»Album Reviews For Release Date: 08.17.10
by Joshua Krage

This week marks the anniversary of my arrival on this spinning (mostly-)blue ball, so it’s good that one of my favorite artists chose to drop his new, self-produced work of down-home vocal gold so close to my special day. Thanks Ray! There’s other stuff, too– check it out:

Trace Adkins
American Hi Fi
Bombay Bicycle Club
Jackson Browne – DVD
Chief
Darker My Love
Matthew Dear
Filter
David Gray
Hey Monday
ICP
Iron Maiden
Kem

Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs, God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise – adding a dedicated band hasn’t done much to alter this soulful songsmith’s sound but it has filled it in quite a bit. The biggest change on this, his fourth LP, is in production. Having learned the ropes from master sound sculptor Ethan Johns on his first three albums, Ray goes it alone this time around, yielding a less orchestrated atmosphere but capturing a more down home feel, with sheets of pedal steel filling in the corners. Vocals are front and center on every track, smartly putting the spotlight where it belongs, but the Pariah Dogs are no slouches, having collectively cut their teeth with the likes of Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Beck, and Ryan Adams, to name a few, and the band is masterfully understated in supporting these fine compositions. By now you know to expect sheer, earnest greatness from Ray Lamontagne, but it’s a triumph for the songwriter to strike out on his own in the production and remain true to his subtle, organic sound.

Leslie Stevens & the Badgers

Lissie, Catching a Tiger – an intriguing and invigorating mix of folk, indie rock, pop, and country flavors, this spirited Illinois songstress caught a bit of attention with her inventively-arranged and fully unexpected live covers of songs ranging from Kid Cudi to Metallica to Lady Gaga, and her own compositions pack some serious muscle as well, big pop hooks with a nuanced voice that’s all coy kitten one minute, jungle tiger the next. This girl’s got a future, and it’s a gloriously creative path she’s taking toward it.

John Mellencamp
NOFX
Rhythms Del Mundo
The Secret Handshake

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Let It Sway – one of my favorite indie pop bands, I’m constantly surprised one of this band’s songs hasn’t popped in a Wes Anderson movie yet, they’re so quirky and optimistically melancholy. This third album gets extra production mojo from Death Cab’s Chris Walla, who smartly stays mostly out of the way to let this band’s upbeat heartache bounce and roll along on its own volition. Sounds are crisp and uncluttered, and their jovial dual melodies and harmonies deliver that sweet sound that got them out of Missouri in the first place. Great follow-up from a band deserving of more recognition.

Esperanza Spalding
Superchunk
Taking Back Sunday – live
Camu Tao
Toadies

Brian Wilson, Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin – it’s a Gershwin tribute album, from Brian Wilson, who has never done any tribute albums, but who has had countless tributes devoted to his own work. This equals something special, and in addition to Wilson’s endearing and masterful re-interpretations of some timeless American Songbook standards here, he also received permission from the Gershwin estate to finish two incomplete compositions from the seminal songwriter. It’s a win all around here, maybe not for the ADHD crowd but worth a listen for some updates on songs which have stood the test of time.

Happy Birthday me. Next week half of America waits with bated breath for Katy Perry’s Teenage (wet) Dream, so prepare for either greatness or major annoyance. Or maybe both.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

»Album Reviews: The Oops-We-Took-A-Vacation-But-Now-We’re-Back Rundown
by Joshua Krage

Here’s the best stuff from the past four weeks, some reviewed and some merely mentioned, but all noteworthy. Enjoy:

7/20:

Big Head Todd
The Books
Marc Cohn
Sheryl Crow
Brian Culbertson
Ry Cuming
Frazey Ford, Obadiah – 1/3 of the Be Good Tanyas
David Garrett, Rock Symphonies – new-school classical violinist who’s fashioned a bit of a rock star following and image and has, to this point, created some decent symphonic arrangements of songs you know and love and now continues the trend with well-knowns from Nirvana, Metallica, and risking it all tackling Zep’s “Kashmir.” This better be good.
Jimmy Gnecco, The Heart
Jonas Brothers
Kidz Bop Kids – Kidz Bop vol 18
Shawn Lee, Sing a Song – the best retro-vintage producer and instrumentalist this side of the original Stax players goes for another round of vocal numbers and diabolical duets, contributing some decent vox himself in the process. Home of my favorite song title of 2010, “Christopher Walken on Sunshine.” Genius.
Yo-Yo Ma – remasters
M.I.A., xxxo Remix EP
Miniature Tigers
OST – Jersey Shore
OST – Step Up 3D
Portland Cello Project
Max Richter
Rick Ross
Brian Setzer Orchestra – live
Shannon Stephens
Stereo Skyline
Tokio Hotel – live
12 Stones
Zero 7 – best of

7/27:

Atomic Leopards
Avenged Sevenfold
Best Coast
Brian Bromberg
Robert Cray
Cut Chemist
Dean & Britta
Die Antwoord
Eric Gales
Fred Hammond
Jesca Hoop
Jaill
Tom Jones, Praise and Blame – this is Tom Jones singing classic spirituals. It sounds like a genius idea, and that’s because it IS a genius idea. The voice that brought you “What’s New Pussycat” and “Sexbomb” now balances the scales by exploring God’s musical virtues, produced by Ethan Johns. This is rilly good you guyz, serious.
Seu Jorge – remember that chill fellow playing all those David Bowie songs on acoustic during The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou? Yeah, I thought you did…
Major Lazer (EP)
Menomena
Miniature Tigers
Mark Olson
OST – Cats and Dogs
A.R. Rahman
Rufio
Pete Seeger
Matthew Shipp – live
Sky Sailing, Airplane Carried Me – this is Adam Davis, AKA Owl City. Not sure why he needed another moniker, the formula’s the same (i.e. EXACTLY the same) so if you’re an Owl City fan (and chances are, after that “Fireflies” song exploded onto the mainscene, that you very much are), you’ll want to check this out.
Slum Village
Ringo Starr – live
J. Roddy Walston
Young Galaxy

8/3:

All Out War
Horace Andy
Arcade Fire, The Suburbs – need I say anything? I didn’t think so. It’s good. Go buy it.
Autolux
Bitter End
The Black Crowes – best of
Buckcherry
Bun B
Colour Revolt
Dr. John
El-P
Fan Death
Fields
Gaelic Storm
Paul Gilbert, Fuzz Universe
Gov’t Mule
jj, jjno2
Lady Gaga – remix
Ferraby Lionheart
Jeff Lorber
Los Lobos
Katie Melua
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
OST – The Kids are Alright
OST – Middle Men
Queens of the Stone Age – Rated R Deluxe Reissue
Secondhand Serenade
Squeeze, Spot the Difference – how would you feel if you didn’t own the rights to a back-catalog you spent decades building? This album remedies this dilemma for these British classic pop/rockers, who painstakingly re-record 14 of their greatest hits and somehow come out with the publishing intact, some 30+ years later.
Ryan Star
Tom Petty – Damn the Torpedoes reissue
Versus
Wavves

