AltWeeklies Wire
Blitzen Trapper: Destroyer of the Void (Sub Pop)new
Blitzen Trapper is a fascinating band. After five albums, the Portland, Ore., group seems unlikely to reinvent the wheel—yet upon closer inspection, the band's hybrid of folk-glam-pop is remarkably fresh and novel. Following the group's career-high Furr, Destroyer of the Void is an immensely enjoyable effort. The lows are more inconsequential than poorly executed. "Below the Hurricane" is an overlong cosmic folk ballad. The hushed duet "The Tree," with singer/songwriter Alela Diane, masks some intriguing lyrics with banal, by-the-numbers acoustic balladry. When the six-piece is kicking, however, the results are impressive. The opening, title track is less epic by length
Tucson Weekly |
Michael Petitti |
06-16-2010 |
Reviews
Fishtank Ensemble: Woman in Sinnew
The third album by this amazing group from California is one of the best times to be found on disc so far this year.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
06-16-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Fishtank Ensemble, Woman in Sin
Sarah Jaffe: Suburban Naturenew
The music of Sarah Jaffe will remind some listeners of that of Cat Power or PJ Harvey, although at 24, the singer-songwriter is a generation younger.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
06-09-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Suburban Nature, Sarah Jaffe
Holy Rolling Empire: Noise Will Be Noisenew
The new EP by Tucson combo the Holy Rolling Empire, Noise Will Be Noise, is a strong effort in a growing body of work that consistently hits the sweet spot between hard-edged power pop and psychedelia.
Tucson Weekly |
Curtis McCrary |
06-09-2010 |
Reviews
'Selections from Leave Your Sleep,' Natalie Merchantnew
The best of Merchant's new double record — a concept album exploring the ins and outs of childhood.
The Inlander |
Leah Sottile |
06-03-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Leave Your Sleep, Natalie Merchant
The Fall: 'Your Future Our Clutter'new
The Fall's new album sounds as dynamic and engaging as anything they've done in the last 30-odd years.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
06-02-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Your Future Our Clutter, The Fall
Band of Horses: 'Infinite Arms'new
A label change and a long, labored recording process left Band of Horses just about where it started--with an instantly compelling indie Americana sound.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
06-02-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Infinite Arms, Band of Horses
The Mission Creeps: Dark Cellsnew
This always-intriguing Tucson act is polishing its sound--a combination of surf, psychobilly, Goth and horror-movie soundtrack influences--to a hard-lacquered sheen.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
05-25-2010 |
Reviews
The New Pornographers: 'Together'new
Bandleader Carl Newman writes idiosyncratic, impressionistic verses drawn from (one must assume) personal experiences and tumultuous emotions, but the results often are lyrically abstract.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
05-25-2010 |
Reviews
Batucaxé: The Blessing of the Beatnew
The Blessing of the Beat, the first CD from local Afro-Brazilian collective Batucaxé, includes songs from Brazilian artists, as well as original songs written with South American and African music in mind.
Tucson Weekly |
Annie Holub |
05-25-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Batucaxé, The Blessing of the Beat
'Geneva': Russian Circlenew
Thinkers, dreamers and brooders will enjoy the third full-length record by Russian Circles, an instrumental album full of epic rises and torrential falls.
The Inlander |
Leah Sottile |
05-17-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Geneva, Russian Circles
Erykah Badu is an Islandnew
Five albums in, Erykah Badu is still playing and experimenting.
The Inlander |
Leah Sottile |
05-17-2010 |
Reviews
'Here Lies Love': David Byrne and Fatboy Slimnew
Two musical geniuses write a powerful musical about the life of Imelda Marcos.
The Inlander |
Leah Sottile |
05-17-2010 |
Reviews
'Nobody's Daughter': The Demos Really Were Betternew
Nobody's Daughter feels like misguided opportunism, an attempt by Courtney Love to recapture her mid-’90s rock-star heyday.
Metro Pulse |
Jesse Fox Mayshark |
05-10-2010 |
Reviews
Craig David is a Soul Mannew
The last thing music needs is another album of '60s and '70s covers, but Craig David manages to infuse just enough inventiveness into these dusties to keep you from wondering why he bothered.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
L. Michael Gipson |
05-04-2010 |
Reviews
