Like I already said, if you've heard the album it doesn't matter; it should just make it that easier to write about. After all, you're not the only one here and others may not have heard it. If we start discounting albums on the basis that one or another member has heard them we'll get nowhere. I'd ask once an album is suggested/submitted that it remain there, in case someone decides to listen to it ahead of time. You don't want them wasting their time doing that. So think before you post, but once you do, leave it there please.
You can do it now if you want. Reviews will be accepted up to next Saturday, Feb 25.

I may not know all the links from My Bloody Valentine to Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride by The Black Ryder but considering their lack of effort to offer anything new I don't think it matters very much how we got here. Forget any comparisons to Mazzy Star (except The Greatest Fall - Which fails to work the corny 50's sound to dreamland like Mazzy Star and The Cowboy Junkies did) or The Jesus and Mary Chain. This is almost entirely a My Bloody Valentine tribute. So the main question is how does it stack up to My Bloody Valentine. Is this music worth listening to when you get that Valentine spirit? My answer is yes. Heck the excellent Spaceman 3 imitation on What's Forsaken alone is worth your time. Just because I have a bottle Percocet does that mean I never pop a Vicodin? Of course not. Will I screw a fun loving fat chick even if I have a hot girlfriend? You betcha! Spice of life. For the most part this record is indicative of a band that knows their limitations and have the good sense to stay in their lane. They're not pioneers and they're not trying to be. I respect that. It makes for an easier ride.

An album in this genre really has to hang its hat on hypnotism. Instead of going into full modal drone mode we hear some more traditional chord changes here. That means the record has a chance to prove itself more with multiple listens. Once I know the ride well will this music become more enjoyably hypnotic? Can't say. This was my first listen. But I do suspect that this is music that would improve with familiarity and that's a great quality. Time will tell. I'll come back to it. My first impression is a very favorable three out of five stars.

I think you should add blues to your genre list

Done. Also, OH, you're after me so you need to get an album in the OP which we will begin listening to from Monday week, that's February 27. Just so you know. Once you choose one it will be added to the OP. When it is due for actual listening (ie from Feb 27) its picture will take the place of the one there at the moment, and so on as we go through everyone's albums. Ones to be done but not yet due to be listened to will just be listed in text.

Also, I need to ask: what system of rating do you guys want to use? I see OH has already adopted the "stars" idea; are we sticking with that or do we want to award marks out of 5, 10? Headphone gifs? Love or Hate style? Other? I think we should at least standardise the rating system (the ratting system is a whole different thing: bloody rats!) so that we can look back and see how albums did in general.

Thoughts?

I say leave it to the individual reviewer and then after reading them you can judge a consensus from very unfavorable to unanimously accepted as a classic.

i liked that review

I guess we'll put it to a vote then again.
Who wants a standardised system (and what is it to be) and who wants to just do their own thing?

Thank you.

I choose Old Lady Drivers by OLD.

Okay, added.