8/10:

Animal Collective – Oddsac DVD
Black Label Society
Sarah Blasko
Buckner and Garcia
The Budos Band, Budos Band III
Colour Revolt
Cut Chemist
The Charlie Daniels Band
Manu Dibango
John Digweed
George Duke
Robben Ford/Christian Howes
Grits
Lost in the Trees
Modest Mouse – The Moon & Antarctica 10th Anniversary
OST – Big Time Rush
OST – Camp Rock 2
OST – Going the Distance
OST – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – OK this soundtrack is all kinds of indie weird awesome, from the Beck-penned songs for Michael Cera’s on-screen band, Sex Bob-Omb, to the rival band, Crash and the Boys (Broken Social Scene in disguise), to the random Canadian bands past and present popping up all over to Black Francis contributing a tune, all topped off by an 8-bit version of one of the Sex Bob-Omb songs to nod to the film’s video game component. This is top-shelf stuff, and I would expect nothing less from the man who directed Shaun of the Dead. Brilliant.
Mike Posner
PVT
Eli Paperboy Reed
Blake Shelton
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – reissues
Starflyer 59
Street Sweeper Social Club
Tangerine Dream
The Who – Isle of Wight 2CD

Hope that gives you some worthy targets to aim all that cashflow you don’t have but will have when that next birthday/graduation/bat mitzvah comes around.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 06.08.10
by Joshua Krage

So much summer out this week, it’s glorious, but there’s a big lack of major label releases and only one culprit: vampires. The Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack is a behemoth I would not wish upon any competitor entering the ring this week, but for any of you looking beyond the teenage supernatural melodrama, you’ll find some incredibly meaty summer tuneage to kick start your poolside chillin’ (or warmin’, but I digress). Step outside where the vampires can’t get you, and enjoy the good times while you got ‘em:

Against Me!, White Crosses – with these guys you know you gotta come ready to accept some protest rallying, but since their major label debut with last album New Wave, they’ve gone from folk-punk to full-on arena-punk. Expansive guitars, surprise piano textures and anthemic, huge-sounding production dominate the landscape courtesy of Butch Vig, who smoothed out any rough edges (formerly one of their strong points) save for Tom Gable’s visceral, anarchist yowl, which continues to call out the government and established authority in general. Most surprising, however, is Gable’s progression, maturing from one-note anti-establishment propaganda to introspection and soul-searching but not enough to take the bile out of his bark. If you’re a fan and you liked the last LP you’ll love the direction they’re going here.

Christina Aguilera
AM Taxi
Ariel Pink’s
(DJ) Baby Anne
Andy Bell
Dierks Bentley

Blitzen Trapper, Destroyer of the Void – one of Sub Pop Records’ more consistently eclectic signings of the last few years, this acoustic-flavored indie rock band has progressed from the backwoods straight into prog-rock territory on this LP. Challenging at first but mountainside traces remain such as the lush string and vocal arrangements and the overall classic ’70s tinge in the production.

BLK JKS

Casiokids, Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar – true to their name, these Norwegian showmen make most of the optimistic indie dance-pop on this album with vintage Casio keyboards and drum machines. I actually own an old Casio keyboard from the late ’80s, and I recognize its glorious synth-flute, voice and keyboard percussion tones all over this work. The release is a double disc, with one disc originals (cobbled together from previous EPs and such) and one a remix disc, but it’s all sung in vintage Norwegian so you Sigur Rós fans rejoice and start dancin’.

Chali 2na
Deer Tick

Delorean, Subiza – continuing their evolution toward Europe’s best indie dance band, these Spaniards incorporate even more sampling and meaty loops into their Ibiza house sound and dig deeper into the obscure/classic new wave trench in a new and accessible way.

The Delta Spirit, History From Below – these SoCal rockers’ high-energy debut was handed to me by a good friend last year and they hooked me immediately with their raw, rambunctious enthusiasm and sprawling arrangements. This followup finds them losing a member but adding layers and layers of guitar noise and rootsy landscaping to fill in the sound, and frontman Matthew Vasquez’ sun-dried yowl delivers each track from a convincing hillside overlooking the beach. Add this to your list of Perfect Ways To Start the Summer.

Ducks Deluxe
Due Voci

Renee Fleming, Dark Hope – the esteemed classical soprano tackling modern indie and rock tracks? Believe it. Included here are songs from Muse, Arcade Fire, Band of Horses, Peter Gabriel, Death Cab, and more. An interesting diversion though she rarely reaches for her operatic register; ultimately the largest potential victory is in the possible introduction of these new classics to folks who feel Philip Glass is the only “current” artist worth listening to. I can see aged NPR enthusiasts reservedly bobbing their head to Ben Gibbard lyrics in the near future…

Glee – Regionals
A Guy Called Gerald
Hail the Villain

Hanson, Shout It Out – seeing this album materialize is bittersweet for anyone who thoroughly enjoyed Taylor Hanson’s diversion into indie supergroup Tinted Windows (because it means that group’s on the back-burner). Likewise, many folks may still be grasping illusions this group was over after “MmmBop.” Luckily one listen will enlighten anyone paying attention to the full-voiced, well-crafted business these three rockers have been about for the past 10+ years. Serious soul instrumentation, crisp vocal arrangements, and of course Taylor’s voice has aged well since their ascent to teen stardom and beyond. The brothers’ Motown and classic soul upbringing shines brightly all through the album, ending up with a solid grip of rocking soul tuneage so bursting with hooks it could be a tackle box. Highly worth checking out.

Warren Haynes – Benefit Concert 3

The Henry Clay People, Somewhere On the Golden Coast – this album is a party waiting to happen, and your summer just got a better soundtrack. Bottling up the bluesy rock swagger indigenous to the outlying Los Angeles hillside suburbs, this is a lo-fi rawk extravaganza with vocals which fall somewhere between Tom Petty’s hazy drawl and Black Francis’ frenetic howl. Drawling slide guitar work weaving throughout the tracks gives a bonus sepia-tone tinge in just the right places, and a bevy of uptempo barn burners threatens to get entire area codes dancing. Currently on the road with Against Me! and Silversun Pickups, which makes a bill that’s bulletproof, baby.

