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Slipped Discs 2011 - Part 3: From Real Estate to Youth Lagoon
By PopMatters Staff
The three-day 2011 edition of Slipped Discs -- where we feature great albums that missed our Best Albums of 2011 -- concludes with the smart hip-hop of the Roots, indie greatness from Real Estate and Youth Lagoon, blasts out of the UK from WU LYF and We Were Promised Jetpacks, and many more. [3.Feb.12]
Counterbalance No. 67: John Coltranes 'A Love Supreme'
As Coltrane said, “One thought can produce millions of vibrations and they all go back to God.” A spiritual jazz masterpiece is the 67th most acclaimed album of all time. Counterbalance has a listen. [3.Feb.12]
The Amazingness of Everything: A Conversation with Dan Mangan
At the end of the day, "insincerity is so visible, says the much-loved Canadian troubadour. [3.Feb.12]
Lana Del Rey: Born to Die
The Internet-famous chanteuse releases her highly-anticipated debut album. Does it live up to the hype? [3.Feb.12]
Don Cornelius: Rest in Peace, Love, and Soul
Soul Train creator/host Don Cornelius will be remembered--and should hereafter be celebrated--for giving a voice to Black America, and he should also be acknowledged—and praised—for making White America less white. [3.Feb.12]
Mixed Media
News
Reviews
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The Internet-famous chanteuse releases her highly-anticipated debut album. Does it live up to the hype?
Up-and-comers Hospitality are like the characters of their songs: accomplished and bright, with room to grow.
By Edward Whitelock
During their short existence, the Primitons were grouped into that mid-'80s sub-genre of “jangly Southern bands that sound like R.E.M.” This was unfair to both.
Frère Jacques: Round About Offenbach is a reverent tribute to an irreverent man. Despite that, it's fantastic.
The Renderers prove once more that they don't have to sacrifice their experimental side to sound accessible, and 20-plus years in, they're as good as they've ever been.
In 1999 Wynton Marsalis ushered us into the 21st century with an incredible effort, proving yet again why he is already a legend.
The Brooklyn Chairlift works differently, obviously. It lifts you up but won't bring you down.
As solid as Buxton is, they're doing nothing to set themselves apart from other bands in their genre, and they don't quite have the songwriting chops to overcome that lack of character.
The Soul Rebels Brass Band make a case for the greatness of the horn section.
MU.ZZ.LE is Gonjasufi's first artistically cohesive statement: a bold first stab at playing with space and mood. It’s a compelling reason to keep watching to see what he’ll do next, because if this is what Gonjasufi sounds like muzzled, we should all be very afraid when he finally decides to unleash.
While pinning down Kelly’s style is impossible as he’s always changing, his lyrics are always literate and innocently romantic. He may understand love hurts, but that doesn’t stop him from being sucker punched.
CD/DVD combo pack documents an American treasure: Florida swamp-rock-boogie-blues at its finest.
Jennifer Herrema, ex of Royal Trux, and her cohorts deliver a confounding record that is clearly a candidate for most audacious album of the year, a mere five weeks into 2012.
These videos deftly match Harvey's exploration of England's wartime past with artfully filmed images of its present.
The stately winter mood evoked by Longplay 2 has given way to the lullaby dreaminess of Weekends, trading post-rock for shoegaze. The results are often excellent, though the record isn't without its missteps.
A strong collection of tunes from a blues guitar stalwart.
Kammerflimmer Kollektief present an ambient electro-jazz album without much bite to it.
Percussion ensemble keeps counting out time.
Septuagenarian folk legend Leonard Cohen revisits his Old Ideas on his first new studio album in seven years.
There was always a gospel element in the way Foster delivered her vocals. She openly emphasizes this aspect of her voice on her latest album.
Despite the travesty of relabeling their 1978 song "Killing an Arab" as "Killing Another", this is a taut, tight and energetic double live set for fans who want to hear all the Cure’s major hits in one place.
Danish dudes dazzle on the expressway to your skull.
Songs for the end of the world, inspired by the old world.
Rock 'n' roll ain't dead; you're just asleep.
Feel the Sound, Imperial Teen’s fifth long-player, is an agreeable piece of middle-of-the-road indie pop. Nothing more. And that ain’t a bad thing, necessarily.
An impressively silly little pop album with some even sillier attempts at psychedelic poetry.
A welcome compilation for veteran Sparrow watchers, but a better introduction will include his work from the '50s.
It shouldn't be surprising that the Bats have crystallized a particular sound, but it might be surprising that they've just released some of their best music.
Mood trumps story in the musical world of M+A, but the melodies are still accessible.
The In Yo' Face Crowd - Jazz elder-statesman Ramsey Lewis revisits a 1974 funk-fusion classic and reveals he’s enjoying his second ‘70s just fine.
Capsule Reviews
Like Vampire Weekend on an Oxycontin high, Capybara brings warmth and life to a hazy landscape with Dave Drusky. [03.Feb.12]
Events
Features
By PopMatters Staff
The three-day 2011 edition of Slipped Discs -- where we feature great albums that missed our Best Albums of 2011 -- concludes with the smart hip-hop of the Roots, indie greatness from Real Estate and Youth Lagoon, blasts out of the UK from WU LYF and We Were Promised Jetpacks, and many more. [03.Feb.12]
At the end of the day, "insincerity is so visible, says the much-loved Canadian troubadour. [03.Feb.12]
Columns
Field Studies
I'll Be There in the Morning offers an affectionate but hardly rose-colored view of Townes Van Zandt and his influence on other songwriters. [02.Feb.12]
Jazz Today
Critics can be fools, particularly in their own eyes. Here are five jazz discs from 2011 that should have been on my top ten list but slipped from view, then. It's not too late to dig them. [31.Jan.12]
From The Blogs
As Coltrane said, “One thought can produce millions of vibrations and they all go back to God.” A spiritual jazz masterpiece is the 67th most acclaimed album of all time. Counterbalance has a listen. [03.Feb.12]
DVD Reviews
Loud guitar, astrophysics, little people, S&M clubs, positive thinking, and nude women on bicycles are all part of the Queen saga, darling. [30.Jan.12]
The US Festival's "Country Day" in June 1983, featured both Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. [24.Jan.12]
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