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Matthew FianderFeatures
Chasing Honey Bees: The Jesus and Mary Chain and the Post-Masterpiece StruggleTheir first album, Psychocandy, was a classic. And as new reissues of the Jesus and Mary Chain's first five records are released, we see the story of a band proving there is life after a masterpiece. [18 April 2008] If You Can’t Build a Whole, Build a Mosaic: An Interview with Jim WhiteJim White is changing the face of democracy, or at least taking the drunken poet approach to things. White talks to PopMatters about his new record, Transnormal Skiperoo. [4 March 2008] Bowerbirds [Raleigh, NC]Rising up from under the mega-strip mall concrete, Raleigh, NC's Bowerbirds are the best folk act you haven't heard yet. [1 August 2007] Scud Mountain Boys: How to Burn a SiloMatthew Fiander rediscovers the Scud Mountain Boys with his own move south, and realizes that stories are rightfully entangled in their settings. [11 June 2007] Reviews
Shelley Short: A Cave, A CanooA Cave, A Canoo has some subtle surprises and noise play that distinguishes Shelley Short from the female singer-songwriter pack. [6 November 2009] 
Molina and Johnson: Molina and JohnsonFew get more lonesome on record than Will Johnson (Centro-matic) and Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric Co.). [5 November 2009] 
Teenage Bottlerocket: They Came From the ShadowsWith ironic pop-punk mocking and earnest whining, Teenage Bottlerocket tries and fails to have it both ways. [3 November 2009] 
Chet: Chelsea Silver, Please Come HomeAll too often on Chet's new album, the songs' quieter successes get buried in thick layers of stage makeup. [25 October 2009] 
ILAD: Here//ThereILAD is unafraid to stretch out and experiment, but under all this texture you can still hear that riff, that vocal melody, that one piece that reminds us these are tightly constructed songs. [20 October 2009] 
Eugene Mirman: God Is a 12-Year-Old Boy With Asperger’sAs funny as the funniest parts are, this all-too-brief set doesn't showcase Mirman's substantial talents quite as much as it could. [19 October 2009] 
Round Mountain: WindwardThese guys clearly understand music, and pay decent homage to the roots they love. But Windward can't seem to stand up on its own merit. [18 October 2009] 
The Everyday Visuals: The Everyday VisualsSublime is the word for the Everyday Visuals' sound, as it takes human voices plus the wood and wire of instruments and turns them into a thick vapor. [13 October 2009] 
The Clientele: Bonfires on the HeathThis bittersweet, dreamy album takes all the band's strengths -- both haunting and sublime -- and amplifies them, making for their finest collection to date. And that's saying something. [7 October 2009] 
Mean Creek: The Sky or the UndergroundThis album has a vital sound, one with deep roots that sprout sounds up out of the cracks of E Street and weave through the halcyon days at the Rat before blooming right in the here and now. [6 October 2009] 
Built to Spill: There Is No EnemyThe road Built to Spill has treaded for nearly two decades has plenty of ruts to dive into, over and over again, and this record finds them recapturing old sounds while simultaneously twisting them into new and bracing sounds. 
Powell St. John: On My Way to HoustonOn My Way to Houston is the sound of a man who knows the American musical tradition and enjoys contributing to it. [5 October 2009] 
Lou Barlow: Goodnight UnknownThere's plenty of sides to Lou Barlow, from indie rock elder statesmen to heartbreaking troubadour and they're all on display with impressive consistency here. 
The Twilight Sad: Forget the Night AheadMaybe, no matter how strong the Twilight Sad can sound, there's just a ceiling on this kind of expansive rock. Because for all the thunder here, we only get a few lightning strikes. [1 October 2009] 
Bobby Bare Jr.: American Bread EPLike the originals, these covers rest too much on a laid-back feel, and Bare Jr. -- despite a noble effort -- can't seem to elevate them above their mediocrity. [30 September 2009] 
J. Tillman: Year in the KingdomTillman swells these songs up enough to show that his sound is bigger than himself, always reaching out to us, inviting us to feel the pressing hope in the spaces between lonesome chords. [25 September 2009] 
Polvo: In PrismIt's not really surprising that Polvo came back with a strong record, but who knew it would turn out to be their best yet. [10 September 2009] 
Sleep Whale: Little BriteIn the end, the comfort of Sleep Whale's sound is an asset that gets overplayed, and the tension that gets left out on the fringe of these tracks ends up being sorely missed. [26 August 2009] 
Rx Bandits: MandalaWhile its sound has morphed into more ambitious territory, Rx Bandits take themselves way too seriously all too often on Mandala. [23 August 2009] 
Megafaun: Gather, Form & FlyBy shifting focus on this new record, fitting the experiments into more traditional structures instead of the other way around, Megafaun has produced one of the best records of 2009. [21 August 2009] 
Nurses: Apple’s AcreNurses take elements from a wide swath of genres, both obvious and subtle, and fashions them into something much brighter, more elemental, and distinctly theirs. [20 August 2009] 
Reykjavik!: The BloodJust because Reykjavik! can make a huge racket, it doesn't mean they always should. [18 August 2009] 
Doug Gillard: Call From RestrictedCall From Restricted is the kind of consistent and solidly built indie rock record that doesn't seem to come around as much these days. [13 August 2009] 
Robert Pollard: Elephant JokesAfter the cohesive sound of his recent solo work, Pollard turns once again to his schizophrenic pop muse on the 22-track Elephant Jokes. [11 August 2009] 
Tiny Vipers: Life on EarthThere's nothing loud about the sounds on Life on Earth, but the silent space around them is deafening, making for an album of beautiful isolation. [7 August 2009] 
The Rural Alberta Advantage: HometownsThese songs are confessional, but also propulsive, driving at you with speeding drums and howling vocals, even as guitars and keys lilt behind these louder sounds, filling the space with expansive haze. [4 August 2009] 
Fruit Bats: The Ruminant BandOn The Ruminant Band, Fruit Bats explore more musical tangents and send their lovelorn tales down new paths. They may be just as dusty as the old paths, but it's new dust, one that kicks up thicker clouds as the band stomps along. [3 August 2009] 
Various Artists: Loving Takes This Course: A Tribute to the Songs of Kath BloomLoving Takes This Course is enough evidence that Kath Bloom deserves a closer look. Here's hoping it works. [29 July 2009] 
The Skygreen Leopards: Gorgeous JohnnyToo much of Gorgeous Johnny rests solely on its loose shuffling feel and lets those ear-catching melodies fall away, making these basic songs sound bare, instead of stripped down. [22 July 2009] 
Magnolia Electric Co.: JosephineYears from now, we should look back at Magnolia Electric Co. and say that, at the height of their powers -- as they are on Josephine -- they were one of the finest bands going. [21 July 2009] 
James Blackshaw: The Glass Bead GameBlackshaw's done it again with The Glass Bead Game, bringing other players and new noises into his sound that push his playing to new heights. As if his old heights weren't high enough. [16 July 2009] 
Gregg Kowalsky: Tape ChantsPlay this thing loud, let it surround you, and you'll get the full effect of Kowalsky's organic, singular sound. [12 July 2009] 
The Bats: The Guilty OfficeOver seven full lengths, the Bats have not only perfected their own melancholy sound, but they've remained a vital and strikingly consistent pop band. One listen to The Guilty Office makes that clear. [10 July 2009] 
