Reviews

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Written by Kevin Renick Tuesday, 22 January 2008 13:11

There's something about hearing a male voice reaching for that challenging, octave-stretching high note—and nailing it—that is utterly sublime.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Monday, 21 January 2008 03:02

While this album sounds great, it's a lot to take at once. Even though the 14 songs add up to about 40 minutes, the stream of short tunes provides a sensory assault that causes even the smoothest sound to wear on the eardrum.

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Written by Glen Elkins Monday, 21 January 2008 03:01

The dense and meaningful lyrics make Weightless anything but, as he demonstrates his adept ability to join substantive words with catchy melodies.

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Written by Kevin Renick Friday, 18 January 2008 02:40

What truly pervades is a sense of patience; the band wants to nail a certain mood here, and they're not the least bit interested in showing off their chops or proving how diverse they are.

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Written by Katie Cook Friday, 18 January 2008 02:36

Marshall has a way of taking what is familiar, fixed, or at the very worst, stale, and uniquely contemporizing it for a new time in music.

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Written by Keith Mangles Tuesday, 15 January 2008 08:05

I find myself humming the vocal parts and the bass guitar parts to "Production City," the second track.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Tuesday, 15 January 2008 08:01

Really, the only three words that fit this album are "LISTEN RIGHT NOW."

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Written by Joseph O'Fallon Monday, 14 January 2008 01:49

A good portion of Moonbeams shies away from the playful Boy Least Likely To elements, and instead embraces, especially vocally, a Casiotone for the Painfully Alone or Robot Ate Me feel.

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Written by Todd McKenzie Monday, 14 January 2008 01:39

Sonically,

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Written by Gabe Bullard Tuesday, 08 January 2008 14:52

So, while everyone from frat boys to library clerks moving their buns to Vampire Weekend, what's left for the serious music fan to appreciate?

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Written by Jason Green Tuesday, 08 January 2008 14:26

Rather than continuing in the vein of Beyond Good and Evil or branching off in a new direction, the Cult of ‘07 seems content to try to rock out with their cock out like it's 1989.

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Written by Pete Timmermann Monday, 07 January 2008 08:41

Really, the Juno soundtrack might as well be a best-of Kimya Dawson record.

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Written by Sam Levy Tuesday, 18 December 2007 03:04

As they built The Deep City Label release and turned over the rocks, a giant web emerged: names and leads and stories of late-night jam sessions in the Magic City.

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Written by Eammon Azizi Tuesday, 18 December 2007 02:57

If you're a fan of piano-based rock with light attitude, then you'll really enjoy listening to Ian Axel and his band's musical craft.

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Written by Kevin Renick Wednesday, 12 December 2007 13:52

If Dybdahl isn't necessarily blinding you with Science, he sure is beckoning you with it, albeit in a shy, Nick Drake-ish manner.

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Written by Kevin Renick Wednesday, 12 December 2007 13:45

This incredibly talented ensemble conceive a fiery blend of Middle Eastern exoticism and the folk traditions of the Balkans.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Friday, 07 December 2007 08:34

It's like singer Johnny Clay is looking at a history book, but acting like he's just found a stack of pictures of his ex-girlfriend.

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Written by Kevin Renick Friday, 07 December 2007 08:31

In the lyrics, the music and the fresh, energized arrangements here, there's a definite joie de vivre at work; you can clearly tell D'Arcy enjoys doing this pop music thing.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Monday, 03 December 2007 09:47

It's the intricate interplay of instruments—guitars, keyboards, violin and effects—combined with Brandon Rice's eerie, almost angry vocals that defines this band.

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Written by Kevin Renick Monday, 03 December 2007 09:44

"Hourglass" proudly establishes itself as a piece of pure ambient melancholia, waving across the fence at its close friends, film music and classical.

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Written by Jason Neubauer Monday, 03 December 2007 09:29

Front man Michael Algar (stage name Olga) has been the only constant in the abundance of incarnations the band has endured since 1979, and he's everyone's friend. Really.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Monday, 03 December 2007 09:27

Craig is perhaps at his most Damien Rice on the title track; the instrumentation simple and stripped down, his rough-coated voice stands tall.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Monday, 03 December 2007 09:25

The result is an at times Cole-esque collection of introspective tales, delivered via laidback, smooth-as-silk vocal style.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Thursday, 29 November 2007 02:18

On one of the standout tracks, "Lost," the group sounds remarkably isolated, yet oddly upbeat.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Wednesday, 21 November 2007 09:45

While the instrument isn't known for its complexity or grit, in Dewan's hands the autoharp turns into a musical Swiss Army Knife, suitable for ballads, stomps and dissonant aural punches.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Wednesday, 21 November 2007 09:43

Even though it hurts to hear at high volumes, and even though the lyrics are all basically "I hate everything, I live my life right, unlike you, but I'm still miserable," I loved this EP.

