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Friday, November 6 2009

Say Anything: Say Anything

Max Bemis and co. have returned with one of the most self-referential albums to ever grace the emo-rock canon, and lo' and behold, it's one of Bemis' best.

Wolfmother: Cosmic Egg

This is not a new castle, but it's a fairly impressive renovation of the existing foundations.

The Swell Season: Strict Joy

The duo from Once return with a fine new album. It's mostly about how their real-life relationship fell apart, but with strong songwriting and gorgeous singing.

Neon Indian: Psychic Chasms

Synth pop, effects-heavy rock, and dreamlike euphoria are the driving forces behind Neon Indian’s pleasurable and bright look at pop psychedelia.

Karen O and the Kids: Where The Wild Things Are

Karen O’s lively soundtrack sounds best where the wild things aren’t: in the most straightforward bits of childlike indie-pop.

Slaraffenland: We’re on Your Side

This slightly unclassifiable Danish quintet are good to have on your side, like a friend whose support is rock-solid if uneffusive.

Gloria Jones: Share My Love

With generous remastering by Reel Music, the luster of Share My Love is ever-glistening. A rare gem from the Motown catalog finally gets its due.

Thursday, November 5 2009

Slayer: World Painted Blood

Not surprisingly, World Painted Blood is, well, a Record Made Metal.

Molina and Johnson: Molina and Johnson

Few get more lonesome on record than Will Johnson (Centro-matic) and Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric Co.).

Vince Guaraldi: The Definitive Vince Guaraldi

An individual at Coca-Cola's ad agency proposes the idea of a Charlie Brown Christmas Special, with music by Vince Guaraldi. And a new American institution was born...

Spiral Stairs: The Real Feel

Scott Kannberg's solo debut is aesthetically assured but ultimately a little empty.

Sliimy: Paint Your Face

Electric pop confections by a twee Frenchman that sings like an English woman.

Cale Parks: To Swift Mars

To Swift Mars samples the ‘80s pop zeitgeist to various effect, but is strongest in its least nostalgic moments.

Jim Byrnes: My Walking Stick

The American-born Canadian actor/blues musician's songs are as textured as his vocals.

Wednesday, November 4 2009

Morrissey: Swords

Morrissey's uneasy expression on the cover notwithstanding, Swords is a worthy collection of 18 b-sides from his last three studio albums.

Various Artists: Light on the South Side

Sounds like golden outtakes from lost sessions where James Brown's backing band got together with Booker T and the MGs at the Stax studios with an insanely talented batch of unknown singers.

Brilliant Colors: Introducing

Introducing might make a case for Brilliant Colors being a knock-off group, a carbon copy of the Vivian Girls with subtle differences. But Brilliant Colors are a good carbon copy.

Mayer Hawthorne: A Strange Arrangement

It's that classic biblical tale: little known DJ from suburban Michigan takes on soul god from Motown. And the winner is...

AA Bondy: When the Devil’s Loose

Bondy fuses imagery of moonlit nights and limitless oceans with religious mysticism to evoke a beauty in nihilism.

The Cave Singers: Welcome Joy

The Cave Singers attain an unheralded harmony between the back porch and the road on their sophomore masterpiece.

Roman Candle: Oh Tall Tree in the Ear

Here are 11 refreshingly earnest and brazenly straightforward anthems that both rattle your floor and stick in your head. To this reviewer's ears, Roman Candle happily play non-hyphenated, non-adjective-ized Rock and Roll.

Tuesday, November 3 2009

Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the Young

The singer-songwriter of the Strokes has finally released his solo debut. The wait was worth it.

Idlewild: Post Electric Blues

Former Scottish noiseniks get better with age on their sixth album -- available as a free download.

Lackthereof: A Lackthereof Retrospective or I Was a Christian Emo Twentysomething

This compilation offers more than its title suggests, even making an emo Christian compelling.

The Black Heart Procession: Six

Still bleak after all these years, the Black Heart Procession has failed to, well, proceed much.

Jamie T: Kings & Queens

I’m sorry, I know England loves this guy, but something about him rings false.

David Mead: Almost and Always

Gentle-rock softy crafts a pop-standards beauty for the Paul Anka lover in your home.