Cryptacize: MythomaniaWith their second album, Cryptacize have given us something much more sure-footed, and with a little more depth, than what we've heard before. [9 July 2009] 
Rock Plaza Central: ...at the Moment of Our Most NeedingIf desire was a bone poking through the skin on their last album, here it is a coating of slick sweat over the body, making for a sweetly tiring listen, as these songs pull you into their world and make you work their dusty land. [8 July 2009] 
Cage: Depart From MeCage is starting to move away from his past and out into the world on Depart From Me, but he's just not quite there yet. [7 July 2009] 
Son Volt: American Central DustThere is a timely resilience to this record, and Son Volt deliver it with energy, but they just don't take that earnest country feel as far as it could go. [6 July 2009] 
Tom Brosseau: Posthumous SuccessPosthumous Success, probably the fullest sound we've heard yet from Tom Brosseau, is full of songs dripping with layered guitars, bolstered by drums, and delivered with a clear-eyed and infectious energy. [25 June 2009] 
Tortoise: Beacons of AncestorshipTortoise's first album in five years denies us a cinematic arc, replacing it with a feeling of now that runs through the album, making each new sound on the album both utterly surprising and inevitable. [23 June 2009] 
Future of the Left: Travels with Myself and AnotherSet Mclusky aside. Future of the Left is an excellent, innovative band. And with their sophomore disc, they outshine their strong debut in nearly every way, building energy and blunt-force inertia as they go. [17 June 2009] 
Dirty Projectors: Bitte OrcaThere are two things you can say about Bitte Orca, and feel almost certain of what you're saying: It is the most guitar-driven Dirty Projectors album yet, and it is also a brilliant piece of music. Everything else is up for debate. [10 June 2009] 
William Fitzsimmons: The Sparrow and the CrowIt may be populated by broken things, broken feeling, and broken people, but as an album it is stubbornly, and smartly, unwilling to show its own cracks. [5 June 2009] 
Casper and the Cookies: Modern SilenceThe band gets away from their solid pop sensibilities an awful lot on Modern Silence, and ends up making the album seem overly long by bogging it down with experiments that don't quite work. [1 June 2009] 
Iron & Wine: Around the WellSam Beam is not only one of America's best songwriters, he's also easily one of the most consistent. [29 May 2009] 
Passion Pit: MannersScore one for internet hype. Steeped in the tension of economic hardship and transition, but loaded with an undeniable resilience and infectious joy, Manners is a brilliantly timely and lasting electro-pop record. [28 May 2009] 
Superchunk: Leaves in the GutterFor over 20 years, Superchunk has built their own ground to stand on, and it is on that firm land that they've created Leaves in the Gutter, taking all their well-established talents and weaving it through a mature and infectious tunefulness. [21 May 2009] 
The Oranges Band: ...Are InvisibleThese guys figured out that pinning down a sound doesn't always matter as long as you do something compelling with each song. And they surely do that on their new album. [13 May 2009] 
St. Vincent: ActorSt. Vincent plays in any number of genres, but buries them so deeply in the concrete and rebar of her thundering industrial clatter that they take some coaxing out. And even then they only come out in pieces, coated in the dust of her unique sound. [7 May 2009] 
Pink Mountaintops: Outside LoveIt's tough to hear McBean in Black Mountain over all that axe-ripping, but on Outside Love he puts himself a little further out there, giving us a new picture of him as not just a riff-master, but also a solid songwriter. [4 May 2009] 
Paleface: The Show Is on the RoadThe album's title ends up feeling like an apology. In the end, if you really want to know Paleface, you have to catch him live. [1 May 2009] 
Thursday: Common ExistenceIt is unfortunate that marketing might keep Thursday stuck in the Hot Topic ghetto, since Common Existence shows that, once again, they deserve a look from a larger audience. [30 April 2009] 
Sholi: SholiThe way Sholi mesh immediate hooks with thick layers of musical curios makes this debut the kind of record that can stand up well over time. [23 April 2009] 
Vulture Whale: Vulture WhaleWhen you've got a name as perfectly rock sounding as Vulture Whale, you're allowed to release a second self-titled album. Especially when the second Vulture Whale is so damn good. [22 April 2009] 
Woodpigeon: Treasury Library CanadaThe first half of this record makes its case as a fine pop record. But while the raw talent is there for Woodpigeon, the band could probably use an editor. 
Say Hi: Oohs & AahsThe humming guitars and keys that run over these tracks sound layered in dust, which works perfectly for a record as nostalgic as Oohs & Aahs. But sometimes nostalgia can be a bit too insular. [14 April 2009] 
The Thermals: Now We Can SeeTheir last album was certainly about "them", but Now We Can See is about "us", about what we do in the confusion of abrupt change. [7 April 2009] 
The Coathangers: ScrambleThe stripped-down sound of Scramble suits the girls' snarling rock, but the range suggests they've outgrown their humble garage sound. [6 April 2009] 
Venice is Sinking: AZARWith AZAR, Venice is Sinking have outdone themselves in every way. They've expanded on the lush orchestration of their debut, and pushed it further with a much headier mix of melancholy atmosphere and intricate, slow-building compositions. 
Sisters: Everybody…Sisters' make a vital sound that has no time or central place of origin, a sound that doesn't need the internet, or the summer festival circuit, or anything else outside of amplifiers and a space to thrive. [5 April 2009] 
Obits: I Blame YouWhile it may not be the revelation that Hot Snakes was after Drive Like Jehu, Obits still has plenty of life to it, and enough twists to keep things interesting. [3 April 2009] 
Red Red Meat: Bunny Gets Paid (Deluxe Edition)Like so many other canonized rock albums, Bunny Gets Paid doesn't do all the work. But once you shoulder some of the load, the returns it yields are immeasurable. 
Dead Heart Bloom: In ChainsThe group tries its hand at subtler, gentler sounds on In Chains, but most of the EP sounds forced in its quiet and loses urgency and melody along with their usual volume. [29 March 2009] 
Fire on Fire: The OrchardThe Orchard is the sound of a group full of life, playing folk music full of an earthen stomp and a cautious hope. [25 March 2009] 
The Deep Dark Woods: Winter HoursThis album's downtrodden sound works, most of the time. [23 March 2009] 
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy: BewareBeware only sounds like loose, organic country, but sadly it's just another contrived piece to the Bonnie "Prince" Billy brand. [17 March 2009] 
Bishop Allen: Grrr…On Grrr..., the band follows their "big backstory" album by stripping down their sound to make some basic but solid pop songs built on singer Justin Rice's wide-eyed charm. [9 March 2009] 
Maia Hirasawa: Though, I’m Just MeToo much of Though, I'm Just Me buries the charming singer under over-the-top instrumentation and an icky-sweet musical theater feel. [8 March 2009] 
The Old Ceremony: Walk on Thin AinWalk on Thin Air stumbles an awful lot, as Django Haskins plays the role of sensitive songwriter rather than really mining true feeling, and that just isn't enough to make this kind of middle-of-the-road rock stand out. [3 March 2009] 
Boston Spaceships: The Planets Are BlastedOn The Planets are Blasted, Robert Pollard and company concentrate their eccentricities into a more potent dose of quirky rock music that can be as affecting as it is goofy. 