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Written by Raymee Holshauser Thursday, 15 November 2007 01:07

This collection is impressive. But what's more impressive is that these songs are still relevant, still important, still really amazing and these songs have touched so many different generations on the way.

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Written by Jason Neubauer Thursday, 15 November 2007 01:03

Once again affirming their distinctive garage sound with Here We Are, The Cynics have managed to synthesize the same fuzzy 1960s style appeal that has been their trademark with lyrical sophistication that can only be described as thoughtful exploration of their already established raw talent. Think of the music itself as a broadsword and the lyrics as a scalpel.

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Written by Jason Green Thursday, 15 November 2007 01:00

The non-chronological tracklisting helps draw attention to songs that work better in an album context than they did as radio singles; the folk-y guitar-and-banjo number "Sympathy," in particular, never sounded so good as it does as a lead-in to "Iris."

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Written by Paul Little Thursday, 15 November 2007 00:56

More than anything else, Maxtone Four want to rock your ass and make you feel good.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Tuesday, 13 November 2007 10:52

Lee's gone a teensy bit over the upbeat edge, as Ripe veers a bit too often into schmaltzy territory.

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Written by Jason Green Tuesday, 13 November 2007 06:05

It all comes together on the back-to-back whammy of the club-ready anthems "Love Addict," whose hook is so dirty it could have only come from the Dirty South, and "Earthquake," with crunktastic keyboards, whipcrack drums, and even chanting cheerleaders to get the asses shaking.

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Written by Eammon Azizi Tuesday, 13 November 2007 01:42

No question, fans of Skid Row or any other Bach endeavor are sure to be pumping their fists once Angel Down comes roaring from their stereo speakers.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Saturday, 10 November 2007 09:24

D-Sides caters almost perfectly to hardcore Gorillaz fans. The kinds who follow the cartoon mythology and buy the collectibles, or those who are drawn to pick up a Roland or Casio after hearing "Dirty Harry" on the radio.

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Written by Glen Elkins Saturday, 10 November 2007 09:15

The disc avoids this trite compost heap by blending unique swathes from the musical palettes of Machin and Glover, creating a tapestry of sonic possibilities.

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Written by Kevin Renick Wednesday, 07 November 2007 09:40

Her songs are swathed in romantic heartache—both the "yearning for you" and "I'm disillusioned by you" varieties.

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Written by Kevin Renick Monday, 05 November 2007 13:01

There's a fierce imagination at work on Love Is Simple, but it's not inaccessible or overly heady; instead, the rapid changes within the music take you on a breathtaking ride through not-fully-charted territory.

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Written by Kevin Renick Monday, 05 November 2007 12:59

"We'll Go Walking" is a shiver-inducing bit of romantic reverie that's laced with gorgeous harmonies.

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Written by Kevin Renick Monday, 05 November 2007 09:20

And now, international supermodel Carla Bruni has released her debut, which also takes the works of great poets and sets them to music.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Friday, 02 November 2007 09:32

Even in its sparsest moments, when there's just a voice and a guitar, the rhythm is evident.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Friday, 02 November 2007 09:29

Mobius Band's dedication to different styles within the same subgenre keeps Heaven interesting, but there's not enough innovation here to make it a truly great album. It's still enjoyable, but not because it's familiar. The unexpected bits make Heaven worth hearing.

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Written by Amanda Pelle Friday, 02 November 2007 09:27

All The Lost Souls further explores the consequences of time as related to fame, and the perceived importance of fame.

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Written by Todd Sarvies Friday, 02 November 2007 09:16

Lyrically, the songs are overly straightforward and descriptive, lacking the poetic symbolism found in previous favorites and, in turn, sounding more like words written by Ben Folds than what we've grown to expect from Carrabba.

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Written by Carl Hines Friday, 02 November 2007 08:52

Alex Church, lead singer and sole writer of the album, does well to blend organic instruments like acoustic guitar, organ, and cello with various electronic blips and bleeps.