Amy Speace: The Killer in Me

Yes, Amy Speace is another girl with a guitar. But on this album, she proves that she's more than fierce enough to rock the scowl that she bares on its front cover.

Monday, November 2 2009

Weezer: Raditude

Weezer are now writing nothing but unabashed pop songs, aiming for nothing but the top of the charts and hoping you'll come along for the ride to multi-platinum glory. Word of advice: don't.

Max Richter: Memoryhouse

Fat Cat reissues Max Richter's debut album from 2002.

Tickley Feather: Hors D’oeuvres

Psychedelic experiments from Paw Tracks up-and-comer.

Soulico: Exotic on the Speaker

Deftly incorporates a multitude of rhythmic structures and vocal styles that are distinctly Middle Eastern, hip-hop, or, as the case may be, both.

Kris Kristofferson: Closer to the Bone

Don't look so sad. Kris Kristofferson keeps on turning out warm and tender songs, like the shadows on the wall.

The Donnas: Greatest Hits Volume 16

For partiers, perverts, and the girl power posse, Greatest Hits: Volume 16 is a must have. For everyone else -- well, if you don't love them by now, this ain't gonna hook your gills.

Rhonda Vincent: Destination Life

The full-throated bluegrass singer in her first studio outing with her wonderful touring band.

more Features

Thursday, November 5 2009

Nirvana: Bleach

Starting with Nevermind, Kurt Cobain intentionally simplified his compositions in order to emphasize their pop components. Less song-focused than later Nirvana works, Bleach acts as an interesting showcase of the band’s musical chops.

Tuesday, November 3 2009

Get Holy: An Interview With John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats

Upon the release of the Mountain Goats' latest album, the band's founder and songwriter talks about the literary influences on his prolific output and the biblical theme of his latest opus.

Monday, November 2 2009

10 Rules on How to Sink or Swim at CMJ

Though several bands demanded double-takes, and many impressed, there were no obvious standouts at this year's CMJ. Instead, our writers found bands that exemplified standards for success, and failure, putting together ten rules on how to sink or swim at CMJ.

Sunday, November 1 2009

Old Canes

Stealing Kurt Vonnegut books? Getting choked up during M*A*S*H? Appleseed Cast frontman Chris Crisci talks about all of these things and more as his folk-affected side-project releases their second album.

more Columns

Friday, November 6 2009

Metal, Back from Purgatory

The Rockist attends his most eagerly anticipated metal show in over a decade only to find... the Banana Splits?

Wednesday, November 4 2009

The Music That Matters Part One: Bill Monroe and Ralph Rinzler

In the late '30s and '40s, Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys were the biggest stars in country music, but when he appeared onstage at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival, he did so after a number of years spent toiling in relative obscurity.

Monday, November 2 2009

Keeping Some Dirt Under the Grass: John Hartford and the Roots of Newgrass

At a time when country music was shining like a new dime, John Hartford and his collaborators were digging into old time music to find something new.

more Events

Friday, November 6 2009

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: 23 September 2009 - New York

To cap off their stellar year, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs captivated a massive hometown crowd at the legendary Radio City Music Hall.

Thursday, November 5 2009

Yo La Tengo: 6 October 2009 - Chicago

Even in the moments when they seem to be teetering on the edge of control, like during one of Ira’s guitar tirades, every single note and squall of feedback feels necessary.

Wednesday, November 4 2009

Mirah: 10 October 2009 - New York

Mirah established her versatility as a musician while unintentionally proving that song choice truly can make or break an entire performance.

more DVD Reviews

Tuesday, November 3 2009

All Tomorrow’s Parties

This more often than not pays proper attention to the artistic prowess on display, which saves it from playing too laboriously like someone else's vacation slideshow.

Sunday, October 25 2009

The Chieftains - Live at Montreux 1997

This DVD enthusiastically shows a collaborative collective at the peak of its prowess, melding many musical traditions with swift, deft fingers into its own interwoven representation of Irish culture.

Monday, October 19 2009

Gogol Bordello: Live from Axis Mundi

Gogol Bordello's live DVD/CD might not win new converts, but it's wild enough to be one hell of a show.