Point Juncture, WA: Heart to ElkHeart to Elk is vibrant and intricate pop played with a haunting, strained quiet that can only come from a great band playing with confidence. [2 March 2009] 
Black Lips: 200 Million ThousandThis may not be the Great Black Lips Record many were expecting. And its aimless, muddy sound may simultaneously point out both the band's considerable talents and their self-imposed limits. [27 February 2009] 
Alela Diane: To Be StillTo Be Still is not as simple as it might appear. It is aching and subtly splintered and cathartic. And it is, finally, that rare kind of album: one worth getting close to. 
Vetiver: Tight KnitTight Knit mines the tension between the desire for close community and Cabic's deep-in-the-bones need to keep moving, and the hazy world these songs inhabit is a compelling one. [25 February 2009] 
The Curtains of Night: Lost HousesOn 
Strand of Oaks: Leave RuinIt's Showalter's ability to paint microscopic and revealing details, and weave them through honeyed melodies, that make so many songs on Leave Ruin sound like the kind of beautiful sad that so many songwriters try for and miss. [17 February 2009] 
M. Ward: Hold TimeWard crafts a fuller sound, while still mining musical history for inspiration, and recreates himself as a charming full-on performer rather than a quietly forlorn singer. 
Johnny Dowd: A Drunkard’s MasterpieceThis is just too negative, too shielded from hope, for its own good. Dowd constructs his characters' collective bitterness like a high wall, and leaves us no cracks with which to see through it to some humanity. [9 February 2009] 
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: The Pains of Being Pure at HeartThe band's debut record begs us to play name the influence. It is a love song to the groups they grew up on, at times purely imitation as flattery, and in those modest goals, it succeeds. [4 February 2009] 
Autodrone: Strike a MatchThough Autodrone seems to ease into the moody feel of this album, once they are there Strike a Match is a compellingly dour pop record. [2 February 2009] 
Phosphorescent: To WillieThroughout To Willie, you find out Houck not only loves Nelson's music, but he has studied it. On every song he sifts through the track to get at the emotions closest to the bone. 
Subaudible Hum: In Time for Spring, On Came the SnowWhen Subaudible Hum gets it right, their sound can be as subtle as their name suggests, while still being big enough to pack a surprise or two. But they don't always get it right. [1 February 2009] 
Chris Brokaw: CanarisBrokaw always excelled as part of bands like Codeine and Come in the past, but here, with his guitar left to stand alone, he still sounds like one of the most compelling guitarists in music today. [29 January 2009] 
Larkin Grimm: ParplarThe sound of Parplar is not one that Grimm found and latched onto. It is a sound that lives deep in her blood. It is the only sound she could make, and she does it brilliantly. [27 January 2009] 
Tony Dekkar/Great Lake Swimmers: Song Sung Blue EPThis soundtrack is a beautiful, if brief, offering from Dekkar, and will surely hold fans over until the next Great Lake Swimmers record. [26 January 2009] 
Tom Gabel: Heart BurnsThe overproduction provided by Butch Vig on Heart Burns sure doesn't do it any favors, and really negates any personal touch Gabel was trying to put on this short record. [25 January 2009] 
A.C. Newman: Get GuiltyGet Guilty is not just a lastingly great album. It is that rare kind of pop record that you live in and get to know, that reveals its depth the more you listen, without losing an ounce of its infectious energy. [23 January 2009] 
Nick Zubeck - TrackerIt's a bit overproduced, but Tracker is a good enough record that, if you hadn't already heard Nick Zubeck, you should go and seek this out. [22 January 2009] 
The End of the World: French ExitThe fact that just two people can make a sound this full and invigorating makes French Exit one of the great hidden gems in music today. [20 January 2009] 
Robert Pollard: The Crawling DistanceRecently, Pollard seems to have been jolted back to life, and that continues with The Crawling Distance, his most consistent and energetically infectious group of songs in a decade. 
Magnolia Summer: Lines from the FrameLines from the Frame is another solid album from an Americana band that seems to be on the cusp of something more. [19 January 2009] 
Daniel Martin Moore: Stray AgeThough Stray Age succeeds on its own modest terms, it is when the album plays it most safe that Daniel Martin Moore sounds the least in his element. [18 December 2008] 
The Owl Service: A Garland of SongThe Owl Service's take on traditional English folk smudges the line between the past and the present, between the lasting sounds of the past and the fledgling noises of the present. [17 December 2008] 
Wilderness: (k)no(w)hereWith (K)no(w)here, Wilderness has finally made an album big enough to match the size of its towering parts. [15 December 2008] 
Hospital Bombers: FootnotesHospital Bombers never lack for vitality in their lo-fi power-pop songs, but they desperately need to step out of the large shadow of their influences. [9 December 2008] 
Pavement: Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence EditionBrighten the Corners focused in a way that showed the band not bucking the burdens of indie rock off their backs, as they did on Wowee Zowee, but setting them aside to make a great record. [8 December 2008] 
Midwest Dilemma - Timelines & TragediesThe music on Timelines & Tragedies is solid, but sounds more like a history report than heartfelt music. [3 December 2008] 
Megapuss: SurfingThe few moments of guileless, laid-back fun on Surfing are great, but buried underneath too many overwrought joke songs that are too stiffly self-aware to be funny or entertaining. [1 December 2008] 
High Places: High PlacesLong after the blog hype around the band dies down -- and it will when the next quirky darling comes along -- this record will still be a gem. [26 November 2008] 
Hospital Ships: Oh, RamonaIn its less melodramatic moments, Oh, Ramona taps into a feeling of loss well enough that you might find yourself wishing some of these brief tracks were fleshed out a little more. [25 November 2008] 
Micah Blue Smaldone - The Red RiverFor a while now, Smaldone has been the kind of singer-songwriter who deserves more attention than he's getting, and The Red River is further evidence of that. [20 November 2008] 
White Hinterland - LuniculaireWhile White Hinterland stumbles on some good new sounds with Luniculaire, they do well to mesh them with some of their old ones. [19 November 2008] 
Pelle Carlberg: The Lilac TimeCarlberg is at his best when he sifts through the bittersweet layers of teenage nostalgia. Sadly, The Lilac Time veers off that path too often. [17 November 2008] 
White Denim: ExposionFrom beginning to end, Exposion threatens chaos, but the pop sensibility behind White Denim's crazed and sweaty sound is what drives the haphazard beauty of this album. [14 November 2008] 
Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron & Fred Squire: Lost WisdomThese songs may be threadbare, but together Elverum and Doiron have made the most intimate and compelling Mount Eerie record to date. [12 November 2008] 
Religious Knives: The DoorReligious Knives show they can make noise with the best of them, because those noises are embedded skillfully into steady songs. [11 November 2008] 
Circus Devils: AtaxiaWith last year's Sgt. Disco and now with Ataxia, Robert Pollard has moved away from sounds that are annoyingly broken to ones that are, at least a couple of times, charmingly oddball. [10 November 2008] 
The Clientele: That Night, A Forest GrewThe Clientele have once again proven they are the kind of great band that can try just about any sound they like, but still sound right at home. 