Here We Go Magic, Pigeons – began mostly as a bedroom electro-pop offshoot of downbeat frontman Luke Temple’s eclectic folk, the second proper LP finds this project grown into a full band and playing like one. Springing from the debut’s ethereal foundations, this album ups the tempo and takes the sound on the road, delivering a lot more invigorating sounds (whether live, looped, programmed or stumbled-upon) and sees Temple get a bit excited across a few of the tracks. Ultimately a much more focused (but still deliberately hazy) dreampop record with gorgeous spaces and interesting places along the roadside.

Kristin Hersh
Hot Hot Heat
Ingidenous – acoustic
Jewel
Nigel Kennedy, Shhh! – the modern violin anarchist breaks out some original compositions for his quintet, including a rather interesting take on Nick Drake’s “River Man.” Always fascinating stuff in this UK classical hooligan’s braincase…
Lil’ Jon
Travie McCoy
MyChildren MyBride
Nachtmystium
Nada Surf
Nevermore
OCR – The Addams Family
OCR – Fela!
Off With Their Heads

Orianthi, Believe (II) – anyone who saw Michael Jackson’s This Is It will remember the striking, out-of-place-looking Aussie blonde who was shredding her six-string in his band. Her “second” album here is basically perfect for anyone who likes Disney rock like Demi Lovato or Selena Gomez but wishes it had some serious metal ballz. Some of the Meg&Dia gang join in the songwriting action for added hooks & giggles.

OST – Twilight: Eclipse – I have not, at this point, watched any of the Twilight films, but I would gladly watch all of them ten times each in succession if it guaranteed their soundtracks would continue to be this good. Taken apart from the film, it’s an indie and mainstream A-list artist roster (including Muse, Dead Weather, Beck & Bat For Lashes, Sia, Band of Horses and so on) contributing a smorgasbord of specially-crafted tunes, all of which are memorable among their respective artists’ bodies of work, and all of which you’ll only hear on this album. I’m sure they fit in and make many emotional moments in the film as well, but I hope to never have need of finding out. Mad props to Alexandra Patsavas and the Chop Shop Records crew for leveraging this franchise into a mighty and marketable vehicle to get our generation’s best musicians’ work in the ears of mainstream tweens everywhere.

Pain of Salvation
Plies
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

Ratatat, LP4 – that an instrumental indie rock band continues to even exist, let alone thrive in this day and age is amazing enough, but it’s a testament to dual masterminds Evan Mast and Mike Stroud that this group continues to both garner praise from innumerable peers and to earn that praise with high-quality compositions such as the ones found on this, their fourth LP (if the title didn’t clue you in). Everything heard here is pretty much a continuation of the heights they reached on previous LP3, with chunky rhythms, electronic noisecraft, and wizardly guitar textures creating a flurry of different feelings and moods, but some tweaks include somber (and deftly arranged) strings and a fully-ironic talkbox employed as a rhythmic device for maximum effect. Innovative to the last, these tracks have enough ingenuity in them to drive three lesser bands, and every sound is deliberate and delightful.

Refused
Rhymefest
Rocket to Memphis

Rooney, Eureka – third album of sunny, summer-tinged pop/rock from the photogenic Los Angeles quartet. Lots of bouncy choruses and decent guitar hooks guarantee fans will be dancing, and while not a lot here sounds new per se, they’re getting older and wiser while chasing that perfect sound which will unite their ’70s rock influences with the modern hipster-kid landscape.

Saving Abel
Silverstein – live
Since October

Rachid Taha, Bonjour – you might have heard this French/Algerian Rai dance swami’s take on “Rock the Casbah” on this season’s Chuck soundtrack. This album finds the multi-cultured and well-traveled bard transplanting his sound a bit further west into Europop and even country music territory, all while continuing to blend traditional middle eastern flavor with solid dance club rhythms.

Teenage Fanclub
Tiesto – hits

Tokyo Police Club, Champ – getting a bit older and wiser, this angular indie rock quartet has slowed their tempo a bit and get more ambient use out of Graham Wright’s keyboard, but the group keeps plenty of pogo swagger in their backbeat; singer/bassist David Monks still comes on like Beck on Red Bull and their guitars swarm and shimmer in blistering walls of hazy drone, frenetic and dizzying. The tempo drop is the biggest change in landscape, however, and when a tune titled “Breakneck Speed” is among the slower numbers, you can’t help but wonder why this madcap ride is applying the brakes. That aside, this LP has plenty of arty corners to traverse, and advances their overall sound in a direction which might be a bit more sustainable in years to come…

VA – Twistable Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein – featuring a large list of top-shelf rock, folk, indie, and even country artists ranging from My Morning Jacket to Bobby Bare to Black Francis to Andrew Bird. Completely fitting, I can’t wait to hear this.

VA – Warped Tour 2010
Villagers
Clay Walker
Steve Winwood – best of
Wye Oak – My Neighbor
Yo La Tengo – Here To Fall remixes

What a great way to start your summer, no? Aside from the tuneful amazingness of that Twilight soundtrack, there’s enough rock, dance, and fringe goodness to give anyone something enjoyable to dig on that road trip, by that pool, waiting for the tide to come in, or whatever your summertime activity of choice might be. Dig it well, and I’ll see you next week.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 05.25.10
by Joshua Krage

Lackluster list last week, so skim over these and skip down to the meat of this week’s releases.

Cam’ron
Common – best of
David Cross
Crystal Castles
The Cure – Disintegration 20th anniv
Fyfe Dangerfield
Karen Elson
Far
Fennesz
Leela James
Keith Jarrett / Charlie Haden
Damien Jurado
Krokus
Bettye Lavette
Marina / Diamonds
OST – Prince of Persia
OST – Sex and the City 2
OST – True Blood vol 2
Peter Wolf Crier
Piebald
John Prine
Rihanna – Rated R remixed
Slum Village
Smashing Pumpkins
Soulfly
Stone Temple Pilots (new, self-titled album)
Tobacco
VA – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame DVD
White Lion
Widespread Panic
Hank Williams III
Keller Williams & the Keels

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»Album Reviews For Release Date: 06.01.10
by Joshua Krage

Lots of great non-clubbin’ summertime music out this week with harmonies in the most interesting of places (see: Melvins) and some unexpected covers. Plenty of tunes to start your sunny season off right. Happy hunting:

Clay Aiken
Born Ruffians

Cherryholmes, Cherryholmes IV: Common Threads – the seventh overall and fourth self-titled LP from this amazing and storied family bluegrass band, and the first in which they write every track. Don’t know how I never heard of these talented kinfolk up ’til now. They have the bluegrass chops and quite decent vocals, and their originals here hold up to the best of any country crossover band from Alison Krauss to the Dixie Chicks. If you’re a country or bluegrass fan, this album will be a real treat.

