Music

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Written by Katie Herring Tuesday, 29 May 2007 02:20

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Written by Katie Herring Tuesday, 29 May 2007 02:14

According to their bio, a major mission passed down to the band by the cobra is to "teach hipsters to not take themselves so seriously and to tell emo kids to stop being pussies." When asked how that was going, both Blackinton and Suarez laughed.

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Written by Paul John Little Monday, 21 May 2007 10:06

Smith half-speaks his songs in a ramble-tamble style that recalls both Lou Reed and Eels' principal Mark Oliver Everett in equal measure, an inherently hip and cynical method of delivery which lends credibility to his street-level vocabulary and seedy subjects.

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Written by Amanda Pelle Monday, 21 May 2007 09:59

Coupled with emotional lyrics and sensual vocals, the end result is masterful, melodic poetry.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Monday, 14 May 2007 08:52

That now-classic sound is all over Beyond. The big, fuzzy riffs flow almost seamlessly from one song to the next and the not-quite whiney vocals sound just as good as ever.

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Written by Kevin Renick Monday, 14 May 2007 08:48

It's perhaps a measure of the highly evolved musical aesthetic that pervades Scandinavia that a young Swedish dude like Gustav Ejstes could better his American counterparts at recreating guitar-based psychedelic rock of the hippie era.

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Written by Glen Elkins Monday, 14 May 2007 08:39

The size of it really doesn't matter. What matters is if people come looking for fun or not. You can play big gigs that are horrible and you can play small gigs that are horrible, and vice versa.

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Written by Dave Jasmon Monday, 14 May 2007 08:06

The crafting of the group's style seems more at the front of their minds than the crafting of memorable songs.

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Written by Pete Wissinger Monday, 14 May 2007 07:47

The instrumentation is a complex mixture of folk instruments which work together to create a dense array of sound.

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Written by Jessica Gluckman Monday, 14 May 2007 07:43

A rolling rim-tap forms a bridge over watery arpeggios in "Talking With Fireworks," a would-be tender song ruptured by hot-level salvos so overwhelming that even the vocals are forced to drop out until the barrage recedes.

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Written by Sam Levy Monday, 14 May 2007 07:39

Honestly, if you're a man, and it's summer, and you have a lady, and you love her, play this song. She'll kiss you right then and there.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Monday, 14 May 2007 03:49

Lyricism, voice melodies, and Timony's more innovative sounds have taken a backseat in Shapes, but this filler-free record is quality nonetheless and worthy of multiple plays.

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Written by Raymee Holshouser Monday, 14 May 2007 03:32

The perfect plea, "Leave Me Like You Found Me" hearkens back to the simplest sound of Wilco, a track that could seamlessly slide onto 1999's Summerteeth.

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Written by Jason Green Wednesday, 09 May 2007 07:06

There aren't any real laugh-out-loud moments on Trailercana, but there's enough witty and clever wordplay to please anyone looking for a fun little poke at the trailer park lifestyle that us Midwesterners know so well.

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Written by Amy Burger Monday, 07 May 2007 13:40

A soulful and unique talent, Sia has a distinctive, almost otherworldly voice.

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Written by Joe Bowman Monday, 07 May 2007 13:28

With The Reminder, Feist has emerged as the most solid of the rotating female vocalists from Broken Social Scene.

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Written by Jason Neubauer Monday, 30 April 2007 14:26

Songs that embody an intricate use of musical theory coupled with thoughtful lyrics make up the debut CD of this San Francisco sextet. Classic undertones of lost love and semblances of heartbreak balance out compositions of odd celebration and poignant advice for the soul-sick.

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Written by James Nokes Monday, 30 April 2007 14:24

Through electro beats, synth add-ins, space age mixes, and liberating lyrics, Lesbians on Ecstasy celebrate decades of womyn's movements and lesbian love.

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Written by David Lichius Wednesday, 25 April 2007 14:44

There have been fantastic records released this year, but they all pale in comparison to Traineater. This record is that solid.

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Written by Jeremy Goldmeier Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:58

Each artist covers another member of the SC family, with assignments determined "via the ol' names-in-a-hat method," according to the album's press sheet.

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Written by Joe Bowman Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:51

All premature snickering aside, the album is curiously listenable, if not utterly scatterbrained in electronic stylings.

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Written by Maria Kriszt Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:44

Of God and Science shows their talent off with long stretches of music in every track; you never know when they will break into instrumentals.

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Written by Dave Jasmon Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:37

Whenever Illinois starts to hint toward psychedelic, they always remember to harness pop structures and rein them in.

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Written by Tyson Blanquart Tuesday, 24 April 2007 15:31

Makino sings of a love lost, but it appears that she is the dump-er rather than the dump-ee.

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Written by Joseph O'Fallon Tuesday, 24 April 2007 15:08

Mr. Quintron—or Robert Rolston to those who knew him in Florissant—provides a basic, plain-structured EP with music that is anything but bland.

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Written by Dave Jasmon Monday, 16 April 2007 15:33

A double-disc comprised of previously unreleased tracks, alternate versions of songs, and studio brainstorming, The Bottom Half reveals why Umphrey's McGee is one of the most intriguing rock bands in today's music scene, not just in the jam world.

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Written by Jim Dunn Monday, 16 April 2007 15:22

It's all lies. It's that kind of lynch-mob mentality that always wants someone's head to roll—that's the angry mob. And, to be honest, it just sounded really cool."

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Written by Nick Main Sunday, 15 April 2007 14:49

When you look back to his last album, the two tracks RJD2 sang on are some of the best songs on the album. The simple lyrics were charming; here they're embarrassing. What went wrong?

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Written by Amanda Pelle Sunday, 15 April 2007 14:33

From the phobia of hospitals to the semi-vacant observations of the "artsy" nature of a porno flick, the Saps deliver their punk-funk message with a tap-your-feet-happy tempo.

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Written by Joseph O'Fallon Sunday, 15 April 2007 14:25

At times, weak lyrics and the abundance of clichés are troubling; however, Ramesh's cool voice and the band's tight instrumentation combat lyrical flaws.

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Written by David Lichius Sunday, 15 April 2007 14:11

As cool as it is for "Making Love" to see a second life, it is rather disappointing that it does not come with any extras.

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Written by Dave Jasmon Sunday, 15 April 2007 14:01

We got into music to change the world, you know? To change everything. And we're still of that opinion, but you can't really force that upon anybody, that thought. We're just trying to figure out what's best for us, and what's best for us is to live in the world the way we want to live, the best we can, and let everyone else breathe.

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Written by Christopher Sewell Sunday, 15 April 2007 13:37

"Because I spend so much time making music, I'd much rather watch some sort of art films or go see some architecture or other kind of cultural stuff that doesn't really relate to what I do."

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Written by Laura Hamlett Sunday, 15 April 2007 12:52

On repeated listens, the once charming title track comes off as a watered-down ripoff of an earlier generation (Reagonomics, anyone?), despite the fact that Scott Rinning's vocals really are quite versatile and beautiful.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Sunday, 15 April 2007 12:43

Durham's voice—stark, lonely, aching—is spot-on against bare-bones accompaniment. When he sings counterpoint with himself on vocals, it's pure heaven.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Sunday, 15 April 2007 12:40

The more I listen to The Cost, the more I have realized this: My life is the Frames, at times spiraling wildly, deliciously, passionately out of control, only to be reigned back in and tamed.