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Barry LenserReviews
Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley Christmas DuetsIt's an endearing, even if slightly hokey, collection that draws from both the secular and religious musical canons. [4 December 2008] 
Christopher Hitchens and His Critics: Terror, Iraq, and the Left by Cottee & Cushman, Eds.How could a critic of empire, a loyal friend to the Palestinians, and the bane of Henry Kissinger ally himself with the Bush administration and its push for imperial adventures in the Middle East? [15 October 2008] 
Jerusalem: City of Longing by Simon GoldhillGoldhill has a talent for ironic juxtaposition and a keen grasp of the myth-making, sloganeering, and heedless self-interest that have polluted the debates over Jerusalem for many years. [10 September 2008] 
Foals: AntidotesBritish quintet Foals are not brazenly avant garde on Antidotes, but their intricate and dancey brand of art-punk is no less enjoyable for it. [2 May 2008] 
Absentstar: Sea TrialsOn their major label debut Sea Trials, American rockers Absentstar should have ditched the Nickelback-lite drama and played up their inner angst. [14 April 2008] 
Tapes ‘n Tapes: Walk It OffOn Walk It Off, Tapes 'n Tapes have moved slightly beyond their Pixies and Pavement mimicry. But a new influence is at work: Dave Fridmann. [9 April 2008] The HivesA populist tyrant of the stage, Almqvist gratified himself while fulfilling the whims of the masses at the same time. When he screamed, so did everyone else. When he demanded clapping, the crowd enthusiastically obliged. When he broached the sacrosanct and requested cheers befitting of the hallowed Prince, no one cried foul. [1 April 2008] 
The Big Sleep: Sleep ForeverOn their second release, Sleep Forever, the Big Sleep swing starkly between aggressive prog and more measured noisepop, when their best might lay right in the middle. [21 March 2008] 
The Taliban and the Crisis of Afghanistan by ed. Robert D. Crews, Amin TarziThe best essay in this collection examines the Taliban’s often horrific use of public spectacle – hangings, whippings, and the like – and weaves that into a discussion of the marginalization of women under the current regime. [13 March 2008] 
Kula Shaker: StrangefolkClassicist Brit-rockers Kula Shaker return from a lengthy absence with Strangefolk, an album riddled with political anger that is so 2006. [29 February 2008] 
Glorious Monster: Adventures on EarthOn their debut Adventures on Earth, electro-popsters Glorious Monster miss the mark lyrically but know how to fashion itchy and propulsive rhythms. [25 February 2008] 
New York City Smoke: Musique NoirHowie Statland, the leadman for rock quintet New York City Smoke, awkwardly directs his band through multiple identities and major mood swings on their third album, Musique Noir. [22 February 2008] 
The Portable AtheistSectarian strife, an historical constant, and its images of suicide bombings, occupation, and crumbling civil societies are sadly ubiquitous and have fueled the passions of the “New Atheism”. This will not soon abate. [5 February 2008] 
Sultan: Yoshitoshi MontrealYoshitoshi Montreal, Sultan's dancey ode to the"Sin City" of Canada, feels like an exercise in cliched beats. 
Stealpot: Indian SalonThe natural inclination of Polish nu-jazzer Stealpot is toward refined and down-tempo sonics, but on Indian Salon, he also enjoys mucking up the elegance. [31 January 2008] 
Telephone: AutomaticThe solid synth-rock of Telephone's Automatic is often tripped up by Eric Hedford's uninspired vocals. [28 January 2008] 
Ringo Starr: Liverpool 8Liverpool 8 is the work of an artist completely at ease with himself. [25 January 2008] 
The Glimmers: Eskimo Volume VOn their remix album, Eskimo Volume V, Belgian duo The Glimmers work the hips and the head. 
Echospace: The Coldest SeasonThe Coldest Season is stiflingly banal analog electronica that doesn't deserve the honor of labeled called music. [18 January 2008] 
If Democrats Had Any Brains, Theyd Be Republicans by Ann CoulterCoulter has rightly calculated that a healthy dollop of GOP-championing and Dem-bashing can bait true believers into a bookstore. [7 January 2008] 
Various Artists: Iceland Airwaves EruptionIceland Airwaves Eruption basks in the cool glow of the island nation's hot music-scene status but only inconsistently delivers on its promise. 
Athletic Automaton: A Journey Through Romans EmpireA Journey Through Roman's Empire is wearying industrial rock that fails on both the aesthetic and technical fronts. [4 January 2008] 
Until Proven Innocent by Stuart Taylor, KC JohnsonUntil Proven Innocent is a police procedural, a courtroom drama, a social commentary, a correction of spurious history, and most simply, an engrossing story of heroes and villains. [7 December 2007] 
Doktor Schnitt: Doktor SchnittThis raucous and unwieldy debut from Doktor Schnitt, a Dutch electronic/experimental trio, lives and dies by its energy. [4 December 2007] 
Goodnight Loving: Crooked LakeListen as cliches flower into rousing country-pop on Crooked Lake, the second release from Milwaukee's Goodnight Loving. [29 November 2007] 
Christopher Willits: Plants and HeartsChristopher Willits' indulgent, 21-plus minute "Plants and Hearts" is a song that almost seems to be a misapplication of music. 