Chase Coy
Taio Cruz
Dmitri From Paris/Joey Negro
Funki Porcini, On – stylish and tastefully danceable lounge-tronica from one of the Ninja Tune label’s most inventive and synth-infused acts.

The Futureheads, The Chaos – angular Sunderland post-punks return with heavily-accented muscle on fourth proper LP. Much less math rock and many more hooky choruses are the main accents, but their mainstay multi-part harmonies and bouncy guitars remain in top form.

Good Old War, Good Old War – second album from laidback, acoustically-proficient indie rockers with one of the most inventive backstories for a band name I’ve heard. Great attention to songcraft and well-constructed harmonies pepper these tracks and some particularly ingenious interludes elevate the overall work into something rather above the usual acoustic fare.

Hawthorne Heights

Infant Sorrow, Get Him to the Greek OST – full proper “album” from Russell Brand’s fictional band which sprang brilliantly from Forgetting Sarah Marshall and continues with hilarious aplomb in this new film. Tongue is planted firmly in cheek (among, erm, other things) and Brand’s Aldous Snow delivers one-liner after one-liner in a decent tour-de-farce.

Jack Johnson, To the Sea – the monarch of mellow doesn’t have much left to prove after a full decade of helping the music world relax in assorted colors and tones, and by this point you either like him or you don’t and probably need a massage. Plenty of relaxing to be had on this LP, and Johnson continues to play around with his electric alongside his signature acoustic sound, but he lets keyboardist Zach Gill and his rhythm section do a bit of the driving this time around, ending up pretty much where most of his other albums end up, soundtracking the sunset after a killer day shooting the curl, bruh.

Lamb of God

The Melvins, The Bride Screamed Murder – if you saw the name Melvins and started reading this, chances are you’re already one of the converted; if not, the fact they’re on Ipecac Records might tell you you’re in store for something… interesting. These guys have been making sludge-tastic riff collages for over two decades now, and with this release they add some unexpected harmony breaks and even a sprawling, lava-flow trudge through The Who’s “My Generation” which might be the most unique interpretation of the classic I’ve heard. They even close the album out with a left turn take on a Canadian folk song, I’m guessing just for ironic shock value, but it fully works, and if you’re a fan you’ll count this LP among your favorite in the Melvins œuvre.

Sergio Mendes

Tift Merritt, See You On the Moon – this soothing alt.country siren is on a roll, releasing her third full album in less than three years and honing her songwriting and arranging skills to a fine point. Most of the songs on this album are pared down beautifully to either spare rhythm section behind her acoustic, or light piano and light accoutrement filling in the corners, which leaves much more room for her soft, beautiful vocals to float on in and get comfortable. And her words hit home for any lost soul looking for a light–vulnerable tales of seeking and reflection, plus some decent covers including a simple, touching take on Kenny Loggins’ “Danny’s Song” which captures the vagabond smile of the song perfectly. A great record for an afternoon on the porch with the sky.

moe. – hits
Pastor Troy
Iggy Pop
George Strait – live DVD
U2 – live at the Rose Bowl DVD (out on 6/3)
VA – Motown for Kids
Paul Weller

That’s a much better list than last week, eh? Well next week is even better, with new tuneage dropping in from Against Me!, Delta Spirit, Hanson, Here We Go Magic, Tokyo Police Club and the Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack, among others. I’ll see you then, and see you there.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 05.18.10
by Joshua Krage


Some familiar returns this week and many of them are in top form, but the real gravy is to be found in the grooves, especially the sampled vinyl. Read on to find your own gravy:

Mindi Abair
Timothy Andres

Band of Horses, Infinite Arms – there’s something strangely therapeutic about BoH frontman Ben Bridwell’s high, Neil Young-ish tenor, which is why it’s comforting that, after three albums and dozens of flannel shirts, he is the one constant in this revolving door of a band; he’s the “stable” one, pardon the horrible name pun. Their second album, 2007′s Cease to Begin, was similar in sound to their debut but packed a few more hooks and some better production into it, garnering the level of notice they now enjoy. This new album is furthers the growing-up process, slowing down and honing in even more on succinct melodies and deliberate instrumentation. I’m still digesting and debating whether or not it’s “better,” per se, but as compared to their last, it is definitely less rough and more arranged, with only a few solid rockers and a bigger helping of acoustic Americana, which is a good and relaxingly mellow thing.

David Bazan – live
Bo Bice

The Black Keys, Brothers – Dan Auerbach and Pat Carney are on fire. With their last couple works and this new album, they’ve scored a production hat trick involving Danger Mouse, a flurry of hip-hop A-listers, and now Muscle Shoals. Q: Is this band really good enough to deserve attention from so many high-profile producers? A: Yes, yes they are. The unadorned blues-rock of this duo’s early albums shares more kinship with the Muscle Shoals sound, and this album definitely favors raw muscle over the psychedelia which peppered their previous proper LP, but the strange and wonderful sounds they’ve added to their arsenal are still present in the grooves and interludes, showing their skill in the production booth this time around. There’s enough meaty blues licks for all the guitar fiends and enough hazy juju for anyone hoping to hear more of what made their last album great. There’s just no denying that this album is a win for everybody, longtime fans and new converts alike.

Devo – New Traditionalists bonus reissue
Digital Underground, The Greenlight EP – billed as the “final release” from Shock-G and his rotating cast of the most funktastic hip hop group to ever do the hump.
Pete Francis
Mary Gauthier
Greg Ginn
Glee Cast – Glee vol 3
Great Lake Swimmers
Green Day – American Idiot Broadway Cast Recording
Harvey Milk
Indigenous – acoustic sessions
The Jayhawks
Mick Karn
Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek

LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening – this record could almost be a throw-away for James Murphy, in that no matter how good or bad it ends up being, it’ll still be seen as “not as good as Sounds of Silver,” their previous LP. And thus the worry rings true, but not because this album isn’t brilliant–it actually is, full of just as many dry, sardonic dance jams and snarkily-worded missives on the inner city hipster nightlife; rather it feels more like a continuation and progression from that album’s mature songwriting and amazing production. This is a great followup to an album impossible to follow up; taken on its own merits, it’s a dazzling and engaging listen with as many vulnerable, soul-searching moments as hip dance floor boot-shakin’ breakdowns.