Desolation Wilderness: White Light StrobingThough Desolation Wilderness can make intricately dreamy sounds, following in the footsteps of Galaxie 500 and Low, the songs behind those sounds lack any distinction. [6 November 2008] 
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals: CardinologyDespite some very strong moments, Adams' goofy self-indugence rears its head just enough to keep Cardinology from being a great record. [3 November 2008] 
Fucked Up: The Chemisty of Common LifeThe best thing about this album is its inertia. It builds sounds and energy and takes on players as it goes, like they got caught up in the band's galvanizing zeal and had to join in. [30 October 2008] 
Parts & Labor: ReceiversThe band is as loud as ever on Receivers, but they expand that noise rather than compress it, making for their boldest and most lasting record yet. [23 October 2008] 
Jim White: A Funny Little Cross to BearThis isn't Jim White the songwriter. It's Jim White the performer, the storyteller, the quiet show stealer. [20 October 2008] 
The Moondoggies: Don’t Be a StrangerThere's nothing slack in this Southern rock. This album is infused with a snake-handling zeal, a volatile combination of cut-loose freedom and deep-in-the-bones fear that make it impossible to ignore. [17 October 2008] 
Prisonshake: Dirty MoonsYou can hear fifteen years worth of work on Dirty Moons, that's for sure, but more than a few of those years could have definitely stayed in the cans. 
Dungen: 4With 4, Dungen have made their best record yet, one that doesn't sacrifice any variety in its more stripped down approach. [16 October 2008] 
The Organ: ThievesIn its best moments, Thieves hints at a possible greatness coming for the band. Unfortunately, that is a promise that won't ever come to fruition. [15 October 2008] 
The Rosebuds: Life LikeThe Rosebuds have long threatened to be the best, and smartest, pure pop band going, and with Life Like they take a big step towards becoming exactly that. [10 October 2008] 
Castanets: City of RefugeCity of Refuge is so quiet and tense with energy, so spare and spacious, that you may believe it capable of being a dozen different kinds of albums. But no matter what it is, it's brilliant. [8 October 2008] 
Crooked Fingers: Forfeit/FortuneThe overly produced Forfeit/Fortune has some gems, but sounds more distanced than it should, working against Bachmann's usual strength for intimacy. [7 October 2008] 
Lambchop: OH (ohio)This might be the best country record of 2008. Or maybe it's the best soul record of 2008. Or the best folk record. Who knows? Lambchop has never cared much for genres. [6 October 2008] 
Blitzen Trapper: FurrFurr is a brilliant album, one that becomes more and more of an American Music history lesson the more it unfolds. [29 September 2008] 
Restiform Bodies: TV Loves You BackTurns out TV and consumerism are bad. In one way or another. Thanks, Restiform Bodies. [25 September 2008] 
Passion Pit: Chunk of ChangeChunk of Change is confidently unassuming, full of energy and melodies so embedded they sneak up on you, but so infectious you'll find them hard to forget. [23 September 2008] 
Lagwagon: I Think My Older Brother Used to Listen to LagwagonLagwagon continue to age well, as their excellent new EP continues to hone their sound, already brought to a sharp point on their last two albums. 
Portastatic: Some Small HistoryMcCaughan has given us a glimpse into his archives not to show us a set of products, but to show us a process, and to see Portastatic grow from a 4-track solo side project into an essential indie rock band. [17 September 2008] 
Human Highway: Moody MotorcycleHuman Highway remind us that pop music can be catchy and accessible and immediate without being hollow or, gasp!, too commercial. [10 September 2008] 
The Dead Science: VillainaireThe album's title implies a class war, but the Dead Science hardly seem to be playing the music of the people on Villainaire. 
Wild Sweet Orange: We Have Cause to Be UneasyWild Sweet Orange hail from Birmingham, Alabama, and manage a nice balance between the fog of southern August steam and the immediate punch of power pop. [3 September 2008] 
Liz Durrett: Outside Our GatesAll through Outside Our Gates, Durrett's voice is an Irish whisper. She attempts some sort of privacy, but she's got too much presence to be ignored. [2 September 2008] 
Matt Pryor: Confidence ManSure, he didn't have a perfect record before this album, but Matt Pryor has shown us enough before for us to know that he's better than this. [29 August 2008] 
The Real McKenzies: Off the LeashThe Real McKenzies may be a band built for the stage, but their studio output doesn't do much to inspire fans to head out to the show. [28 August 2008] 
Doveman: FootlooseThis re-imagining of the Footloose soundtrack will not bring to mind Kevin Bacon dancing in a barn, but it shows us that a number of these songs weren't just empty dance numbers. [25 August 2008] 
Jennifer O’Connor: Here with MeThe album's title could be part of a helpless plea or a lover's wish or a heartbroken demand. O'Connor can conjure any or all of those emotions beautifully in just 40 short minutes. [22 August 2008] 
Noa Babayof: From a Window to a WallThe album's gentle nature slips into something a little more safe and sleepy, as Babayof's tone rarely changes and, from song to song, the strings that start the album so well begin to repeat themselves. 
31Knots: Worried WellWorried Well is a poorly-timed and unfailingly negative record released in a time that should be full of hope and possibility. [18 August 2008] 
Nethers: What the Wind Will Never TellThe album moves seamlessly between lush pop songs and brooding ballads, showing the band's infectious combination of pure-pop fun and soulful emotion. 
Dianogah: QhnnnlWe should be so lucky to run into more bands like Dianogah. Bands that deliver just what we expect from them, but still manage to surprise us every time. [13 August 2008] 
Joseph Arthur: Vagabond SkiesWith his latest 2008 EP, Arthur shows us he doesn't lack for output, but he may be short on ideas. [11 August 2008] 
The Avett Brothers: The Second GleamThe six songs here show off the trio as a group of balladeers, each one as capable as the other at taking the leading man's spot and tugging at your heartstrings. [8 August 2008] 
Alina Simone: Everyone is Crying Out to Me, BewareIt takes energy to listen to this kind of sad beauty, and it takes a great performer to make it. [6 August 2008] 
The Lord Dog Bird: The Lord Dog BirdThe Lord Dog Bird is an album with the rare combination of quiet and tenacity, one that proves that noise does not equal energy, but execution sure does. [4 August 2008] 
Jandek: Glasgow FridayNothing in his records would make you think Jandek could be a passable live performer, let alone a solid one that can even arrest you at times. [25 July 2008] 
Faun Fables: A Table ForgottenThe full-band numbers here are so much better than the slow more lonesome work, one wonders why Faun Fables don't just commit to their fuller sound. [24 July 2008] 
Jaguar Love: Jaguar Love EPJaguar Love EP is terribly brief, and imperfect, but two good songs out of three ain't bad. [23 July 2008] 
A Happy Man and Other StoriesLittle details disturb the normality of these stories: chairs have three legs; a homeless man becomes guardian over an entire forest. [22 July 2008] 
Bodies of Water: A Certain FeelingThis is outside music, music to be set on a porch and blasted into the expanse of land around it, music that cannot be contained. 
