Don't get all the hate for Skylar

I don't know what everybody thought she was suppose to do when her husband is exposing her children to dangerous criminals

she has every right to be a prissy soccer mom about everything, but it still doesn't make her likable, and it doesn't help that she is the way she is well before she has any idea what's going on

i thought the whole subplot with her sister and the tiara could've been cut short if she was just a bit more forgiving (the lady was only trying to do something nice for her sister's baby, even if it was way over the top), and i found it difficult to get behind her attitude about it—like okay, be angry, stealing is bad, but it's not like she killed or mugged someone for it

she's smart though, and it's always satisfying to watch her put walt in a corner once she starts catching on to things

Season 1 was a 6/10 with maybe one or two great episodes, but overall it was way too slow and kinda boring at times
Season 2 is probably a 7/10, so it's definitely getting better, but still not what i'd call "great"

i wish i didn't hate almost every character

there are only three likable characters in this entire show, but at least walt finally did something good for once towards the end:


excited to start season 3 now that things are finally heating up a bit
season 3 was about as good as season 2, 7/10

so, after seeing a lotta people complain about the whole "no nat dex" thing, ive realized im kinda in the unpopular opinion camp

i dont think it's the end of the world

yes, it is questionable that they advertised Home as a place where all your pokemon can be transferred (and im sure they realized about the potential limbo some pokemon can be in, since it's a one way trip for all games except SwSh)

ive seen a lotta people complain about not being able to transfer or even see their favorite pokemon, and i think they should move on? im sure they have sentimental value but it's silly to play the game with old pokemon rather than trying something new. thats, of course, just my opinion

ive seen a lot of people claim theyre not gonna buy the game anymore because of this. while i can understand not wanting to support GF, i just kinda think people are overreacting a teensy bit...

i can see where you're coming from

i'm definitely not angry about it, just disappointed, since "catching 'em all" is the original tagline for the series, and completing that dex is what makes the games fun for a lot of people

"remember that thing you've always wanted to do as a kid? NOPE, you can't do that here, not anymore"

i'm okay with trying new things (i always try to train an entire team of newly introduced pokemon every generation), but knowing my all-time favorite since gen 1 probably isn't going to be in the game because it's not popular enough kinda sucks

it's not the end of the world, just a kind of a bummer, you know

we got a couple new pokemon revealed in this E3 demo



Yamper, an Electric-type corgi (whose mere existence confirms a big leak)



Impidimp, the first Fairy/Dark-type

30 minutes of gameplay

haven't watched it myself so not sure if worth, but yeah

when that's ALL of your friends, it can be pretty exhausting though

Fucking snore dude

have we seen literally any gameplay from any trailers at all

Missed EA, but I wouldn't presume it was worth it anyway.

Grookey would be lower than Sobble, because we have WAY too many monkeys at this point, but I decided to look at it from a vacuum instead. I've also changed my mind on Eldegoss; it's not a downgrade, I was just expecting Gossifleur to evolve into something else, rather than something we've already been shown previously in the Direct.

- I can appreciate more than ever the back-to-basics approach they're taking with this one
- Galar looks pretty
- James Turner seems pretty based, hopefully he didn't just spoil his best designs
- Wooloo is pretty cute, I might like it more than Mareep strictly in terms of design
- Gossifleur is even cuter, but Eldegoss is bit of a downgrade and reminds me of Jumpluff
- Drednaw is great, we have MANY turtles as it is but we've needed a snapping turtle
- Corviknight might be my favorite, idk, it's between it and Drednaw
- I'm glad they're sticking with a mixed generation pool of mons to catch, which is the best system
- The Wild Area is a welcome idea, open world concepts without being an open world game?
- Not really about this Dynamax thing, like CMD said it's a lazy substitute for megas, why not just bring megas back?
- Those legendaries are BAD
- those case covers are AWFUL, and i can't believe i still don't know which one to get
- November 15 is a good release date
- the Double Pack intrigues me, but it's probably gonna be $100 and i'm not sure if that's worth

overall good impressions, but there's a few iffy things

the fact that no villainous organizations were mentioned is interesting as well

Faith No More - King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime
Alt metal
5th album

Showstealer Mike Patton was the best thing to ever happen to Faith No More. Without his insane vocals, much of which was likely to have inspired Serj Tankian three years after this record dropped, this would've been just another fairly standard, albeit highly eclectic, alternative metal album. Thankfully, however, the album does feature his insane vocals, which makes it easy for me to put my stamp of approval on it.

My only problems involve the album's overall messiness, because they did get a little experimental on this one by infusing their brand with a bunch of other styles, such as jazz or funk. Sometimes it kinda works, sometimes it kinda doesn't, and I find myself leaning towards the louder, faster, and more straightforward cuts. The pacing is also all over the place, and the tracks will shift dizzingly between two completely different tempos, making it seem as though very little thought went into the continuity or interplay between each track. In other words, there may not be a single dud in the track listing itself, but my problem is that they're just not organized very well.

It also kind of ends on a relatively unsatisfactory note, with the closing track being a slower ballad that doesn't feel like it even belongs on the record. Without these issues, this may have been a solid candidate for an 8/10.


7/10

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Big L - Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
Hip hop
Debut (and only) album

Definitely one of the stronger '95 hip hop releases so far. L was a renowned emcee, known especially for his darkly witty lyrics and his punchy, aggressive flow. The soccer moms who generalize all hip hop music and think it's all just a bunch of violent, misogynistic drivel are probably referring to this album specifically. It's a pretty tough listen, especially for 1995.