Jamie Lidell, Compass – you can check out our Hype piece on this electro-clubber turned soul-crooner’s new album for a full scoop, but suffice it to say he’s following up 2008′s stellar neo-soul tour de force Jim with an album that combines all his tricks, from dance production to experimentalism to straight-up Prince-style baby-making soul grooves. There’s loads of good stuff to find all over this record.

Audra Mae
Moby – remixes
Janelle Monae 
Nas / Damian Marley

Jimmy Needham, Night Lights – this guy is the unrelentingly upbeat king of pop gospel music. Think Jason Mraz singing about Jesus and you’re right there. Ridiculously catchy pop hooks and sunny, bouncy production… it can be a bit much but it’s so well done that it’s hard not to smile at it. For you fans of singer/songwriters who need a lift.

OST – Friday Night Lights, Vol. 2 – this TV adaptation’s creators and producers take great care to choose music that’s both groundbreaking and spot-on with their episodes and strike emotional gold in scene after scene of this excellent show. This second volume features tracks from Band of Skulls, Avett Brothers, Sufjan Stevens, Heartless Bastards and many more top shelf fringe artists.

OST – MacGruber
Pearly Gate Music
Poison Control Center
Pontiak
Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St Deluxe Ed.
Rooftops
The Sadies
Guilty Simpson

Solex vs. Cristina Martinez & Jon Spencer, Amsterdam Throwdown – quite the interesting amalgamation of ’90s indie rock alumni here. Boss Hogg/Pussy Galore singer Cristina Martinez, Jon Spencer’s visceral guitar and vocal wail, and Solex frontwoman Elisabeth Esselink’s cool, electro-friendly samples form the core of this musical smorgasbord, which ends up employing a small army of side-players and obscure borrowed bits of other recordings by the time all 15 tracks play out. For so many pieces going into it, the end result is surprisingly cohesive, and Spencer’s dry, punked-out guitar work keeps the whole affair raw and on the indie side no matter how phat a beat or horn riff the song is sporting. Endlessly interesting, and a must for fans of bohemian mash-up projects like Butter 08 and Cibo Matto.

Tech N9ne
Tracy Thorn (ex-Everything But the Girl vocalist’s 2nd solo album)
VA – Shel Silverstein tribute
Reggie Watts
Andre Williams

It’s probably just me, but anything involving Jon Spencer instantly gets a green light in my book for sheer bravado let alone musical taste. The Black Keys & the LCD’s are on the list as well, and those Band of Horses and Jamie Lidell albums hold their water well. Get crackin’, and I’ll see you with more musical money next week.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 05.11.10
by Joshua Krage

Whole lotta head-scratching to be done this week, with the strange concoctions from the likes of Cocorosie and Gayngs to established acts like Keane and U.N.K.L.E. changing up their winning formulas for art’s sake and beyond. You’ll see what I mean…

As I Lay Dying

Marco Benevento, Between the Needles and Nightfall – hadn’t heard of this whimsical avant-jazz ivory-tinkler but along with a choice restrained rhythm section, he’s evidently released two albums of colorful genre-mashing before this work, which is quite a genre collage of its own. Amazing instrument choices and stunning dynamic shifts dot every track with unique landmarks, and the crazy, hazy textures hanging in the background create a mood that’s part art-house, part fun-house. Severely interesting, in a low-key sort of way, and the best instrumental jazz I’ve heard this month.

Bon Jovi – needless “Tour Edition” reissues
Jackson Browne / David Lindley
Jonathan Butler
Capitol Steps
Carney
Cattle Decapitation
Clutch – live

Cocorosie, Grey Oceans – there is an endless array of adjectives which could be used to describe the music of these oddly ethereal sisters, but no matter how expansive the list, it wouldn’t be enough–a quality which is both intriguing and frustrating listening to this new album. Their demure, quivering elven vocals float uncertainly over scores of strange, barely-stable instrumentation, from ambient keys and despairing strings to chopped-up pianos and breakbeats. Odd as it sounds to say, this really is the kind of music one would make in a cauldron in some enchanted forest, which fits their personality well and, upon reflection, sounds very deliberate, however perplexing.

Crash Test Dummies

The Dead Weather, Sea of Cowards – new LP less than a year after their first? Yes, please! Don’t quite know how they pulled it off, but album #2 doubles down on their blues-hound sound, taking the rough-edged sound of debut album Horehound and pushing it further and rawer, if that’s a word. New tricks added here include some space-age keyboards and a strange album-closing dirge by Jack White reinterpreting a traditional Catholic liturgy, but the rest of the album is pretty much a continuation of their debut, which is a good thing for everyone but those expecting something new and different.

Celine Dion – live

Everest, On Approach – second album from great new L.A. country/rock act just finding its quirky, roots music legs. Having three multi-instrumentalists/vocalists in the band definitely gives these guys an advantage in the arrangement department, and frontman Russ Pollard’s winsome, unsteady tenor sets the perfect pitch for these tales of searching and settling in. They sound like they’d be killer to see live.

4troops

Gayngs, Relayted – an eclectic and puzzling sort of indie dance collective, a bit like Broken Social Scene going chillwave in Minneapolis with a downtempo beat. Shadowy atmospherics and wistful drones are the overcurrents, but the foundations are all groove music, and these guys get pretty crazy with the random instrumental flourishes on some tracks. Guest spots includes members of Bon Iver and Megafaun and the whole guest list is pretty long, but if that’s how many people it takes to get us dancing in hipster fashion, then that’s what it takes.

Buddy Guy – yes, a new one

Holy Fuck, Latin – wow, didn’t expect the excellent ambient layers in this indie IDM collective’s third proper album. These guys are always incredibly inventive, but up to this point it’s been mostly with beats and blips; this time around they really bring the keyboard swells and synth genius in top form, making even more danceable and some bonus relaxable fare.

Hoodoo Gurus
IAMX – remixes & “reworkings”
Japandroids – “No Singles” early works comp

John 5, The Art of Malice – ever since wisely departing from Marilyn Manson’s band, this face-painted fret wizard has been schooling the entire instrumental shred community with each release, latest work included. In addition to the grip of face-melting shred sprints (including a Van Halen send-up featuring bassmaster Billy Sheehan), J5 throws in some classical fingerstyle, some chicken-pickin’, and some surprisingly subtle downtempo slide. This guy has nothing left to prove, being more than a match for any axeman from country/bluegrass all the way up to the highest histrionics of heavy metal, and he’s only getting better.

Karma to Burn

Keane, Night Train EP – a mini-album which is half continuation of their last LP and half leap forward into dance/pop production mastery. Inventive collaborations with Japanese singer Tigarah and Somali rapper K’Naan are deliberate departures from anything they’ve done up to this point, and their songs in general have quite a bit of layering and dynamics, but if you’ve heard them on either of their last two LPs, you’ve most likely discovered their greatness, which is only reinforced here.