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Written by Mandy Jordan Wednesday, 31 October 2007 02:39

"On My Way Back Home" is a traveling song, complete with rhythmic guitar and a harmonica that makes you feel like you're just an overfilled backpack and bus ticket away from some fantastic journey or its fantastic end.

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Written by Jason Neubauer Wednesday, 31 October 2007 02:27

In a conscious effort to break free of the 1960s pop sounds from their debut full length Hello, Hello, The A-Sides have developed a new sound for themselves that is surprisingly as original as one can really achieve in today's scene.

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Written by Leah Martin Tuesday, 30 October 2007 14:53

Songs like "Barricade" are what redeem Stars for their flagrant cheesiness.

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Written by Jason Neubauer Tuesday, 30 October 2007 14:49

Yet another four piece steps out of San Francisco to express disappointment with love and life.  In lieu of diversity of theme, Sergeant has released a CD that seems to give variations of two or three songs several times over.

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Written by Jason Green Tuesday, 30 October 2007 14:46

Anyone foolish enough to accuse this great new band of simply aping their influences' styles wholesale would be misguided fools.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Saturday, 27 October 2007 10:37

Capsule reviews of some recent (and not-so-recent) releases by St. Louis acts: Red Water Revival, King Thief, Jon Hardy & the Public, Go Van Gogh, Brain Regiment

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Written by Gabe Bullard Monday, 22 October 2007 14:10

The dabbles in sin, sex and salvation seep through the whole album, giving Little Amber Bottles an even stronger sense of southern gothic creepiness than the one hinted at on the group's first album.

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Written by Eammon Azizi Monday, 22 October 2007 13:59

All in all, Dutch Henry is made up of four talented musicians who obviously have a passion for songwriting, and they do it well.

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Written by Laura Hamlett Monday, 22 October 2007 13:21

A line from "Only One Week" rather sums up the album for me, as Gorbel sings, "Communication is not what it used to be."

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Written by Kevin Renick Saturday, 13 October 2007 12:49

Mariee Sioux's debut full-length is a spine-tingling showcase of her nimble finger-picking, sweetly feminine voice and lyrically eloquent narratives.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Monday, 08 October 2007 02:43

The Payola Reserve has made The Delivery Man at a time when they could have made My Aim Is True.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Monday, 08 October 2007 02:40

Putting emotion in your vocals is great, but do you think that by closing your eyes and belting out the words to "Girl," you'll do any justice to Paul's original, youthful melancholy?

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Written by Kevin Renick Monday, 08 October 2007 02:11

In many ways, this whole record is meant to facilitate personal sharing and evolving romance.

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Written by Kevin Renick Monday, 08 October 2007 02:03

This thing is meant to be listened to, to thoroughly immerse yourself in like classic rock albums of yesteryear compelled you to.

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Written by Gabe Bullard Monday, 08 October 2007 02:00

The difference between Biffy Clyro and bands like QOTSA and RATM is inventiveness. Instead of pioneering, the Scottish trio retreads, further clarifying the line between talented musicians and talented songwriters and performers.

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Written by Pete Wissinger Monday, 08 October 2007 01:57

The Flying Club Cup sees Beirut's Zach Condon combining his Eastern European roots with a tinge of French pop crooning.

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Wednesday, 03 October 2007 09:30

White Chalk is a deceivingly stripped-down album which finds Harvey painting chilling stories that settle uncomfortably in the head, often coming back to haunt the listener long after the disc has stopped revolving.

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Written by David Lichius Tuesday, 02 October 2007 16:15

Any expectations of an upbeat nerd-pop record are quickly squashed.

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Written by Eammon Azizi Tuesday, 02 October 2007 16:10

Overkill are true heroes and veterans of their genre, proving once again they know exactly what their fans want.

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Written by Rebecca Reardon Tuesday, 02 October 2007 16:06

You're actually just what Luscious Jackson fans like me should really dig.

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Written by Kevin Renick Tuesday, 02 October 2007 15:58

Liars is just as freaky and formula-defying as before—it's just that there isn't a theme or concept this time per se, unless the concept is Liars simply trying to make music without a fictional backdrop.

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Written by David Lichius Tuesday, 02 October 2007 15:53

To phrase it quite simply, Les Savy Fav is an incredible rock band. And whether it is frowned upon or not, LSF do have a "party" quality to them.