Wet Cookies: EarthlingOn their decent debut Earthling, Wet Cookies fashion jazz-dub in a variety of flavors. [28 November 2007] 
Black Devil Disco Club: Black Devil in DubBlack Devil in Dub looks to the past and present for the means to kill at discotheques. [1 November 2007] 
Touane: FiguraOn his second full-length, Italian electronic artist Touane doesn't sonically embrace variety as the spice of life. [31 October 2007] 
Kyte: Planet (Single)The one-two punch of Kyte's first single "Planet" and its AA-side "Secular Ventures" (Maps remix) makes for an alternately contrasting and unified listen. [30 October 2007] 
Contested Lands by Sumantra BoseBose seeks out solutions to five festering territorial disputes, not scapegoatsm. His intellectual honesty and sense of even-handed purpose holds steadfast admirably. [24 October 2007] 
Port Royal: Afraid to DancePort Royal’s fourth release, Afraid to Dance, amounts to another stock product of that genre deeply hurting for an aesthetic revitalization: electronic. [16 October 2007] 
The Go: Howl on the Haunted Beat You RideThe Go wrote, performed, and produced their third album, a love note to classic pop-rock greats, but you’ll strain to locate their singular mark. [5 October 2007] 
Some Velvet Morning: Silence Will Kill YouOn their all-too-middling debut, Silence Will Kill You, Brit-rock trio Some Velvet Morning should have limited the scope of their stylistic borrowings and turned up their trashy inner Franz Ferdinand. [4 October 2007] 
These Modern Socks: These Modern SocksThis debut release from Minneapolis quintet These Modern Socks can pull at your heart and wrap around your brain. [2 October 2007] 
Melody Club: At Your ServiceAt Your Service, the U.S. debut from Swedish dance-prompters Melody Club, never advances beyond pop’s staged and “of-the-moment” appeal. [20 September 2007] 
Under the Boards by Jeffrey LaneLane conveys this power tug-a-war and all of Board's smarts with well-targeted and accessibly literate prose. [7 September 2007] 
Amir Sulaiman: Like a Thief in the NightAmir Sulaiman is socially aware, yes, but that doesn’t make him or his music cool, compelling, or the least bit exciting. [24 August 2007] 
The Umbrella Sequence: EventsIndie-pop quartet the Umbrella Sequence insist on being all over the stylistic board on Events, and the results are consistently good, sometimes great. [9 August 2007] 
People Press Play: People Press PlayThis self-titled debut from the ambient outfit People Press Play is a plodding slumberland of restrained electronica, a work sadly attuned to the needs of a sleepy listener. [23 July 2007] 
Rooney: Calling the WorldWith Calling the World, Rooney has crafted a sophomore work all too familiar and all too forgettable. [17 July 2007] 
Le Rok: Approx TwelveMedium-boil electronic, bursting with elastic pings, Kid A organ drips, and nasal percussion that neither party nor noticeably plod. [10 July 2007] 
Rumpelzirkus: KalabreseThis debut from house spinster Kalabrese thrives off the unexpected, which can make for a chore at times but mostly proves enticing. 
Dubblestandart: Immigration DubThis dub scorcher from Austrian outfit Dubblestandart proudly channels its reggae influence, but, through skillfully varied genre-sampling, avoids a sonic pigeonhole. [29 June 2007] 
Kissogram: Nothing, Sir!The sophomore outing from German duo Kissogram is a wonderfully scattered, unpredictable, and toweringly enjoyable electro-pop grab bag. [22 June 2007] 
Mikkel Metal: Brone and WaitOn his superb third outing, Mikkel Metal surveys related strands of the electronic genre and, throughout all, applies insistently tight, magnetic, and delicious beats. [20 June 2007] 
Burning Brides: Hang LoveLikeable but bound in mediocrity, Burning Brides continue their part-brooding, part-melodic shtick on Hang Love, a release of confused aims and contrived sentiment. [19 June 2007] 
Telefon Tel Aviv: Remixes CompiledElectronic music duo Telefon Tel Aviv serves up a somewhat hobbled bag of remixes but, improbably, craft an alluring narrative in the process. [14 May 2007] 
Schneider TM: Škoda MluvitThe third full-length from German producer Schneider TM achieves a fevered pitch of bustling electronica, but often sacrifices simple pop objectives along the way. [11 May 2007] BlogsSound Affects: The Beatles - “Do You Want to Know a Secret” [9 January 2009]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Baby It’s You” [1 December 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “P.S. I Love You” [12 November 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Love Me Do” [31 October 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Please Please Me” [20 October 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Ask Me Why” [11 October 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Boys” [3 October 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Chains” [28 September 2008]Sound Affects: Arthur Alexander’s “Anna (Go to Him)” [22 September 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Anna (Go to Him)” [18 September 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “Misery” [13 September 2008]Sound Affects: The Beatles - “I Saw Her Standing There” [9 September 2008] |
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