Jennifer Knapp, Letting Go – if you haven’t heard the controversy surrounding this CCM songstress’ return to music after a lengthy “hiatus,” you can find it on your own; the story on this comeback album is the music. Knapp’s deeply cathartic voice and acoustic style were strong cornerstones of the Lilith Fair sound but what set her apart both then and now is the depth and poeticism of her confessional lyrics. I’ve heard no other artist who can express a soul torn against itself with such devastating beauty, both in written and sung verse as well as Jennifer Knapp, and she brings seven years’ worth of pent-up pathos to the table here. She starts off sounding a bit like Melissa Etheridge, but while her voice has found a bit more of a gravelly edge, she fully retains the wounded seeker she personifies so well throughout all these tracks, making for a stellar return, regardless of how the controversy will affect its receiving in the CCM and popular music community.

Kris Kristofferson – early demos
Male Bonding
Meat Loaf

The National, High Violet – to call the National “gloomy” is to describe a windowless room as “poorly lit,” but anyone who has heard Matt Berninger’s despairingly subdued baritone knows this and by now most of us have gotten past it. Rampant depression and paranoia aside (and with songs like “Afraid of Everyone,” “Sorrow” and “Terrible Love,” they’re hard to miss), this LP has some great ambient production, subtle strings, upbeat dynamics and vocal layering which, while not fully lifting the tracks above their inherent murk and mire, at least buoy them above the water level to the point where you feel like it’s a train ride on an overcast day rather than a solitary afternoon at the rained-out pier.

Placebo, Covers – for any of you unlucky enough to have not purchased the special edition of their 2003 Sleeping With Ghosts album, now you can finally snag what made that edition so special: a 10-song bonus disc of the androgynous ones covering a variety of new wave classics, ranging from Kate Bush to the Smiths to T. Rex, all brilliantly plied and played. Their version of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind” even features Black Francis for bonus cred.

Portugal. the Man, American Ghetto – this indie rock band has far surpassed their original schtick. Birthed in the era of Fall Out Boy and overly-snarky song titles, the post-punk pogo-ism of their early electro leanings has given way to full-on ambientronic rock productions. Strange studio wizardy from producer Anthony Saffery steers these tracks into some trippy territory, and frontman John Gourley’s voice is like hazy LSD all over the album. A more downtempo work, but continuing the inventive trends of their last LP in grand mellow fashion.

Sage Francis
Carly Simon – live
Sing It Loud

Sleigh Bells, Treats – primary producer (and N.E.E.T. label owner) M.I.A.’s fingerprints are all over this band’s debut album. The Brooklyn duo not only delivers a hard-hitting pop/rock album, but hits it outta the park with their sometimes pop/sometimes punk lyrics blanketed in lots of gritty, subversive guitar sounds, plenty of synths and undeniably danceable beats. The quiet moments are still loud and angsty in a way that would’ve pissed your mom off when you were in high school. Absolutely look for this one on all of the Best Of 2010 lists, including ours.

Stereophonics
Taproot
Otis Taylor

U.N.K.L.E., Where Did the Night Fall – didn’t expect this at all. James Lavelle’s beat-heavy trip-hop dalliance stops tripping and goes straight electro dancepop, scoring guest vox from the likes of Mark Lanegan, Autolux and the Black Angels. Less patchy and experimental, less like a side-project and more a focused, deliberate statement, but not a statement that much of their earlier work suggested at all.

VA – American Idol season nine
Wax Fang

We Are the Fallen, Tear the World Down – a winning goth-rock formula of former Evanescence axeman Ben Moody and former AmIdol contestant (and Evanescence fan-girl) Carly Smithson, this album plays pretty much like Evanescence would have sounded if Amy Lee weren’t so control crazy, which is either a strength or a weakness depending on how much of their sorrow you may have enjoyed. Needless to say, there’s lots of big, ominous guitar crunch and brooding, layered vocals, and if you fell on the side of wishing Amy Lee would stop crying and start rocking, Tear the World Down is the album which will let your wrists heal up and start throwing the rawkfist.

Interesting, eh? That’s enough variety for a whole month, but this month has lots of great surprises to come, and next week sees albums dropping from Band of Horses, The Black Keys, and LCD Soundsystem, to name a few. See you then, see you there.

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 05.04.10
by Joshua Krage

Lots of live albums out this week, but we’ll summarily ignore those and get right to the really good stuff, starting with one of the biggest bands (literally, at +/-18 members) in indie rock and continuing on through a carnival of various beats, fiddles, remakes and Italian operas. And that’s just to begin with:

A-Ha
Michael Bolton
Bone Thugs
Booka Shade
Toni Braxton

Broken Social Scene, Forgiveness Rock Record – I’ve been debating the merits of even reviewing this album, since it’s pretty much a must-buy for anyone hoping to retain any ounce of hipster cred, but will likely be inaccessible to anyone not into indie rock. The scene-making Canadian collective is still umpteen members strong and has the same amount of scenester royalty present on this LP, with members of Stars, Metric, Leslie Feist and more dropping choice performances across the landscape. The best news is that a good number of these tracks are the most straight-forward and punchy rock, electro, and danceable numbers this band has made thus far, catchy without sacrificing innovation. Highly worth buying.

Zac Brown Band – live
Chickenfoot – live

Court Yard Hounds, Court Yard Hounds – it’s the Dixie Chicks–minus firebrand frontwoman Natalie Maines–and sounds pretty much like you’d expect it to sound without her. Solid songwriting from sisters Martie & Emily, great instrumentation, less vocal presence but a still strong sense of melody and interplay, and even a downtempo bonus duet with Jakob Dylan. A pleasant diversion until Natalie feels like joining them for another outing.

Deftones
The Fall

The Flaming Lips w/ Stardeath & the White Dwarfs, Dark Side of the Moon – yes, the timeless Pink Floyd album, re-cast and re-imagined by Wayne Coyne, his cousin and a full guest cast including Peaches and Henry Rollins. (And you thought it was trippy before). I wonder if it’ll still play right in time with the Wizard of Oz?