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes: Have Another Ball!This is certainly better than some of the other questionable releases coming from the Fat Wreck Chords camp, but I'm still not sure there's a good reason for Have Another Ball! to be on record store shelves. [21 July 2008] 
Bell: EPIf you haven't heard of Bell, and there's any justice in the musical world, you will soon. [16 July 2008] 
Sebadoh: Bubble and ScrapeYou don't have to dig your moth-eaten flannel out of the closet to enjoy this reissue. You just have to love great music. [11 July 2008] 
Sing Me Back Home by Dana JenningsA personal history and a love letter, urging us to embrace country music as American music. [10 July 2008] 
The Explorers Club: Freedom WindThe Explorers Club go in search of '60s pop sounds, and then call whatever they find their own. [27 June 2008] 
The Pomegranates: Everything is AliveOn this strong debut, The Pomegranates takes their sweet, energetic sound, and bolsters it with a heavy dose of compelling atmosphere. [26 June 2008] 
HEALTH: HEALTH//DISCOHEALTH//DISCO draws you in, wins you over with its infectious zeal, and then pushes you into some serious late-night trouble. [23 June 2008] 
Where the Wind Blew by Bob SommerThis book seems to imply that a wartime zeitgeist can absolve us of our own mistakes, or at least render them understandable. Silver Jews: Lookout Mountain, Lookout SeaWhen you find new -- here, more hopeful -- ground, you do have to find new footing, and the Silver Jews are stuck in that transition with this album. [19 June 2008] 
Centro-Matic / South San Gabriel: Dual HawksThis two-disc release from Will Johnson's two main projects, for all its size, never sounds as bloated or watered-down as it should. [18 June 2008] 
Bellafea: CavalcadeAfter building a reputation through years of touring, not MySpace, Bellafea finally release their debut album, one of the most surprising and brilliant rock records of 2008. [13 June 2008] 
The National: A Skin, A Night & The Virginia EPThis DVD/EP combo explores the band's process in recording their brilliant Boxer. The film is a bit overdone, but the EP nicely shows the parts that make up the National's sound. [12 June 2008] 
My Morning Jacket: Evil UrgesEvil Urges sounds like an album that falls well short of its mark, committing itself to a sound that ultimately weakens its songs. [10 June 2008] 
Vetiver: Thing of the PastThis does what a covers album should do. It pays homage to a band's influences while also illuminating the band's own creative process. [6 June 2008] 
Drakkar Sauna: War and TornadoesDrakkar Sauna is just the band to cover the Louvin Brothers, but these covers -- as good as they are -- may be too faithful for their own good. [2 June 2008] 
Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de GramontDrugs, liquor and over-privileged teenagers. If you're into those sorts of things. 
Robert Pollard: Robert Pollard Is Off to BusinessRather than spit out 22 short, uneven songs, Pollard focuses on 10 with his new album, and delivers some of his best post-GBV work. [29 May 2008] 
Devon Williams: CareerfreeThe strength of the album's big, string-laden sound starts to come undone when you hear the strength of some of the more stripped-down tracks. 
The Little Ones: Terry Tales & Fallen GatesWith EPs this good, why do The Little Ones even need to put out a full-length? 
Christine Fellows: NeverthelessNevertheless shouldn't be as good as it is. It should be precious and high-minded, but Fellows' execution is too strong and heartfelt for that trap. [27 May 2008] 
Annuals: Wet Zoo EPAnnuals match big production with their big sound, improving on their already impressive talents. [14 May 2008] 
No Use for a Name: The Feel Good Record of the YearNo Use for a Name's new record has the sound of their old record, without the strong songs they used to deliver. [9 May 2008] 
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa LahiriLahiri often confuses size with scope, hoping that by making her stories long they will achieve some sort of literary heft. [8 May 2008] 
Jandek: The Myth of Blue IciclesOnce again, Jandek makes us question our assumptions about what music is and what it can do on. 
Coal Black Horse by Robert OlmsteadSpare, poetic lines render ghostly a world where death is too commonplace to haunt, but too pervasive to ignore -- the story of a boy learning a man's lessons. [2 May 2008] 
Sera Cahoone: Only as the Day is LongCahoone's album is a very good piece of solid country, though it stops short of being uniquely memorable. [28 April 2008] 
Look Mexico: The Crucial CollectionThe best of the odds and ends collection show a band with a lot of energy, and some surprising size in their sound, as they craft soundtracks for the teenage you. 
Our Story Begins by Tobias WolffWolff's keen eye for the right phrase, the perfect detail, his ability to represent these characters in all their flawed honesty, make these stories brilliantly his own. [24 April 2008] 
Good Riddance: Remain in MemoryThis, a recording of the band's final show, is a solid send-off for the boys in Good Riddance. 
Billy Bragg: Mr. Love & JusticeMr. Love & Justice is, for all its faults, a solid record. But in Bragg's hands, it could have been much more. [22 April 2008] 
Neil Hamburger: Neil Hamburger Sings Country WinnersHamburger's persona is so deeply set in obvious irony that it inevitably fails to surprise us or make us laugh. Panic Ensemble: Panic EnsemblePanic Ensemble combine airtight musicianship, intricate compositions, and a bone-deep emotion in this great collection of songs. [16 April 2008] 
Colin Meloy: Colin Meloy Sings Live!As a solo performer, Meloy acts knowingly awkward and charming, but when he sings he plays it straight, making for a disc with few surprises. [11 April 2008] 
The House of Widows by Askold MelnyczukThe difference between individual and collective history is blurred, and the miasma of wartime cannot bury individual betrayals. [10 April 2008] 
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry: Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at the Jazz CafeIn this 2007 show, Lee Perry proves himself to be as energetic and exciting as performers half his age. 
The Strugglers: The Latest RightsThe Latest Rights is the best offering yet from The Strugglers, injecting a bit of lively bounce into their dour indie-folk. 
Elf Power: In a CaveIn a Cave is the strongest Elf Power record in a while, meshing their old fuzz with their newer, stripped down folk. [25 March 2008] 
Birds of Avalon: Outer Upper Inner EPBirds of Avalon recorded their new EP on a 4-track, but they still sound like the big and energetic and infectious rock band that they are. [19 March 2008] 
Grand Archives: Grand ArchivesGrand Archives expansive haze-pop is not afraid to get happy, and it works when it isn't afraid to complicate that happiness. [14 March 2008] 
Flogging Molly: FloatFloat is the band's strongest album yet, maintaining their irrepressible energy while injecting a mature restraint and more variety into their sound. [13 March 2008] 
Ladyhawk: ShotsLadyhawk mix subtle genre elements into their rock band muscle on Shots, and when it works the pay-off is big. [12 March 2008] 
The Future of Love by Shirley AbbottThis ensemble of characters interweave and tangle with betrayals just before the September 11th attacks, and then the whole book comes unhinged. 
