Author Archives: R.J.

Myopia

Band: Mizmor & ThouAlbum:MyopiaBest song:“Subordinate” is one of the best songs of 2022. Worst song:I like “Manifold Lens” some, but it’s the weakest on the record. I probably listen to too many overt Christians’ music. I’m a fairly observant secular American Jew (which is to say: I do more than the average Jew and a […]

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CALIGULA

Band: Lingua IgnotaAlbum:CALIGULABest song:“DO YOU DOUBT ME TRAITOR”Worst song:I guess “FUCKING DEATHDEALER” is the weakest, but it is very good A lot of albums have come out in the 11 months since I last wrote in this space, including plenty that I’ve loved. Am I going to write about a new album? No, I am […]

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Anhedonia

Band: Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth RundleAlbum:AnhedoniaBest song:It’s one song. Worst song:N/A Childhood memories are weird things. I’ve noted a lot that my earliest memories are of Chicago Stadium, at ‘Hawks games. If I’m being honest, they’re more vignettes and sense memories. The smell of stale beer and piss in the bathrooms or the deafening […]

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SINNER GET READY

Band: LINGUA IGNOTAAlbum:SINNER GET READYBest song: , “I WHO BEND THE TALL GRASSES” is one of the best songs of the year. Worst song:Nah I normally keep my work-life out of this space for a variety of reasons, but I do want to get something off my chest because a tweet – it’s always a […]

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Aesthethica

Band: LiturgyAlbum:AesthethicaBest song: “Generation” is terrific Worst song:It’s legit hard to pick a worst song. It’s a terrific album that should be treated as one work, I think. I’ve written in this space about my adoration for record labels/companies and the way that these organizations themselves seemed to stoked the scenes in my formative years. […]

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Swords

Band: Nick LutskoAlbum:SwordsBest song: “Software” is my favorite song on the album. Worst song:I’m least hot on “Streets.” Because I’m a white man, I watched all of the Peter Jackson Beatles documentary miniseries (my one-line review: It’s compelling, albeit hagiography) this week and it reminded me of the wonder of the Beatles’ work, including their […]

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Carrie & Lowell Live

Band: Sufjan StevensAlbum: Carrie & Lowell LiveBest song: “Fourth of July” is perfect, but “Should Have Known Better” is a close second. Worst song:I guess I originally said “Drawn to the Blood” is the least strong song on the record, but I know think it to be “No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross” […]

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Electric Messiah

Band: High on FireAlbum: Electric MessiahBest song: The title track totally rips.Worst song:“Drowning Dog” isn’t great. I broadly don’t believe in the idea of “cancelling” someone, but for the thought experiment that bad faith arguers believe it to be, I’ll bite and take another shot at explaining my own thinking when it comes to delineating […]

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Thalassa

Band: Ioanna GikaAlbum: ThalassaBest song: “Messenger” is one of my favorite songs of the last few years..Worst song:The final three tracks kind of run together. I don’t read much music criticism at all. I’ll read the odd Quietus feature or might hit a Pitchfork link if someone sends it to me. I read year-end lists […]

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May Our Chambers Be Full

Band: Emma Ruth Rundle and ThouAlbum: May Our Chambers Be FullBest song: “The Valley” is one of the best songs in recent memory.Worst song:”Monolith” is the only track without Rundle. One of my worst impulses that I continuously follow – even though I know it’s bad – is to know as much information about a […]

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  • About Me

    I'm Ross Jordan Gianfortune. I am not a writer, but I sometimes write here about music and my life. I live in Washington, DC.

    I used to review each of Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 albums of all time. Now I'm writing about albums I own.

    My work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Gazette, The Atlantic, Sno-Cone and a bunch of defunct zines.

    You can contact me at rjgianfortune at gmail dot com.

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