TOP 10 MOST OVERRATED ALBUMS OF 2021:

 

Another year of records that critics overpraised because God forbid these artists don't get praise or aren't supposedly to get a free pass. Here we go:

1. Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & London Symphony Orchestra Promises: I get that a lot of respected names are involved but where’s the actual music? (METACRITIC 8.6/10)

 

 

2. Adele 30:  y’all would be hooked in any case but this isn't even top-tier Adele.  (METACRITIC 8.8/10) 

3. Dry Cleaning New Long Leg: kinda blah in my view.  (METACRITIC 8.6/10)

 

4. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis Carnage: here we go again lionizing Cave’s grief just because it is expected.  (METACRITIC 9.1/10) 

 

5.The War On Drugs I Don’t Live Here Anymore: Granduciel always hovers near blissful breakthroughs but something holds him back here, every time.  (METACRITIC 8.5/10)

 

 

6. Black Country, New Road For The First Time: I think because this came out early why so many critics fell so hard for its blandness.  (METACRITIC 8.3/10) 

 

7. Squid Bright Green Field:  ah yes, the consensus “noise” album of the year.  (METACRITIC 8.9/10)

8. Faye Webster I Know I'm Funny Haha: thoughtful yes but actually there isn’t any fun to this somber, introspective album and nothing that remarkable either.  (METACRITIC 8.2/10) 

 

9. Self Esteem Prioritize Pleasure: a few treats yes and the beats are on point but nothing revolutionary here at all.  (METACRITIC 9.2/10)

 

 

10. Injury Reserve By The Time I Get To Phoenix: the band has ideas but not at full steam yet.  (METACRITIC 8.4/10)

 

TOP 10 WORST FILMS OF 2021 (THAT I SAW)...

 

Nothing stops bad movies getting made so there doesn't need to be a lot of esoteric discussions...here's my list on those I saw this year:

1. SPIRAL (directed by Darren Lynn Bousman): Chris Rock is the biggest dud here but everyone else hams it up just as bad.  Amid the cheap-look and insipid gaffes, the only thing semi-decent to watch out for is the few times Samuel L Jackson appears on screen.

2. THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR: MEET THE BLACKS 2 (directed by Deon Taylor): a big fat no.  

3. VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE (directed by Andy Serkis): remind me again exactly why we needed this sequel? 

 

4. VANQUISH (directed by George Gallo): the fact that this cheap-looking film’s opening credits run for five minutes---as if reluctant to give way to the actual movie---is all the warning one needs.  

5. THE VIRTUOSO (directed by Nick Stagliano): if irritating was a movie personified then hands down The Virtuoso would be it, with its annoying narrating and even Sir Anthony Hopkins grates your every nerve.  

6. WRONG TURN (directed by Mike P. Nelson): doomed mainly by its weak writing, Wrong Turn doesn’t do itself any favors by trying to attach way too many horror tropes into one solid core. The film misses by a mile because nothing here is convincing or makes sense. 

 

 

7. THE UNHOLY (directed by Evan Spiliotopoulos): predictable, boring scares at every turn. Big yawn.  

 

 8. HALLOWEEN KILLS (directed by David Gordon Green): much anticipated but felt like lukewarm leftovers from the decent 2018 film as we prepare for a gory finale next year. The biggest puzzle here is all the new characters introduced…none interesting, none surviving.

 

9. MIDNIGHT IN THE SWITCHGRASS (directed by Randall Emmett): Lord knows that Emile Hirsh tries but everything and everyone around his looks talks and walks like they’re stuffed with wood. 

 

10. THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW (directed by Joe Wright): a case of too many cooks not even making a dent on this ridiculous broth of a script.