Trembling Blue Stars: Exploring the Shadows EPPerhaps because of its brevity, this is one of the more consistent offerings in the Trembling Blue Stars catalog, playing off the band's strengths while avoiding the oft-indulged-in weaknesses. [7 March 2008] 
White Hinterland: Phylactery FactoryCasey Dienel assembles a full band and releases an intricate and beautiful record that trumps her solid solo debut in every way. [4 March 2008] 
Ida: Lovers PrayersRecorded mostly at Levon Helm's studio, Lovers Prayers sounds looser and more immediate than any other Ida album. [29 February 2008] 
Various Artists: Living BridgeThis compilation is a atmospheric melding of songs that succeeds best when its parts don't quite fit the space they're given. [28 February 2008] 
Refresh, Refresh by Benjamin PercyPercy's stories are brave and fresh and -- because they reflect a nearly institutional violence all too easily identified as realistic -- scary. [26 February 2008] 
Antarctica Takes It!: The Penguin LeagueThe Penguin League overcomes its self-applied cuteness by giving us songs that seem simple, but are full of more interesting elements that make them bloom with repeat listens. [25 February 2008] 
American Music Club: The Golden AgeThe Golden Age marks the true return of American Music Club, as it is more consistent and assured in its subtleties than their last comeback album. [22 February 2008] 
Glorytellers: GlorytellersGeoff Farina's new band crafts hushed folk tunes that shuffle with a bluesy vibe that makes them as distinct as they are catchy. 
Robert Pollard: Superman was a RockerMining his old tapes for hidden gems is an interesting idea, but Pollard's idea is only as good as its execution. [21 February 2008] 
Arlington Park by Rachel CuskThe women all feel stuck in comfortable lives, but their alarming lack of agency is what keeps them there and derails the novel. [20 February 2008] 
The Mountain Goats: Heretic PrideJohn Darnielle has always been excitable, but on Heretic Pride he busts at the seams, giving us a record as infectiously frantic as it is dark and brooding. [19 February 2008] 
Swordfishtrombones (33 1/3) by David SmayRather than trying to explain the album as a whole, Smay roots through the details to find dubious truths about the man, not the artist. 
The Loved Ones: Build & BurnThe Loved Ones are angry, that much is clear. But what exactly are they angry about? 
Fire on Fire: 5 Song EPFire on Fire give us a collective yelp from the woods, as unabashed joy and life course out of each song on this debut EP. [13 February 2008] 
Cat Power: JukeboxThese days, Cat Power's Chan Marshall seems happy and comfortable. And that's how she sounds on Jukebox. Comfortable. [7 February 2008] 
Jeffrey Lewis: 12 Crass Songs12 Crass Songs avoids the easy trap, and instead delivers a group of heartfelt and demanding working class songs. [5 February 2008] 
Kate Tucker & the Sons of Sweden: Kate Tucker & the Sons of SwedenKate Tucker's new album is best when she sings the slow, sad ones, since the more rocking numbers sound deflated in comparison. [24 January 2008] 
MGMT: Oracular SpectacularMGMT dip into the big sounds of the '70s on their debut album, embracing the irony so much they almost overcome it. [23 January 2008] 
The Brother Kite: Moonlit Race EPMoonlit Race is not just a holdover disc, but instead showcases the band's many talents, packing a lot of variety into six tracks. 
Black Mountain: In the FutureIn the Future is an expansive statement of an album, full of big guitars and cold space, a variety of sounds and a hard-earned and ever-present brilliance. [21 January 2008] 
Tullycraft: Every Scene Needs a CenterTullycraft twee-pop is snarky and self-reflexive, but it's rocking enough to crank up while you decide how seriously you should take it. [16 January 2008] 
House & Parish: One, One-ThousandHouse & Parish are successful when they marry their atmosphere with their rock band energy -- but they don't do that nearly enough. [15 January 2008] 
Tim Hecker: NorbergHecker's latest sounds far too isolated, and beautiful, to have been played live in front of a crowd. [11 January 2008] 
Golden Death Music: Ephemera BluesGolden Death Music sounds like their brooding in space on their new album, and they take up a good chunk of room in the blackness doing it. [9 January 2008] 
The Motion Sick: The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait…The Motion Sick return, but opt for camp and boyish charm instead of improving on their last, quite solid record. [7 January 2008] 
Aloha: Light WorksAloha tries their hand at a new, toned-down sound, and on Light Works they are halfway successful. [4 January 2008] 
Tomorrow by Graham SwiftThe protagonist's compelling monologue finds her mining her past to prepare herself for the secrets she must reveal to her children come morning. [18 December 2007] 
NOFX: Theyve Actually Gotten Worse Live!The music sounds fine here, but there's isn't a more intentionally anti-fan live disc out there. [14 December 2007] 
Shocking Pinks: Shocking PinksNew Zealand's Shocking Pinks use lo-fi fuzz and a shoegaze influence for music that is surprisingly emotive for a DFA artist. [11 December 2007] 
Tom Brosseau: CavalierCavalier is full of the deeply human songs we've come to expect from Brosseau, here mining memory to stave off the lonesome. [10 December 2007] 
Ghostface Killah: The Big Doe RehabThe Big Doe Rehab should come out now, as a year of solid hip-hop winds down and Ghostface asks where the culture is at. 
Pants Yell!: Alison StattonPants Yell! pump a little more power into their twee pop, and put out their best record to date. [7 December 2007] 
State Radio: Year of the CrowState Radio doesn't shy away from political hot topics, but they do shy away from subtlety. 
Like You’d Understand, Anyway by Jim ShepardWith this brilliant book, Shepard has established himself as modern fiction's master of voice. [5 December 2007] 
Ahleuchatistas: …Even in the MidstThe brash instrumental trio's fourth full-length is bigger than any of its predecessors, but still delivers the band's raw, politically-charged energy in spades. [4 December 2007] 
SNMNMNM: Crawl Inside Your HeadSNMNMNM eschew their tuba player's strengths in favor of cookie-cutter power pop. 
Six Organs of Admittance: Shelter from the AshBen Chasny returns with an album that manages to mesh together so many of his previous, disparate sounds into something intricate and strong. [29 November 2007] 
Jana Hunter: Carrion EPHunter's latest offering of whisper-folk might not be the most original piece of music this year, but it's still as effective as it is spare. [28 November 2007] 
Grizzly Bear: Friend EPGrizzly Bear's Friend EP marks yet another evolution for the group, one that pushes them into full-blown rock band status. [26 November 2007] 
Born Ruffians: HummingbirdThis quick three-song set from Born Ruffians shows off the bands off-center brand of indie pop. 
Working for a Nuclear Free City: Businessmen & GhostsIt's great to see this band finally getting a US release, but the sequence and packaging of this haphazard double-disc is deeply flawed. [21 November 2007] 
Merle Haggard: Hag’s ChristmasHag's Christmas may be light on Christmas cheer, but it sure is pretty in its holiday loneliness. 