Most of the tracks were produced either by Lord Finesse or Buckwild, and I have to say, they did a bang-up job, because the beats on this thing are pretty awesome. I feel as though, whenever I talk about these older rap records, I'm always having to tack on that "it's a little dated" caveat, but in this case, I honestly think the instrumentals are good even by 2019 standards.

Whether I give this an 8/10 in the future will likely depend on how much I'm willing to overlook the misogyny and homophobia in the lyrics. I'm not the type to completely dismiss an artist based on that kind of stuff alone, but it does factor into whether I can fuck with you as a person, and one's personality is obviously a huge component of what gives hip hop its appeal. So that's my biggest issue. I could never call myself a Big L fan, because I can't get behind half the shit he's actually saying on the record, no matter how well or fast he's able to spit it.

I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up that Big L hasn't actually been with us since 1999. His life was sadly cut short after being gunned down in a drive-by, so he never had the opportunity to mature as a person or an artist, in spite of his insane potential. Nonetheless, he still left his impact, even if he's only remembered these days by the inner circles of oldhead hip hop culture.

7/10

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Mudhoney - My Brother the Cow
Grunge
4th album

Grunge is one of my all-time favorite genres, and I acknowledge that we probably wouldn't even have it if not for early adopters like Mudhoney, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to care for their particular brand of the style. Similar to other bands I've covered so far, like Railroad Jerk, this is a very spotty record that just sounds kinda half-assed to me. Not a very exciting or memorable listen at all, save a handful of cuts that have some mildly interesting riffs.

It pains me to say it, because I really do wanna love these guys, but their music just doesn't do enough for me to be able to say that.

6/10

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Juliana Hatfield - Only Everything
Alternative rock
Sophomore album

Most of the time, Juliana's vocals have an infectiously playful spunk to them, but sometimes they don't. The album's at its best when it's fiery and energetic, but even then, I wouldn't be able to single out any specific track as a particularly good one, or even one that I'd be willing to necessarily share with anyone. It's basically a C-grade passable alternarock effort at the end of the day, but I can certainly hear the potential for something greater.

6/10

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Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Hip hop
Debut album

Speaking of dead rappers, ODB actually had his own debut in '95 as well (as a solo artist—obviously, he's better known as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan), and it's yet another rock-solid rap album.

I'm cognizant that I've given a 7/10 to most of the rap albums I've covered, so here's how I'd rank it among the rest:

1. The Roots - Do You Want More?!!!??!*
2. Big L - Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
3. Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
4. Smif-N-Wessun - Dah Shinin'
5. 2Pac - Me Against the World
6. E-40 - In a Major Way
7. DJ Quik - Safe + Sound
8. Too Short - Cocktails
*If Tricky's Maxinquaye could be considered a hip hop album, I'd rank it above The Roots.

What makes this particular record special is the sheer character of ODB. He's easily the most colorful and unhinged member of of the Wu-Tang Clan, and what he lacks in technical skill, he makes up in personality. He delivers all of his bars with a deranged yelp, kinda like Danny Brown, and his lyrics are known for their uninhibited crudeness, trashy subject matters, and an unmistakable air of drug-addled degeneracy—but unlike a Too Short, he actually has a great sense of humor, and comes across as genuinely funny.

My inability to take the album seriously, however, is perhaps the source of its biggest weakness. ODB's drug abuse would end up getting him killed in 2004, demonstrating that his lifestyle is not one to be imitated or glorified—which he thankfully never really does on this record, but unlike a Danny Brown, there is a distinct reluctance to talk about the darker side of being a user. It's not all fun and games, and ODB's general apathy towards that notion is mainly what is stopping me from giving this one a higher score. I'd still recommend it, though.

7/10

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Skid Row - Subhuman Race
Heavy metal
3rd album

Sebastian Bach and the gang tried going heavy on this album, since the glory days of glam were long gone at this point, and they were too cool for the grunge bandwagon. And while Bach's vocals are still as good as ever, much of the instrumentation here leaves much to be desired. Uninspired songwriting, boring riffs, piss simple song structures, and tired lyrical cliches abound. It's frustrating, because I can't outright call it a bad album, but it's just so unmemorable and painfully bereft of everything that I strive to hear from a rock record that I struggle find anything positive to say about it.

5/10

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Suddenly, Tammy! - We Get There When We Do
Indie pop
Sophomore album

Refreshingly, the music on this indie release features NO guitars. Songs are instead driven mainly by pianos instead, with a vocalist who sounds eerily similar to Juliana Hatfield, who I just covered in this very post.

Unfortunately, the album isn't really all that interesting beyond that, and I don't have much to say about it. Kind of a lame one to end the month of March on, but what can you do.

6/10

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Just one amendment: I'm gonna go ahead and drop that Tea Party album from an 8/10 to a 7/10. It's teetering on the edge of both numbers, but right now, I simply can't justify putting it on the same level as other records that I've also given an 8/10. It would be easier if the lyrics weren't so fucking bland, but they are.

So, here's what March '95 is looking like for me in terms of best albums:


Honorable mentions:
Radiohead - The Bends
Faith No More - King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime
2Pac - Me Against the World

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Coming up next to rep April:

Daddy Yankee
Guided by Voices
Sugar Ray
John Prine
Strapping Young Lad
KMFDM

Frank Zappa had his 63rd album, but it was also his first posthumous album, and I don't know if I want to count those.

that's not to say you should ever make personal life decisions based on what other people want, or anything

but it's still an argument for circumcision, and i'm going to use every argument possible

Quote from: Verbatim on June 01, 2019, 05:39:41 PM

what is the best godzilla movie

I’m pretty sure the original one is the only one that’s supposed to be taken seriously.

so i've heard, it's definitely the one i'd watch first anyway

what is the best godzilla movie