Critically Acclaimed

Sasquatch, Godzilla, King Kong, Loch Ness, Goblin, ghoul, a zombie with no conscience. Question: what is on the cover of Yves Tumor’s excellent 2018 LP Safe in the Hands of Love? Everybody knows it’s the introduction to a dark, disgusting, pain-filled world where heavenly beams of light catch you off guard. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and […] The post Safe in the Hands of Love by Yves Tumor appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

What comes to mind when you see the word “Bloom”? Renewal? Death? Algae? There are no answers to be found on Beach House’s landmark 2012 LP Bloom, just interpretations. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and On Tap Magazine’s M.K. Koszycki pretend to figure out the story of one of the decade’s most […] The post Bloom by Beach House appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Emotionally estranged from your spouse? Avid vocal fry ASMR listener? The National’s Grammy winning record Sleep Well Beast may be for you. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and Sea Grapes / Community Radio Tapes mastermind Luke Janke search for the structure in the murkiest album of one of the decade’s most celebrated […] The post Sleep Well Beast by The National appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Y’all ever heard of irony? Welcome to Father John Misty’s orchestral universe of love and loathing, I Love You, Honeybear.  On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and repeat guests Davis Harrison (Illinois) and DJ Sutton (2012-2017, The Ooz) dive into misconceptions around the artist and work out why Honeybear is one of […] The post I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Who is billy woods? While he may keep his face hidden, the New York-based rapper is one of the most prolific and accomplished musicians of the decade who launched his run with 2012’s History Will Absolve Me. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and The Wildebeest founder Jeff Leon discuss woods’ rare […] The post History Will Absolve Me by Billy Woods appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Critically Acclaimed is back! Host Jake Ramirez apologizes for an unannounced ten month hiatus. The upcoming arc of episodes will focus on the best albums of the decade, from 2010 to 2019. The post Intro to Best of 2010-2019 appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Critically Acclaimed is live at Dangerously Delicious Pies! Host Jake Ramirez and freelance music writer Chris Kelly dig into Things Fall Apart, the 1999 LP by The Roots that kicked off the brief but essential Soulquarian era. The two discuss the how the album has aged gracefully, how it hasn’t, and why music wouldn’t be the same […] The post Live Show: Things Fall Apart by The Roots appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Swedish musician Jens Lekman is a master storyteller who seems to exist in a timeless realm.  On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and Sea Grapes frontman / Community Radio Tapes founder Luke Janke discuss Lekman’s lowkey charm, his sample-heavy production style, and why the warm and genuine nature of Lekman’s work is […] The post Night Falls Over Kortedala by Jens Lekman appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

While King Krule was never a particularly cheery musician, he sank deeper than ever on his sophomore album The Ooz. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and former student radio co-host DJ Sutton talk about King Krule’s multidisciplinary bend, what it means when an album is labeled “indulgent”, and why telling stories about […] The post The Ooz by King Krule appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

On this special bonus holiday episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and sister-of-the-podcast/host of Through the Dreamhole Mina Ramirez take a trip to DC record store Joint Custody to ask an employee to select the album of the week. The album of the week is Formulas Fatal to the Flesh, the 1998 album by […] The post Bonus Holiday Episode: Formulas Fatal to the Flesh by Morbid Angel appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

While Outkast became a household name based on hits like “Hey Ya!” and “Ms. Jackson”,  they are revered by fans for their timeless songwriting and genre-pushing experimentation on their early albums. The talent and creativity of duo Andre 3000 and Big Boi crystallized on their third LP, Aquemini. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host […] The post Aquemini by Outkast appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Transatlanticism, the widely beloved album from indie/alternative stalwarts Death Cab for Cutie, is a staple on lists of the most important albums of the 2000s. On first listen, your reaction may be, “why?” On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and Joyous Eclectic host Matt Rawls dig into the conceptual nature of Transatlanticism, […] The post Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