Flying Lotus
Free Energy
Future Islands
Godsmack
The Hold Steady
Jackyl
The Joy Formidable
Richard Julian
Kidz Bop Kids, Kidz Bop Dance Party! – notable mostly for hearing a bunch of pre-teens open up and confess they “woke up in the morning feelin’ like P. Diddy”…
Carole King / James Taylor – Live at the Troubadour

Greg Laswell, Take a Bow – when you start with as full and emotive of a voice as Greg Laswell’s, it’s easy to write songs that will get a response from the listener; to then craft a full album musing on lost love and wrecked emotional center, you’re aiming to destroy. G-man does this in spades on this new album, and ups the ante in orchestral fashion by pulling out all the arrangements you could ever hope for to buoy these raw, massive, and meditative missives. Thus said, this album has it all: subtle, finely-sculpted lyrics, amazing instrumentation, catchy and memorable hooks (even on the slow songs), all sung in Greg’s warm, heady tenor which brings so much gravity to the tracks it is, at times, unbearable. An emotional ride, and a fantastic album front to back.

Lazer Crystal, MCMLXXX – what would you get if you let your pet robot make its own dance music? Well, probably Daft Punk. But if your robot weren’t a French dilettante from space and was instead assembled from parts of your old Chevy Impala and Intellivision circuits, you’d get these electro-breakbeat enthusiasts from Chicago. Big, biiiiig beats, 8-Bit soundscapes, and amazing programmed (and live!) dynamics don’t so much get you dancing as uncontrollably head-bobbing at a pace which will put your neck in real danger, and what vocals that are present are rarely discernible behind synth layering and vocoders off the chain. This is the sound of your vintage ColecoVision getting it on with an original NES console on the dancefloor, and it’s glorious.

The Letter Black

MercyMe, The Generous Mr. Lovewell – it’s difficult to top an album so amazing as their last full LP, but getting a new start on INO Records probably has something to do with the new, slight electronic layers and poppier sound of this new album.

Minus the Bear

The New Pornographers, Together – at this point in all their respective careers, it’s not a question of if the new album will be good, but rather in what way the album will be good. Both Carl Neuman and Neko Case consistently release list-topping solo albums on a biannual basis, and pretty much all the NP albums have been reliable for having arsenals of hooky, rock choruses, ace arrangements and smartly- and snarkly-crafted wordplay, qualities which are not skimped on this new LP. Lots of guest spots here, including Zach Condon from Beirut, Okkervil River’s Will Sheff and a dimension-shifting guitar solo by Annie Clark (St. Vincent). They even did a very professional-type behind-the-scenes interview with Adam Goldberg about it.

Nonpoint

Mike Patton, Mondo Cane – looks like a full-on operatic album, sung by Patton in Italian, with full orchestra. You really shouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if you’re at all familiar with this eclectic genius of popular culture–he made an entire album from nothing but human vocal sounds way before Bjork ever thought of it, and have you seen the roster on his Ipecac Records imprint? Yup, this is nothing shocking, just honest, traditional Italian opera by the frontman for Faith No More. Move along…

Josh Ritter, So Runs the World Away – tinges of orchestration frame this soft-mannered folk songcrafter’s new tracks this time around, with the savvy wordplay you’ve come to expect from one so accustomed to standing on his literary laurels in the folk tradition.

Rachael Sage
Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim – Complete Reprise archives
Stereo Total

The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, I Love You I Love You I Love You and I’m In Love With You – wow, I thought they were kidding with this, but it’s a real band and they’re honestly “creating” this overly-giddy bunch of hipsterkid-party dance tunes. The levels of optimism and ridiculousity border on unbearable, but there are some memorable moments hidden under the blatant silliness. Plus they have a song called “In Your Face, Suckiness!” How can you beat that? With baseball bats. But honestly a very unique and somewhat enjoyable experience.

Tonic
The Whitsundays
Chely Wright
Nikki Yanofsky

Not bad for an average week, right? Even better news coming later this month, with new LPs from the Dead Weather, Band of Horses, LCD Soundsystem, and the triumphant return of Devo.
Q: Are we not men?
A: we are Joshua Krage \m/

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

Compass
Release Date: May 18th via Warp

01. Completely Exposed
02. Your Sweet Boom
03. She Needs Me
04. I Wanna Be Your Telephone
05. Enough’s Enough
06. The Ring
07. You Are Waking
08. I Can Love Again
09. It’s A Kiss
10. Compass
11. Gypsy Blood
12. Coma Chameleon
13. Big Drift
14. You See My Light

Lidell spent his last two albums (2005′s Multiply and 2008′s Jim) breaking down and breaking away from the art-robotic dance floor sound of Super_Collider (his collab with fellow UK techno-savant Cristian Vogel), and by the time Jim rolled out, he had successfully transformed himself from an electro-club Prince junkie to a legit, souled-out R&B crooner with smooth grooves and roughly-honed vocals in the mix. Perhaps the biggest surprise from the opening notes of “Completely Exposed,” Compass’ lead-off track, is the crazy, fuzzed-up beatbox claps and over-modded drum machine textures. As the album smoothly pumps along, it’s clear the landscape has changed, and Lidell is putting the tricks he learned producing all that experimental techno to use in a whole new way. And in listening to the strangely sensual synth chug of “I Wanna Be Your Telephone,” it is also clear that his Prince jones is back with a big, booty-bouncing thump. Luckily, these are welcome changes, since the production choices are not necessarily new for Jamie Lidell, but rather a logical amalgamation of the sounds he achieved with Super_Collider melded seamlessly onto his new, surprisingly top-shelf modern R&B framework.

Some of this re-innovation is no doubt due to the company the man has been keeping: collaborations in the songwriting department include Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone (out of Wilco), the brilliant Beck, and many more. Supporting players on these tracks include alt.indie chanteuse Leslie Feist, the powerful Nikka Costa, the entire Grizzly Bear crew, and at one point the NYPD even scores a cast credit. And with the diversity on this album, a large and diverse cast is quite needed. Cuts like “Telephone” and “The Ring” bring a luscious low-end groove to the dance floor; album opener “Completely Exposed” and “She Needs Me” wax as full-on baby-making soul, and more edgy numbers like “Big Drift,” the title track and breakneck “You Are Waking” get downright experimental with their production and instrumentation. It makes for a pretty broad palette, but amazingly nothing sounds out of place, and Lidell draws all these obtuse layers in and blends them together with undetectable magic, all the while turning in the strongest vocal performances of his career, expanding his considerable soul chops with visible confidence.

By the time closing track “You See My Light” slowly fades out into the distance, this LP has run a very different landscape than any R&B or soul album you’ve ever heard. It’s experimental neo-soul, which is somewhat unexplored territory, but it’s most amazing because of how well it works. Jamie Lidell has proven on previous efforts that he knows his way around a production booth but can still make a soulful record with complete, unadorned live instrumentation. With nothing from those two camps left to prove, on this album he gets down to the business of art, assembling this puzzle of normally disparate sounds together with a deliberate hand and an assured vision, crafting a musical journey quite unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. You’ll be hard-pressed to find something out there as unique as this LP, and the fact that it works on the dance floor, in the bedroom, and in the mind-expanding indie realm as well makes it all the more difficult to beat. Amazing leap forward for an artist who is no longer afraid of his past, present, or future.

