December 2025 Album Review Wrap-Up

Hi all and welcome back to another album review wrap-up! My listening was kinda all over the place this month, so join me on the roller coaster ride!

The Future and the Past by Natalie Prass

Released: 2018

Natalie Prass has made such a beautiful and experimental neo-soul album! This is definitely something I would've been obsessed with in high school- not saying it isn't good now though. I loved this a lot, and I want to listen to Natalie's previous album as I heard it has a very different sound and style.

Favorites: Never Too Late, Ain't Nobody, Oh My

Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

Dog Eared by Billie Marten

Released: 2025

I loved this one a lot! This was a very sweet and vibrant love album! I'm looking forward to diving more into Billie's music.

Favorites: Leap Year, Clover, No Sudden Changes

Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

i would have followed you by Delaney Bailey

Released: 2022

A very short and sweet acoustic-based extended play. Reminds me a lot of Clairo's earlier works before she went mainstream, especially vocally.

Favorites: Letter From the Sea to the Shore, My Skin, J's Lullaby

Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

Blue by LeAnn Rimes

Released: 1996

She was thirteen. THIRTEEN.

Anyways, this has such Taylor Swift's self-titled album vibes. Is it because that's one of the few country albums I've listened to? Probably, but the youthfulness is present in both among other similarities. The Light In Your Eyes reminds me of a more mature Stay Beautiful. Just such a great album, and her voice sounds so lovely.

Favorites: Blue, Honestly, Hurt Me

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Guilty by Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb

Released: 1980

I think my mom's infatuation with the Bee Gees is rubbing off on me, because this is the second Barry Gibb-produced album that I've fallen in love with. Barbra Streisand is also a powerhouse of a vocalist and I'll have to listen to more of her work sometime.

Favorites: Guilty, Woman In Love, What Kind of Love

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

So Much Wine by Phoebe Bridgers

Released: 2022

A somber Christmas extended play from our dearly missed Phoebe Bridgers (she's not dead, just hasn't made any music since before the pandemic). A couple of cute Christmas covers with some original Christmas songs thrown in make for a chill and relaxing listen on Christmas.

Favorites: So Much Wine, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Gonna Take A Miracle by Laura Nyro & Labelle

Released: 1971

This was such a gorgeous traditional soul album! Laura's vocals are great, but Labelle's backing vocals really sell this record as the production isn't too heavy. I really love this one and can see myself revisiting often.

Favorites: Spanish Harlem, The Bells, The Wind

Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

Tapestry by Carole King

Released: 1971

I'm really surprised by how much this disagreed with me and my current musical tastes. I think the main factor in this is that King's singing voice doesn't do anything for me, I'm not a fan of how rough it is. I liked the song It's Too Late, but only because I grew up listening to another artists rendition of it before finding out it was originally by King (same scenario for Will You Love Me Tomorrow). But this album just didn't do anything for me, and no one is more disappointed in that than me.

Favorites: It's Too Late, Will You Love Me Tomorrow

Least Favorites: You've Got A Friend, Where You Lead (I haaate Gilmore Girls so this was like a war flashback lmao)

Overall rating: 3/5 Stars

Blue by Joni Mitchell

Released: 1971

Tried this album for the second time today, and unfortunately I could not finish it again. I am not a fan of Joni Mitchell's vocals nor the lack of instrumentation.

Favorites: N/A

Rating: N/A

Hejira by Joni Mitchell

Released: 1976

I've previously tried Joni Mitchell’s Blue and again tried it recently, and both times I couldn't get through the album. I find it incredibly boring, particularly due to the lack of instrumentation. I still wanted to give something else of hers I try though, and I was told to try Hejira. It's somewhat better, obviously very beautiful, but nothing captivating for me. It's clear to me that Joni is a very lyrical-based musician whereas I base my enjoyment of music on how unique or pleasing to the ear the production, instrumentation, or vocal quality is. I honestly couldn't care less about lyricism, so I feel like it's obvious that Joni's work isn't for me.

Favorites: Not listing favorites because I cannot tell you one apart from another. I remember liking Amelia, then the songs all just bled together and I lost track.

Overall Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos

Released: 1992

If you can't tell, I've been searching for a certain sound as of late. I tried some soft rock, folk, soul, but nothing was working for me. And as I was scrolling through my listen later, I saw Tori Amos.

Now Tori has been an artist I've been hesitating on listening to because of the frequent comparisons to Kate Bush. Over the past three or so years that I've been on this journey to expand my music taste, Kate had the most impact on me and has grown to become my favorite artist of them all. I always had the irrational worry that I wouldn't enjoy Tori's music because of this, or that I would find it inferior. Instead, I felt like I was sinking into new feelings from my much-loved group of favorite sounds.

I feel like I listened to music inspired by Kate that would go on to inspire Fiona Apple (another artist I discovered and loved in the past year) like a bridge. Both essences are present on this album, with rock, baroque, and avant garde sounds. I absolutely loved this and will probably be sitting with it for a while before I move on to her next work.

Favorites: Little Earthquakes, Tear In Your Hand, China

Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars

Last September by Natalie Jinju

Released: 2024

A very good debut! Combines alternative rock with smooth jazz, very reminiscent of Beabadoobee, Laufey, and Fiona Apple. Has a lot of room for growth, though. I'm looking forward to seeing how Natalie grows as an artist!

Favorites: table of one, last september, listening

Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

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