As a pop culture icon, Janet Jackson has excelled as a recording artist, actor, video star, and performer. While early albums Control and Rhythm Nation 1814 have deservedly received great acclaim, one of Jackson’s most essential and personal albums, The Velvet Rope, has garnered more and more respect as it has aged. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez […] The post The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

The wildly prolific band of Montreal has assumed many forms over its twenty-plus years of existence. The one constant, other than a notoriously wild live show, is the presence of songwriter/singer/multi-instrumentalist Kevin Barnes. of Montreal’s highly regarded 2007 LP Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? finds Barnes grappling with his mental health in the face of a […] The post Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? by of Montreal appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Wilco has a deep discography. From their early alt-country roots on AM and Being There to their ascent to elder indie-rock statesmen, it’s hard to know where to start. While a common entry point to the band is their masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, there may not be a better synthesis of Wilco future and past than Summerteeth. On this episode of […] The post Summerteeth by Wilco appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Fiona Apple has been called crazy, eccentric, tortured, and genius. On her fourth LP, The Idler Wheel, Apple lays her psyche bare for the world to see to astounding effect. From the jazz scat raps of “Left Alone,” to the vitriolic “Regret,” to the entrancing duet “Hot Knife,” Apple displays a dazzling array of lyricism […] The post The Idler Wheel… by Fiona Apple appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

After three genre-defining albums and a subsequent ten-year hiatus, post-rock pioneers Godspeed You! Black Emperor returned to the forefront of the music community’s attention with Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! A 53-minute instrumental affair featuring two twenty-minute long tracks, Allelujah! is difficult to parse, both as a piece of music and as a text. But repeat listens and examination […] The post ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! by Godspeed You! Black Emperor appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

After making small waves with a well-received self-titled EP and a mixtape, Death Grips exploded into the wider music world with the release of their debut LP The Money Store. Despite being an alienating and hyper-aggressive hybrid of rap, hardcore punk, and industrial electronic music, Death Grips’ sound was embraced by a broad and passionate […] The post The Money Store by Death Grips appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

While The Weeknd is known now as one of the biggest pop stars in the world, he was introduced to the world faceless, nameless, and mysterious. The Weeknd’s debut mixtape House of Balloons was a surprise smash, and after being rocketed to the forefront of pop music by a Drake cosign, it became a catalyst for […] The post House of Balloons by The Weeknd appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

One of the most celebrated songwriters of his generation, Frank Ocean was introduced to the world via his debut mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra, and he was deemed a visionary when he released Blonde in 2016. But it was Ocean’s 2012 debut LP Channel Orange that made him a household name and icon to the internet generation. On this episode of Critically […] The post Channel Orange by Frank Ocean appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Nicolas Jaar is celebrated for his heady and precise electronic albums and for his inventive and eclectic DJ mixes. But on 2012-2017, Jaar uses the alias Against All Logic to indulge in the tactility and exuberance of house music without losing his ear for precision. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and […] The post 2012-2017 by Against All Logic appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

UFOs, predatory wasps, serial killers, and zombies – the state of Illinois is not often the focus of such drama. But on Sufjan Stevens’ 74-minute masterpiece Illinois, the state is the setting for grand and minor conflicts. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and fellow Sufjan rookie Davis Harrison explore the high-art/low-art divide […] The post Illinois by Sufjan Stevens appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

When you’re the biggest rock star in the world, fresh off your magnum opus, what do you do next? If you’re Kanye West, you make ’em unlike you. On this episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and Connor McInerney talk Yeezus. Why did Kanye abandon the lush arrangements of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy […] The post Yeezus by Kanye West appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Tha Carter III made Lil Wayne a platinum pop-star, sold a million records in a week, and became a monument to the most prolific run in rap history. On the inaugural episode of Critically Acclaimed, host Jake Ramirez and Lil Wayne expert Saagar Gupta break down the star-making album from one of rap’s most influential […] The post Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.

Critically Acclaimed is live! Jake Ramirez gives a quick intro to explain the podcast. Subscribe now to catch Episode 1, which drops Monday, July 16. The post Intro to Critically Acclaimed appeared first on Critically Acclaimed.