Kinski: Down Below its ChaosSure, Kinski is above it here, but shouldn't this record at least hint at the chaos below? [13 November 2007] 
Sandro Perri: Tiny MirrorsPerri's first album initially sounds like coffee shop fodder, but reveals itself to be nothing so timid and plain. [12 November 2007] 
Bridge of Sighs by Richard RussoRusso gets stuck in his characters' collective past in Bridge of Sighs, leaving us with a present that is barely there. [9 November 2007] 
Champion Kickboxer: PerforationsChampion Kickboxer almost sound like a lot of new British bands, but their off-kilter delivery is distinct enough to rise above the crowd. 
Dead Boys by Richard LangeLange's down-and-out L.A. stories are risky and vibrant, full of danger, grit, and bone-deep humanity. [6 November 2007] 
Marissa Nadler: Songs III: Bird on the WaterWhen Nadler uses the talent of backing band Espers, Songs III shines. Unfortunately, she doesn't use them nearly enough. [5 November 2007] 
Karate: Five-Ninety-FiveTo put out a live Karate record now seems arbitrary, but the performance captured on 595 is well worth the gamble. [1 November 2007] 
Castanets: In the VinesWith In the Vines, Ray Raposa injects his lonely travel ballads with a yearning to settle down, and produces the strongest Castanets record yet. [31 October 2007] 
The For Carnation: Promised WorksIt is high time the For Carnation got some recognition, and if Promised Works isn't enough to do that, what is? [30 October 2007] 
Emily Jane White: Dark UndercoatWhite's songs are quite good, but too often she sounds like singer/songwriters you've already heard. 
Two Gallants: Two GallantsSonically, Two Gallants is solid, but that quality gets lost in their penchant for melodramatic lyrics and plaintive vocals. [22 October 2007] 
The Bosch: Hurry UpThe Bosch seem intent on reviving Rock and Roll. When did it die again? [17 October 2007] 
Radiohead: In RainbowsPut all the marketing talk aside, because what's going on musically on In Rainbows is the best we've seen from Radiohead in quite some time. [15 October 2007] 
Japanther: Skuffed Up My HuffyThe two-piece band Japanther have made the noisiest pop record of the year, using distortion not merely as effect, but as a way to challenge your expectations. 
Swivel Chairs: The Slow TransmissionWhen they don't rely solely on their formula, Swivel Chairs crafts some solidly hazy pop tunes. [12 October 2007] 
Robert Pollard: Coast to Coast Carpet of LovePollard inevitably releases two albums on the same day, one of which is worth your time. [11 October 2007] 
Band of Horses: Cease to BeginMore confident than its predecessor, Everything All the Time, Cease to Begin is an improvement in every way, and one of the best rock records of the year. [10 October 2007] 
The Fiery Furnaces: Widow CitySince the band plays it so safe on this record, it makes the stories they are telling sound emotionless. Fiery Furnaces has become predictable. [9 October 2007] 
The Weakerthans: Reunion TourReunion Tour is mostly what you'd expect from the Weakerthans: solid, smartly-written songs about isolation and disconnection up in dreary, cold Canada. [1 October 2007] 
Speck Mountain: Summer AboveSpeck Mountain give us a good half of an album before succumbing to self-indulgence. 
Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores: The Blind SpotRedfearn continues to push his music in new ways, but this time he may have pushed too far. [28 September 2007] 
Shepherdess: ShepherdessShepherdess are a nice throwback to the late '90s heyday of Boston's college rock scene. 
Sea Wolf: Leaves in the RiverSea Wolf's debut full-length plays to its strengths, one of which is Alex Brown Church's ability to craft strikingly fragile songs. [26 September 2007] 
Steve Earle: Washington Square SerenadeEarle sheds the southern sweat on his new record, and gives listeners a more metropolitan, but still solid, sound. [25 September 2007] 
Dropkick Murphys: The Meanest of TimesEven if the results are mixed, at least the Murphys get some of their energy back on The Meanest of Times. [18 September 2007] 
Akron/Family: Love is SimpleAkron/Family's albums get more generous with each release; this one might just be the album of the year. [17 September 2007] 
Health: HealthHealth's first full length is loud and untamed, but artful in its deconstruction. [14 September 2007] 
Animal Collective: Strawberry JamStrawberry Jam is raucous and brilliant. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Animal Collective: The Punk Rock Band (?). [13 September 2007] 
Jason Anderson: TonightAnderson drops the brooding act and throws a party on his new record. [11 September 2007] 
Right Livelihoods by Rick MoodyMoody's new novella collection, dealing mostly with post-9/11 paranoia, is ultimately undone by self-imposed limitations. 
Ezra Furman & the Harpoons: Banging Down the DoorsEzra Furman is precocious and energetic, but he can also write one hell of a song. [31 August 2007] 
Pelican: City of EchoesIf Pelican didn't try playing the reinvention card, City of Echoes would sound like a solid effort from a great band. [30 August 2007] 
Oh No! Oh My!: Between the Devil and the SeaOh No! Oh My! can write a hook, but they can't get out of their own jokey way. [29 August 2007] 
The Mendoza Line: 30 Year Low & Final Remarks of the Legendary MalcontentThe Mendoza Line's final album, couple with a disc of odds 'n' sods, is a solid note to end on, though not their highest. [23 August 2007] 
Jennifer Gentle: The Midnight RoomJennifer Gentle has some good ideas here, but they're wasted on building a sound for the record and ignoring the individual songs. [21 August 2007] 
Foreign Born: On the Wing NowWith their first full-length, Foreign Born show more polish than most young bands, and nearly cash in on all their talent. 
The Takeovers: Bad FootballThe latest release from Bob Pollard's ADD is better than most of his recent side work, but still far from great. [16 August 2007] 
New Stories from the South by Edward P. Jones (Guest Editor) and Kathy Pories (Series Editor)The best of these stories drive their characters to a point where, as Edward P. Jones puts it, their world has shifted, in small or large ways. [9 August 2007] 
Virgin of the Birds: Mixed ChoirA consistent and intimate first release from these bedroom popsters. [8 August 2007] 
Pissed Jeans: Hope for MenPissed Jeans might not care if you like their brand of grimy punk rock, but you probably will anyway. 
