've been busy working on the next stage of my life, which in case you were wondering it involves pet supplies and lube. 
  • And then we added a newbie for the Q2 round up a month late, his name is Clexy. All I know about this guy is that he was circumcised on live stream on the same day that dude fell from the red bull balloon and shit. And Clexy is German for pissmop.

Yes, we are a few weeks late on the Q2 drop, but we've been busy, as you can see above.


BRANDO'S FAVORITE Q2 ALBUMS

Aesop Rock - The Impossible Kid: Aesop Rock proves that you can grow up and still rap well. A concept I wasn’t sure actually existed. I kind of assumed you just had to be an asshole forever stunted in adolescent attitudes and selfish, self-destructive behaviors. I mean all of our 90s heroes are either retired, dead, or have become succubi milking the culture for nostalgic value and offering nothing innovative, redeeming, or even good. It’s nice to see my first esteemed “Aughts” rapper hold it down. Read our review

Astronautalis - Cut the Body Loose: Nobody raps like Andy Bothwell. Nobody makes it as poetic. Nobody makes the mirror as reflective or daydreams so crystal fucking clear or the edge of the abyss seem so baby-proof. Let’s dangle our feet over the edge and weep. What other rapper has that ability? Read our review

Homeboy Sandman - Kindness for Weakness: No emcee has cemented on wax a realistic vision of enlightened rapper personhood like Homeboy Sandman. Kindness for Weakness has become something of a mantra, repeating songs like Buddhist koans. Read our review

JOEL'S FAVORITE Q2 ALBUMS

Gregory Alan Isakov - With the Colorado Symphony Orchestra: My addiction to this album is fucking painful. I get really really fucking weepy whenever I even think about listening to this shit. Tom stood next to me while I was crying and also cried when we saw him live a few months ago, and my hopes were validated with such a vengeance that I don't think I'll ever love music in the same way that I love this music. I sold all this land, to buy me some dreams. FUCK. THERE I GO AGAIN. Read our review

Sykoya - Strange Night EP: I knew I was in the market for a new Portishead, but I didn't think it would wear this much fucking eyeliner. Sykoya remind me of how much I love moody electronica fronted by a vicious female throat that would probably body slam me with a look if I pissed her off. Just hearing the single "Closer" is enough to make me want to throw my hands up and eat whatever the fuck it is she wants to eat just as long as she doesn't look at me like that EVER. AGAIN. Read our review

Astronautalis - Cut The Body Loose: Astronautalis is pretty important to me. Dude takes the time to sit and watch shit happen. But then instead of just appreciating it internally, he has this weird way of describing shit that makes even the most potentially mundane stuff poke me in the heart muscle. I can't listen to Astronautalis in front of other people because I just assume he's talking to me and I'll needs me a good cry to properly process what it is he done tole' me. CTBL is a hard one for me to imagine life without. Read our review

TOM'S FAVORITE Q2 ALBUMS

Whitney - Light Upon The Lake: This might have been the best quarter in my SYFFAL career for quality (over quantity). I love these albums so much I haven't really listened to anything else. Whitney is my go to this quarter; and album that is adaptive to the weather or my mood: mid-tempo'd, killer trumpets, and moist panties worn backwards to support your balls. Read our review

Gregory Alan Isakov - Gregory Alan Isakov with The Colorado Symphony Orchestra: This album album reminds me that I'm not an emotionless rock because I didn't tear up during the finale of The Bachelor. I have a physical reaction to every song on this album: goose bumps, stomach turning, upper lip sweating, knee wobbling and/or a drastic temperature change in my grundle bundle. Read our review

Mike Adams At His Honest Weight - Casino Drone: And then there is Mike Adams who just makes me feel good to be alive. I wish more people would listen to this Warby Parker'd asshole because I don't that you could possibly not like the music. If you ignored my pleas to check him out....it's time. I have a 98.8% positive feedback rating from the album with a +/- error margin of 37.6%. It's my Tommipiac poll, bro. Read our review

Clexy'S FAVORITE Q2 ALBUMS

Whitney - Light Upon the Lake: This album is the perfect soundtrack for the summer. I’ve been a fan of Unknown Mortal Orchestra for a while now and was impressed with Thom Dothois when he insisted I listen to this side project from their drummer. It’s easy listening at it’s finest. Light Upon the Lake has quickly latched itself in my top 5 albums of the year. The biggest problem with listening to this album is that it’s hard to hide my boner in my swim trunks. Read our review

Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate: Mikey K has got soul. Like a magician he blends R&B, blues, indie rock and pop with some great lyricism. On top of that his tracks are dripping with orchestral melodies and contrasting heavy guitar solos. This album is good from start to finish, but I particularly love the journey on the opening track ‘Cold Little Heart.’

Future Generations - Future Generations: The new self titled album from Future Generations is all that I want from an indie rock band: catchy riffs, unique vocals, and keyboard solos. They’re like a Foster the People meets Future Islands without the annoying teenager fans. ‘Stars’, their first single, is a great track but I think it’s outshined by ‘You’ve Got me Flush’, and/or ‘Thunder in The City.’ They’ve certainly got me flush all the way to erection city.