AltWeeklies Wire
Pearl Jam Steps Back, Goes Pop -- and Makes One of the Best Albums of its Careernew
With Backspacer, the "grunge" godfathers seem intent on rewriting their story. It's their best record since 1998's Yield, thanks to the presence of producer Brendan O'Brien, who was allowed by the band to have a hand in picking apart the songs. The result is an economical and wholly replayable Pearl Jam album.
The Flaming Lips Return with a Dazzling Double Albumnew
The Oklahoma psych-rock vets have finally made their Dark Side of the Moon, and yet there are no obvious singles among the 18 tracks. In other words, Embryonic is a true Album, in that no one track can easily be taken out of context.
While the Backstory of 'Guilty Women' is Interesting, the Music Stands on its Ownnew
When Chris Gaffney died, Dave Alvin lost both a close friend and the frontman of his band, the Guilty Men. Alvin formed the Guilty Women to perform at a festival last fall because, he said, he couldn't bear seeing the empty spot onstage where Gaffney used to stand.
Tucson Weekly |
Linda Ray |
10-15-2009 |
Reviews
'Before the Frost ...' is a Return to Form for The Black Crowesnew
The Crowes have not sounded this relaxed and vital at the same time in many years, tackling classic rock, psychedelia, blues, country and R&B.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
10-15-2009 |
Reviews
The Big Pink Feels Like a Marketing Ploynew
On A Brief History of Love, they've taken everything self-indulgent and whiny about Oasis and fused it with everything redundant and artificial about The Postal Service.
Tucson Weekly |
Sean Bottai |
10-15-2009 |
Reviews
The Flaming Lips' 'Embryonic' is a Surprising, Giddy Rushnew
Small-w weird in the best possible sense, the record cranks back the clock hands a full two decades, reveling in the kind of "whatever the fuck we want" experimentalism it seemed the Lips long ago shucked.
Philadelphia City Paper |
J. Edward Keyes |
10-13-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: The Flaming Lips, Embryonic
Is the Madonna on 'Celebration' Compilation a Material Girl, or a Beautiful Stranger?new
Oh, remember when Madonna promised to lead us through the wilderness with a witty, ambitious combination of disco sex appeal, businesswoman savvy and cardinal danger? Remember when she had her own cheekbones?
C-Ville Weekly |
Cathy Harding |
10-09-2009 |
Reviews
The Debut from Girls is Shaggy and Masterfulnew
A stunning success of musical pastiche, Album, like Girls leader Christopher Owens, appeals as equally touching and troubled.
Tucson Weekly |
Michael Petitti |
10-07-2009 |
Reviews
Circulatory System's Latest Pushes the Band's Experimental Side to the Forefrontnew
Eight years have passed since its first album, and Circulatory System is back with Signal Morning, a hectic and sonically dense collection.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
10-07-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Signal Morning, Circulatory System
Metal Stalwarts Dying Fetus Take on an Empire With Clawsnew
Pared down to a three-piece Baltimore's Dying Fetus should possess a diminished sonic presence. However, such is definitely not the case with Descend Into Depravity; indeed, the band sounds absolutely recharged.
Tucson Weekly |
Jarret Keene |
10-07-2009 |
Reviews
The Raveonettes' 'In and Out of Control' is Unevennew
The Raveonettes' terrific last record focused on hedonism, consequences be damned. Now, they're talking about the fallout of indulging in bad things, and that's just not as fun.
Tucson Weekly |
Kristine Peashock |
10-07-2009 |
Reviews
'Aim and Ignite' by fun. is Theatric and Happynew
Aim and Ignite rushes along with the exuberant flair and candied adrenaline that you'd expect from a band named fun.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
10-07-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Aim and Ignite, fun.
The Self-Obsessed Songsmith Lou Barlow Returns with 'Goodnight Unknown'new
After Sebadoh and the uninspiring Folk Implosion, Lou Barlow's releasing his second solo album -- and it's nice to have him back.
Tucson Weekly |
Sean Bottai |
10-07-2009 |
Reviews
Ghostface Killah Goes R&B on 'Ghostdini'new
Like his excellent 2006 LP, Fishscale, Ghostdini demonstrates Ghostface's uncanny ability to take a single thematic unifier and present it from different angles over the course of an album. What Fishscale was to drug narratives, Ghostdini is to sex jams.
Charleston City Paper |
Bryan Reed |
09-30-2009 |
Reviews
The Genre Identifier of Indie Supergroup Monsters of Folk Isn't Exactly Accuratenew
There are windswept harmonies and hushed confessions aplenty, but there's also a palpable sense of trying really, really hard to achieve something that's more than just the sum of its parts.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Julie Seabaugh |
09-24-2009 |
Reviews