The Foundry Field Recordings: Fallout StationsFallout Stations EP has five great songs that are nearly lost in extraneous "experimental" noise. [7 August 2007] 
Mirah and Spectratone International: Share This PlaceOn Share This Place, Mirah has put together a song cycle about the lives of insects. And if that sounds problematic, that's because it is. [6 August 2007] 
Patton Oswalt: Werewolves and LollipopsThis is not the Patton Oswalt from The King of Queens, this is the smart, funny Patton Oswalt that blows Kevin James out of the water. [3 August 2007] 
Mad Caddies: Keep It GoingMad Caddies are reluctant to call this a ska album, which is too bad, because that's the only level on which it really succeeds. [31 July 2007] 
Against Me!: New WaveNew Wave isn't as much of a new sound as it purports to be, but it is still a decent step into the major label arena. [25 July 2007] 
John Vanderslice: Emerald CityFull of murky and beautiful songs, this should be the album John Vanderslice is remembered for. [24 July 2007] 
Rob Crow: I Hate You, Rob CrowThe first single from Living Well is good enough to convince any Pinback fans who were on the fence about Crow's solo work. [18 July 2007] 
Robert Pollard: CricketsIn typical Pollard fashion, Crickets is overstuffed with filler, but sifting through the mess will yield some classic tracks, and even a few lesser-known gems. [16 July 2007] 
Various Artists: Healing the DivideThis disc of performances by Tom Waits, Philip Glass, the Dalai Lama, and others for the Tibetan Health Initiative is an admirable but curious release. [11 July 2007] 
Sean Na Na: Family Trees or: Must Cope WeSean Na Na's new album may be catchy, but once they've caught you, there's not much to keep you there. [9 July 2007] 
KK Null: FertileFertile is a dense and trying listen, one that is probably more high-minded than it is compelling. 
Young Galaxy: Young GalaxyOn their debut, this Arts & Crafts band creates thick and textured pop that illuminates the band's potential as much as its weaknesses. [3 July 2007] 
Disciple: Come and See Us as We Are!This reissue of a 1970 "lost psychedelic gem" takes more from soft rock radio than it does from the counterculture, making for music more saccharin than heady. [2 July 2007] 
Whiting Tennis: Three Leaf CloverWhen Whiting Tennis amplifies his own talents over his clear love of Neil Young, Three Leaf Clover shines. Unfortunately, that only happens about half the time. [28 June 2007] 
Nick Drake: Family TreeThe latest album of Nick Drake's rare recordings is also the most heartfelt and interesting, painting the picture of a young man in love with the blues. [22 June 2007] 
Shout Out Louds: Tonight I Have to Leave It EPLead single from the band's new album, Our Ill Wills, shows them taking a decidedly more lush turn on their brand of pop, with very strong results. [18 June 2007] 
Electrelane: No Shouts, No CallsElectrelane's soaring new album, No Shouts, No Calls, is a complete statement by a band at the height of its powers. [15 June 2007] 
Ramona Cordova: The Boy Who Floated FreelyRamona Cordova has crafted 11 songs that, while they might not quite come together as an album, are starkly beautiful nonetheless. [14 June 2007] 
Dizzee Rascal: Maths & EnglishDizzee Rascal manages to outdo himself on Maths & English, releasing one of the best and most challenging hip-hop albums in recent memory. [13 June 2007] 
My Morning Jacket: At Dawn and Tennessee Fire Demos PackageThis collection of demos casts the spotlight on singer Jim James where, stripped of his solid band, he shows he can still shine as a songwriter. [12 June 2007] 
The Field: From Here We Go SublimeAn electronic album that is utterly original and not easily forgotten. [8 June 2007] 
Custom Made: Truth Be Told EPCustom Made use East coast elements to craft their angry, energetic brand of West coast hip-hop. [7 June 2007] 
The Comas: SpellsOn Spells, the Comas put a bit more power in their pop, making not only their most rockin' album yet, but also their best. 
Great Lake Swimmers: OngiaraTony Dekkar has hit his stride with Ongiara, using the right combination of elements from the band’s earlier work to craft not only their best, but one of the best of ‘07. [5 June 2007] 
The Milk and Honey Band: Secret Life of the Milk and Honey BandThe Milk and Honey Band try someone's hand at sun-drenched pop, unfortunately it doesn't sound like their own. [31 May 2007] 
Olvis: BravadoWhen it works, the sheer excess of Bravado is impressive, even chest-rattling. Unfortunately, it doesn't work nearly as often as it could. [24 May 2007] 
Love in October: Words of SoundLove in October craft radio-friendly power pop that is catchy, but ont infectious enough to distinguish them from the rest of their Fuse TV ilk. [17 May 2007] 
The New Rags: Take Jennie to BrooklynThe "ragtime" influence may be a bit of a hoax, but that doesn't stop the New Rags from crafting some energetic pop. [11 May 2007] 
Magic Bullets: A Child but in Life Yet a Doctor in LoveFrom the same line of poppy post-punk as Cold Watr Kids and Voxtrot. [9 May 2007] 
Dark Meat: Universal IndiansOn Universal Indians, Dark Meat uses over 30 players to make an album that's dense, loud, chaotic, and one of the best hidden gems of 2006. [8 May 2007] 
Mice Parade: Mice ParadeMice Parade’s seventh album creates an interesting atmosphere throughout, but manages to sacrifice song craft in the process. [7 May 2007] 
Dinosaur Jr.: BeyondBeyond is the sound of a sorely missed band's return to form. Make no mistake, these guys haven't sounded this good in 20 years. [4 May 2007] 
I Am Robot and Proud: The Catch / Spring Summer Autumn WinterThis re-release of a 2001 album shows a sort of Philip K. Dick shift on electronic music: the machines are emoting. [1 May 2007] 
Ben Davis and the Jetts / Des Ark: Battle of the BeardsTogether, Davis and Des Ark might craft a compelling album; perhaps that is the next step. [27 April 2007] 
Central Services: Central ServicesA record that toes the line between recognizable melody and generic power-pop. [25 April 2007] 
Spank Rock: Fabriclive 33Spank Rock curate the latest mix in the Fabriclive series, and manage to make Yes and Kurtis Blow good bedfellows, while also tapping hard-hitters like DFA and Daft Punk to anchor this strong compilation. 
The Blow: Poor Aim: Love SongsWith this reissue of a 2004 EP, the Blow shows us where it has been and where it is going, and the results are surprisingly solid. [23 April 2007] 
Dolly Varden: The Panic BellOn The Panic Bell, Dolly Varden try to make you feel sad, but mostly just leave you disappointed. [19 April 2007] 
Charlie Louvin: Charlie LouvinA stunning late-career album from the country legend -- free of gimmick, chock full of guests that add to the record's authenticity [17 April 2007] 
Loch Lomond: Lament for ChildrenFolk-based tracks about sinister, self-effacing, and downright creepy characters taking on love, loss, and damaging family histories all set in vaguely historical time periods. [11 April 2007] 
DatR: Turn Up the GhostsWith Turn Up the Ghosts, Dat'R lay down some genuine, exciting electro-pop that'll make you dance... whether you want to or not. [10 April 2007] 
Robert Pollard: Silverfish TriviaUncle Bob is back, err, still around with Silverfish Trivia, his new, mostly disposable mini-LP. [2 April 2007] 
31Knots: The Days and Nights of Everything Anywhere31Knots somehow hone their craft by expanding their palate, creating an album you need to hear, even if they didn’t get their break on MySpace. [27 March 2007] 
Only Crime: VirulenceThese punks are trying to age well, and they have their moments on the new record, but for the most part these guys sound a little wiped out. [16 March 2007] 
Hobex: Enlightened SoulHobex doesn't reinvent the wheel, but you can feel the Soul Gods smiling with approval, and faux-soul acts everywhere going red with embarrassment. [20 February 2007] BlogsConsuming Consumables: Charlie Louvin: Charlie Louvin [$14.98] [2 December 2007] |
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