5 No-Skip Albums You Should Listen to Right Now

Like, immediately. 

Have you ever found an album that’s nothing but bangers back to back? You put it on and wait for the usual dip in quality, that one song that’s just meh, but it never comes. Each track stands on its own merit to create a record with a rich identity. In the Spotify era, a skip-free album is a treasure worth sharing. So, here are a few I’d like to tell you about.

…Like Clockwork - Queens of the Stone Age

I didn’t really get into Queens of the Stone Age until college, and just as I started paying attention, …Like Clockwork was released. It blew my gosh dang mind. The album opens with the eerie, crawling “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” and maintains an apocalyptic desert vibe the whole way through, never letting you go. My personal faves are “I Sat by the Ocean”—a catchy jam for sure—and “Smooth Sailing,” a swing-swanging track about excess and hedonism that builds to a satisfying climax. 

Source: everyrecordtellsastory.com

Each song is distinct and memorable, with a few slower piano ballads sprinkled in. I’m not usually into the slow stuff, but in the context of this album, the ballads work well. …Like Clockwork is Josh Homme at his most reflective, Queens of the Stone Age at their most layered, and it’s all brilliant. 

Royal Blood - Royal Blood

This band came out swinging with their self-titled first album. When I learned that it was just two dudes from England creating this massive, dirty sound, I was shocked. I mean, Royal Blood brings the energy and grit you’d expect from a six-piece arena group. From the vengeful opener “Out of the Black” to the explosive closing track “Better Strangers”, every song will risk a speeding ticket as you blast it on the road, but you won’t even care.

Bluesy and ballsy, this is one of those albums that is good, old-fashioned, in-your-stupid-face rock and roll. Chef’s kiss. 

Of Course You Do - Slothrust

This isn’t the last you’ll hear about Slothrust, fair warning. They’re my all-time favorite band, a random Spotify find that puts me very, sometimes uncomfortably, in touch with myself. They’re one of the few bands that has ever made me cry openly in my car, so kudos to them for making me feel too many emotions. 

Slothrust’s second album, Of Course You Do, is like…like grunge with an undertone of blues/jazz? Rough, beautiful, and rhythmic. Its lyrics are intricate and fun to chew on (“I like cats, do you like cats? / Of course you do, you sassy motherfucker / My stomach hurts, does your stomach hurt? / Do our stomachs hurt together? / I feel pain, do you feel pain? / Will this pain last forever?”). Leah Wellbaum’s vocals are soft, powerful, certain, and lacking the polish or pretense that could ruin something as special as this.

Source: Bandcamp.com

I could go on and on, but I’ll let you explore this album for yourself. Pay particular attention to “Crockpot,” “Homewreck Wifey,” and “The Couch Incident.”

Mirror Might Steal Your Charm - The Garden

How can I possibly explain The Garden? The only descriptor that comes to mind for me is DIY. Or maybe the Salt Bae meme, but each grain of salt is its own thing: hip hop, big drums, some synth, chainsaw-deep bass/guitar, a few spasms of fast-paced punk, and so on. Sounds terrible, right? Nope, it’s awesome.

Each of their albums blends these things differently, but Mirror Might Steal Your Charm is the perfect combo to me. The teeth-shaking bass and surprise xylophone of “Shameless Shadow,” the swaggering drums of “Good News,” the dreamy piano of “No Destination”…you can feel every instrument and idea in motion. I just picture the Shears twins—the brothers behind The Garden—experimenting together in an LA garage to make this bizarre medley of an album. You can see its guts, if that makes sense, and I love it.

Mister Asylum - Highly Suspect

Mister Asylum is one of those (increasingly) rare albums that reminds me rock and roll is far, far from dead. I’d call it rough, dirty, heavy blues, but it doesn’t really matter what anyone calls it. The riffs are nasty and the drums are aggressive—there’s not much more to ask for. Sometimes simple and face-melting is all you need to get through the day.

Source: Spotify

You probably heard the hit from this album, “Lydia,” on the radio from 2015 to 2018, but the best song is “Bath Salts.” Gives me chills every time I hear it. The pain in singer Johnny Stevens’s voice is haunting, a pain that comes through at many other points in Mister Asylum. The whole vibe is dudes in leather jackets and beanies with hand tats smoking Marlboros Lights, and they’ll punch you if you disrespect a woman, and they’re really sensitive. I say this with nothing but love, of course. 

Well, there you have it. If rock in any sense is your thing, I encourage you to check these albums out and let me know what you think!