Hear Me Out: What to Expect When You're Not Expecting

So, here we are again.

Another year (damn, another decade) is here, and once again I'm writing out an "I've been bad at this" post. You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd assume that my heart just wasn't into this thing anymore and be using this space to announce the closure of Sound Bites.

To be honest, that's something I've seriously considered over the past year and change, as it always seems like I've been unable to keep up with things around here for one reason or another (and, if I'm being totally honest with myself, most of those reasons = laziness). One thing leads to another and, before I know it, I'm behind by 30-50 reviews and the only way to chip away at the backlog is to summarize albums that talented people put a lot of time, care and hard work into with a haiku. While I did receive some positive reinforcement for doing that, something about it just doesn't feel right to me.

Therein lies my dilemma; I want to put careful thought and sensible reasoning into my reviews, but when the releases start piling up and I let the queue get out of control, it's easier to not do a review at all than to play catch-up.

So, over the course of the last few months, I've had to do some soul searching of sorts. Do I shut the whole thing down? Do I stop doing reviews, and turn this place into some kind of clickbait purgatory, where I post random lists and hot takes? The idea that almost took enough traction to justify a pivot was a Hall of Fame, where I'd only post about albums from the past that I considered to be classics and give them a pedestal from which to look down on other, not-as-classic albums. However, I decided that turning Sound Bites into a nostalgia hole wasn't really all that exciting a prospect so, while I haven't written off the idea entirely, it certainly won't be what I want this blog known for.

At the end of the day, the problem is me; I've been too lazy to find the time for this, and that sucks because I've seen readership plummet over the past year. I'm blown away that I've passed 90,000 total page views because that's amazing for a small passion project with little to no promotion, but it's harrowing to see average monthly views drop from 1400 (2017) to 1100 (2018) to 357 (2019). In fact, the numbers are even more troubling considering that I only managed to draw only 549 total views over the entire second half of 2019. To be clear, and to reiterate, I know that the problem is me; if I can't be bothered to post more than twelve times a year, how can I expect anyone to stick around to see what happens next?

The good news is, I'm working to change this terrible trajectory. I'd be foolish to promise content at the same clip some of my more experienced followers were used to back in the good days, but I can damn sure do better than one post per month. So, if you'll allow me a little leeway to work through it, over the coming weeks I'll be tinkering with the way I do things around here. There will be reviews, and there will be opinion pieces, and I'll be screaming at myself to get back on this keyboard more often because I want to believe there are still a few of you who will read this and want to read more. Then, once I figure out the right balance that keeps me motivated and you informed and/or entertained, my vision is a Sound Bites where new articles and reviews are something you can expect to see on a regular basis again as opposed to short bursts of content separated by months of silence.

This blog and its readers, what precious few are left, deserve much better than it's gotten of late. It's my duty to not just blow the cobwebs off, but to truly bring it back to life. I will do my best not to let you down.

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

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