Rock
Noah’s Barks pages related to the rock music genre. Combine with other tags for subgenres, e.g. “alternative+rock,” “noise+rock,” and “indie+rock.”
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The Smiths – “Strangeways, Here We Come” (1987)
Strangeways, Here We Come is an admirable attempt by The Smiths to explore new sonic territory, understandably so with the limited structure and format of the jangle pop genre. Here, the jangle is all but gone. Without a doubt, the highlight of Strangeways, Here We Come is the synthesized string arrangements by Johnny Marr. They… (read more)
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Cheap Trick – “Sex, America, Cheap Trick”
Sex, America, Cheap Trick is a rather half-assed, unfocused box set. Primarily has rare and unreleased tracks/demos, but also seems to be trying to make a case for Cheap Trick by including some (but certainly not all) of their biggest hit songs. However, this is pointless because due to the haphazard track selection and random… (read more)
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Pixies – “Come On Pilgrim” (1987)
Come On Pilgrim kind of sucks, in my opinion. It’s like Surfer Rosa without any riffs or hooks. It’s skeletal, but it ain’t no “Bone Machine.” Just unbridled counterculture energy that’s dime a dozen in ’80s alternative rock. But what made the Pixies distinct, if anything, was when they decided to tether that energy around… (read more)
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The Jesus and Mary Chain – “Honey’s Dead” (1992)
Honey’s Dead sounds disturbingly like Screamadelica. “Sundown” makes that much really obvious. Disturbing because Bobby Gillespie left The Jesus and Mary Chain after Psychocandy to form Primal Scream, of course. The Jesus and Mary Chain are a hard band to critique. They are not a complex group; just generally skilled pop songwriters with a great sense… (read more)
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The Jesus and Mary Chain – “Psychocandy”
Often cited as the origin of the noise pop genre, "Psychocandy" by The Jesus and Mary Chain is as archetypal now as it was then. And just as much of a classic. (read more)
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The Smashing Pumpkins – “Adore” (1998)
On The Smashing Pumpkins’s fourth studio album, the band trades in its guitar heavy grunge-influenced playing for the more subtle, sensual textures that pervaded the band’s previous album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Gone are the roaring guitar and vocal screams of Billy Corgan, replacing them, the subdued synthesizers and mellow atmosphere of Adore.… (read more)
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Alice in Chains – “Facelift”
‘Facelift’ never digs itself too deep like ‘Dirt’ is capable of, and it’s at least a less exhausting listen because of it. ‘Facelift’ brings you up; ‘Dirt’ brings you down. And some days, I’d rather be up. (read more)
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Nirvana – “Incesticide” (1992)
Incesticide is the Nirvana album I tend to listen to the most these days, since I’m not overly familiar with it and it has the most variety out of any of their albums for obvious reasons. As a fan, I wouldn’t throw away any of the songs here, but at the same time there’s a… (read more)
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Sonic Youth – “EVOL” (1986)
Completely desolate. Wandering aimlessly through a seemingly abandoned, worn-down industrial city at the dead of night, from the streets above to the subway below and back home again. EVOL is Sonic Youth’s most atmospheric release and one of their absolute best. The whispering, anxiety-ridden “Shadow of a Doubt” is perhaps the greatest highlight. Kim Gordon’s… (read more)
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Blondie – “Autoamerican”
Autoamerican is Blondie‘s most accomplished album. The amount of varying styles on this album is simply staggering considering they’re a pop band. Whether it’s the lounge pop of “Here’s Looking at You,” or the jazz crooning of “Faces,” Autoamerican is a consistently exciting and unpredictable listen. The hit songs such as the reggae-tinged “The Tide… (read more)