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For all of your Compass purchasing needs, visit jamielidell.com.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 04.27.10
by Joshua Krage

I’ll call this week for the imported releases. Every domestic band out this week just isn’t doing anything for me, but the world beat and UK rock releases on the roster have serious promise and surprising versatility. Don’t just take my word for it, check it for yourself:

Avi Buffalo

Balkan Beat Box, Blue Eyed Black Boy – a beat-heavy intersection of all sorts of genres, this now rather large New York collective makes crowds dance in any setting and with any style they feel like tackling. Great horn arrangements, strong world flavor, fervent rhymes from the charismatic MC Tomer Yosef and a bricktastic bag of rhythms which never fails to surprise or to motivate. This is a multicultural and multi-genre powerhouse of political and polyrhythmic muscle, with a devastating live show and as diverse an amalgamation of sounds as you could ever hope to hear, let alone dance to.

B.o.B.
Jim Brickman
Bullet For My Valentine
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Miranda Cosgrove
Daddy Yankee
Reema Datta
Drowning Pool
Melissa Etheridge
Peter Frampton
Gogol Bordello
Hole (actually just Courtney Love using the “Hole” name, but why split doll hairs?)
The Juan MacLean – DJ-Kicks
Lali Puna
The Lodger
Jesse Malin
Shannon McNally
Jo Dee Messina
Mono – live
The Mynabirds
Anders Osborne
Brian Posehn
Small Black
Something Corporate – best of
Sons of Sylvia
Spose

Trashcan Sinatras, In the Music – so I guess this LP has been out for almost a year across the pond, but stateside we can only now get our hands on this new batch of mellow atmo-rock from this two-decades-strong Scottish troupe. A bit slight at times, perfect for rainy afternoons or long daytime drives.

Two Door Cinema Club, Tourist History – brilliant, long-awaited debut from Northern Irish post-punk indie rockers who have been making remix waves and blog buzz for over a year with their sharp, angular guitars and smartly dynamic electronics. Frontman Alex Trimble’s youthful tenor recalls a less-pretentious Brandon Flowers, and their rhythmic interplay is beguiling and surprising for such a young band. Great debut, and great promise.

VA – Punk Goes Classic Rock
Velvet Underground & Nico – rarities
Wuthering Heights

Next week will be a big hipster hooray with the new LP from Canadian supercollective Broken Social Scene, so expect lots of your fashionable friends to be inquisitively sampling it at great length before declaring it “not as good as their early stuff,” and I’ll have that and much more for your perusing pleasure. Until then…

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 04.20.10
by Joshua Krage

It’s a large list this week, but for some reason not many of these releases tickled my fancy. They’re plenty good, just not my cup of tea, I guess. However some of my favorite artists managed to stack their latest releases pretty high on the quality scale, so you’re still bound to find something you like below. Enjoy:

AC/DC – Iron Man 2 sndtrk (if you hadn’t heard about it already. Yet the Black Sabbath song still plays in the previews…)
Airbourne
The Apples In Stereo
Aqualung
David Arkenstone
Caribou
Circa Survive
Cornershop
Cypress Hill
Doves – best of

Eardrums Pop Compilations, Between Two Waves vol. A, B, C – these are free albums of interesting and continent-spanning collaborations from a lot of artists I’ve never heard of, but everything I’ve heard so far is stellar and they’re FREE. Check’em out.

Everest
David Ford
Nnenna Freelon
Gotan Project
Grateful Dead – live 7/7/89
Merle Haggard
Taylor Hawkins
Eoghan Heaslip
Horse Feathers
Kings Go Forth
The Kissaway Trail
Kottonmouth Kings
Kurupt
Jonny Lang – live
Shelby Lynne

Kate Nash, My Best Friend Is You – this dainty, saucy piano-tinkling Brit is at her best when she’s lashing out against you, her ex-boyfriend, for all the wrongs you’ve caused her, which is much of what made her debut such an engaging and potty-mouthed fun romp. This album finds Kate after taking some time off to actually live–and in a decent long-term relationship (with Cribs frontman Ryan Jarman)–so she tones down the bile a bit and sets her sights on modern pop over angry ex-grrrl epithets. More upbeat and even doo-wop-ish in some spots (as is the fashion with Brit-girl singers at the moment), she luckily still stacks the back half of the album with some muscular moments that downright made me blush with her brazen diatribes. So an older, wiser piano chanteuse who’s more comfortable in her skin and her love life but still finds plenty to lash out about. Not too bad a follow-up at all.

Willie Nelson
Number One Gun
OCR – American Idiot
OST – Drawn Together
OST – Glee: The Power of Madonna (7-song EP)

Ozomatli, Fire Away – the most diverse collection of modern genres you’ll ever hear is tackled like an afterthought time and time again by this amazingly versatile LA troupe, encompassing the best of rock, salsa, hip hop, cumbia, funk, even norteño-style polka and much more into yet another stellar release. The big bonus this time is producer Tony Berg, who managed to capture the septet live and in full lock-in. Infinitely danceable at many different tempos and styles.

Plants & Animals
Ratt
Relient K – best of 2000-2003
Xavier Rudd
Sent By Ravens
Sevendust
The Slackers
Superchick
Sweet Apple
Trans Am
Trombone Shorty

Rufus Wainwright, All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu – for all his bombastic ambition and theatricality, Rufus Wainwright is a songwriter first and foremost, possessed of a unique, nasally tenor unlike any other artist and a sense of musicality informed by genres rarely seen in mainstream rock/pop music, like opera, folk, and showtunes. This album was recorded during and released after the loss of Rufus’ mother, Kate McGarrigle, and in reflective fashion he sidelines the big bands and operatic glissandos and goes it with just his piano skills and voice, letting his literate, emotive songwriting take center stage with no distractions. This is a collection of deeply personal and reflective compositions, especially on songs addressing his family, but he does take some entertaining turns by appropriating some Shakespeare sonnets and with the number “Give Me What I Want And Give It To Me Now!,” and his songcraft is some of the best of his career. The line Then I think of you / How could someone so bright love someone so blue from second track “Sad With What I Have” is still lingering with me, as I suspect most of this album will for weeks to come.

Hope you found something good. Until next week…

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.