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Zach SchonfeldFeatures
Souled American, Around the Horn (1990)Chicago’s Souled American's album, Around the Horn, may be the most uniquely beautiful alt-country album you’ve never heard. [28 February 2008] Reviews
Karen O and the Kids: Where The Wild Things AreKaren O’s lively soundtrack sounds best where the wild things aren’t: in the most straightforward bits of childlike indie-pop. [6 November 2009] 
Sonic Youth: The EternalIt's official: Sonic Youth’s Geffen days are behind them. So, too, it seems, are the pop flirtations that developed with them. [8 June 2009] 
John Vanderslice: Romanian NamesOn a memorable seventh album, John Vanderslice sheds the political overtones and finds himself just as alienated as ever. [20 May 2009] 
The Felice Brothers: Yonder is the ClockThe Felice Brothers’ latest effort is a looser affair -- far more The Basement Tapes than Blood on the Tracks -- yet still mirrors their self-titled in both its strengths and flaws. Where’s the growth? [15 April 2009] 
Ween: At the Cat’s Cradle, 1992“I think we’re in rare form,” quips Dean halfway through track one. “I’m not sure.” With Ween, can you ever be sure? [3 March 2009] 
Sin Fang Bous: ClangourClangour may not be perfect, but it positively brims with perfect, unabashedly psychedelic moments. [18 February 2009] 
The Sleepover Disaster: HoverHover may be a 2009 album, but its heart lies firmly in 1992. [9 February 2009] 
Neil Young: Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968Neil Young's newest archival release is the clear precursor to last year's Live at Massey Hall: a portrait of a young artist plotting his solo course. [5 January 2009] 
Pit Er Pat: High TimeMemo to Pit Er Pat: Forget the prog rhythms, and leave those grating electro attempts behind. The groove is where it's at. [16 December 2008] 
Chad VanGaalen: Soft AirplaneEven the electronic elements sound wholly and refreshingly organic. The reclusive Calgary-based songwriter's latest is a DIY triumph, but an emotional death march. [12 November 2008] 
Various Artists: Vicky Cristina BarcelonaThis soundtrack flows so freely on its own merit -- seeing the film is no prerequisite. [9 October 2008] 
Deerhoof: Offend MaggieDeerhoof is as strangely consistent as they are consistently strange. Offend Maggie continues an extraordinary winning streak that began with 2002's Reveille. [8 October 2008] 
Tom Verlaine: Dreamtime / Words from the FrontFunny how the best moments on Verlaine's early solo albums sound the least like Marquee Moon. Intriguing portraits of a brilliant artist in transition, but fans only need apply. [23 September 2008] 
Japancakes: Soon/TouchedWhether you’re a Japancakes or a MBV fan, stick with the 2007 Loveless tribute. [2 September 2008] 
Spiritualized: Songs in A&ECompared to Amazing Grace, this is a majestic return-to-form for everyone’s favorite tortured genius. Just don’t compare it to the earlier records. [27 May 2008] 
Animal Collective: Water CursesIt’s been a full half-decade since Animal Collective came to prominence, bridging the gap between Brian Wilson and avant-garde tribal chant. [23 May 2008] 
The Child Readers: Music Heard Far OffIndeed, the music is aimless, formless, and abstract -- that’s kind of the point. [20 May 2008] 
Steve Reich: Daniel VariationsThe acclaimed minimalist composer’s concept piece inspired by slain journalist Daniel Pearl is just as baffling in execution as it is in theory. [7 May 2008] 
Awesome Color: Electric AboriginesThey are called Awesome Color, they’ve toured with Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth, and they love the Stooges. This really is exactly how you’d expect them to sound. [2 May 2008] 
Laura Barrett: Earth SciencesFinally, an EP for those interested in Joanna Newsom covering “Weird Al” Yankovic parodying Nirvana. [30 April 2008] 
S.T. Mikael: Mind of FireThe reclusive Swedish musician becomes so focused on the otherworldly nature of his music he fails to notice that, in all actuality, it’s quite dull. [18 April 2008] 
Destroyer: Trouble in DreamsFans of majestic melodies and abstract lyrical narratives, rejoice! Destroyer’s Dan Bejar continues to tread the thin line between the nonsensical and profound. [26 March 2008] 
Fred Thomas: FloodThe result is unsettling, yet endearing and not entirely dissimilar from that of Sparklehorse’s early work. [3 March 2008] 
Benny Sings: Benny… at HomeBenny doesn’t just sing on his third album, he also crafts a quite delightful little record of electro-pop grooves. [29 February 2008] 
Chingy: Hate It or Love ItChingy’s newest album employs ten different producers spread across 14 tracks. So why does virtually every song use the exact same stale boom-clap beat? [12 February 2008] 
Thao: We Brave Bee Stings and AllKill Rock Stars is a force in discovering new talent within the singer-songwriter field as well as noise. Meet Thao, Virginia’s newest beatboxing folk goddess. [1 February 2008] 
Koop: Koop IslandsFreed from the constraints of genre boundaries, the Swedish duo has crafted this convergence of electronic pop and jazz that sounds as utterly natural as it does unusual. An overlooked treasure, for sure. [14 January 2008] 
Lupe Fiasco: Lupe Fiasco’s the CoolIf Lupe Fiasco’s sophomore effort simply sounds like a darker extension of his debut, perhaps that’s not such a bad thing, considering The Cool is everything that a great hip-hop album should be. [7 January 2008] 
The Flight Orchestra: The Military of FatimaFrom Southern California comes David Wilson, AKA The Flight Orchestra, the newest in a line of laptop-wielding electronic artists. [4 January 2008] WeenLove'em or hate'em, Ween remain as ruthlessly obnoxious and wonderfully inane as ever. [12 December 2007] 
They Shoot Horses Dont They?: Pick Up SticksPick Up Sticks is a trip worth taking for those who find indie-rock of today to be too... well, sane. [16 November 2007] |
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