Madeon - Good Faith
I adore Madeon’s first album, Adventure. I knew Good Faith would be different and I was really looking forward to it anyway, and it when it finally came out, it just never clicked with me. It’s an album I come back to probably once per year to try it again, but I just don’t vibe with it. It’s an album I respect a lot, but I just don’t like it.
Justice - Hyperdrama
Still a pretty new release admittedly. That opening track is one of Justice’s best ever songs, but the rest of the album just isn’t grabbing me. I’m hoping it’ll grow on me over time.
To twist your question a bit: The Glitch Mob - Ctrl Alt Reality
Another case of an artist moving in a totally different direction, and when I first listened to it, I didn’t like it. Similar feelings to Good Faith. But then I listened to it again. Then again. Then again. There wasn’t a sudden moment where it clicked, it just got better with every listen. It’s probably my second favorite album of theirs now.
And to twist your question even more. I thought I would dislike: Muse - Will of the People
I’ve been in the camp of “modern Muse isn’t that bad” for a while, but there’s clearly been a downward trend. Even I cannot defend Simulation Theory. I expected WOTP to be more of the same, and somehow I ended up loving it. It is maximum Muse cheesiness, in the best way possible.
I think Hyperdrama is mixed REALLY bad. It has no dynamic, and if you play it in a shuffle with other justice albums, you can instantly tell when a Hyperdrama song is playing by how flat it is.
I think other songs on there are good, but they have no “oomph”.
If you listen to the early remixes coming out by other artists, you can also notice how much bigger they sound by comparison.
John Grant’s last few albums have dropped off considerably in quality.
For how much I love his older stuff, I was so excited and then dropped to “Meh” pretty quick.