AltWeeklies Wire
Socio-Economic Anxiety Never Rocked as Hard as it Does on the Hold Steady's Latestnew
Though the Hold Steady's musical style has always been of the lunchpail-swingin' bar-rock variety, Craig Finn's lyrics have usually been less about the rundown poor than the burned-out party kids. That changes on Stay Positive: Finn more directly addresses working-class themes, spinning tales of slightly older characters who are actually sweating their way through the drudgery.
Washington City Paper |
David Dunlap Jr. |
07-10-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: The Hold Steady, Stay Positive
Liz Phair Returns From 'Guyville' Exilenew
By rereleasing Exile in Guyville and taking it on the road, she's allowing her fans to revel in that time when she crystallized the experience of taking bad boys to bed.
Bun B's Delivers on 'Ill Trill'new
Back in 1987, when Chad Butler and Bernard Freeman were first writing the rhymes that would become their debut cassette The Southern Way, neither one of them ever would have dreamed that their music would one day echo off the walls of a Louis Vuitton boutique in the Galleria.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
06-03-2008 |
Reviews
Madlib's Quest to Blow Out the Borders of Hip-hopnew
The prolific hip-hop producer with some 36 aliases this time dons the moniker Jackson Conti as he explores Brazil.
North Bay Bohemian |
Gabe Meline |
05-30-2008 |
Reviews
Van Morrison Once Again Ventures Into the Slipstreamnew
What has eluded Morrison in recent years -- and what the famously press-skeptical artist has certainly done nothing to court -- is a galvanizing, buzz-worthy, late-career "comeback" on the order of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan or Neil Diamond.
L.A. Weekly |
Scott Foundas |
05-27-2008 |
Reviews
The Beginning of a No Agenew
Simply put, the best punk album of the 21st century.
L.A. Weekly |
Randall Roberts |
05-09-2008 |
Reviews
Dizzee Rascal Makes a Hard Climb Toward Mass Appealnew
A flop as a British MC, Dizzee Rascal tries to become an American one.
Washington City Paper |
Brent Burton |
05-09-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Dizzee Rascal, Maths + English
'One Hell of a Ride' Encapsulates Willie Nelson in Five Hoursnew
For a recording career that began more than a half-century ago in the studios of Pleasanton radio station KBOP, where Nelson recorded "When I've Sung My Last Hillbilly Song," his body of work acquits itself quite well in today's post-album digital age.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
05-07-2008 |
Reviews
The Breeders Make a New Splashnew
The box-office returns of the Pixies reunion apparently roused the sleeping ambition of bassist and Breeders mastermind Kim Deal.
The Memphis Flyer |
Werner Trieschmann |
04-25-2008 |
Reviews
R.E.M. Hurtles Toward the Future on 'Accelerate'new
At what point in a band's career is it impossible to evaluate its new album without referencing its back catalog?
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
04-04-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Accelerate, r.e.m.
Howlin Rain Finds the Link Between Punk and Bluesnew
At some point, trend-chasing music fans -- like those who embrace Vampire Weekend's self-described "Upper West Side Soweto" -- are going to have to struggle with albums like Magnificent Fiend and come to terms with exactly what makes the blues seem so frozen in pre-punk amber.
Washington City Paper |
Brent Burton |
03-27-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Howlin Rain, Magnificent Fiend
Nostaligic Goodness with a Touch of Playfulnew
A female vocalist starting an album with the words, "Cried all night till there was nothin' more" probably sounds a bit offputting. Unless that girl is Zooey Deschanel accompanied by M. Ward.
Willamette Week |
Amy McCullough |
03-12-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: She & Him, Volume One
They Might Be Giants of Kids' Musicnew
Cleverly designed to teach kids to recognize numbers and how to count, TMBG deploys its usual earnest wackiness with a variety of musical influences, from twisted American folk to '60s rock riffs and '70s soul, as the duo works its way up from zero to infinity.
Shepherd Express |
David Luhrssen |
02-15-2008 |
Reviews
Dress Me Up in Your Fuzznew
Stephin Merritt's newest love songs are all for The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Baltimore City Paper |
Jess Harvell |
01-29-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Distortion, Magnetic Fields
'Jukebox' Give Us the Same Old Channew
Jukebox could've been a mere promotional ploy, good for an iPod commercial or a House of Blues New Year's Eve gimmick. But as a loving salute to the idea of back catalog as salvation, the album is more convincing than Amy Winehouse's career.
Washington City Paper |
Jason Cherkis |
01-17-2008 |
Reviews
