AltWeeklies Wire
Nina Simone Box Set Reveals Struggles of Strong Female Musiciansnew
To Be Free begs to be read like musical literature, telling the tale of a woman who built a sturdy foundation for strong female artists everywhere and makes the listener ask when the rest of the building is supposed to go up.
San Antonio Current |
Abbie Kopf |
10-01-2008 |
Reviews
Why Didn't Ben Folds Release an EP Instead?new
If Ben Folds' third solo disc had been pared down from 12 tracks to say, six or seven, Way to Normal might have ranked among the top releases of the fall season.
San Antonio Current |
Clint Hale |
10-01-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Ben Folds, Way to Normal
Ani DiFranco Infuses 'Red Letter Year' with Jazznew
Deep, layered arrangements of jazz-infused rhythms have replaced her trademark staccato, fierce-fingerpicking concoctions.
San Antonio Current |
Jessica Ramos |
10-01-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Ani DiFranco, Red Letter Year
TV on the Radio Want to Sex You Upnew
If Death Cab For Cutie wants to possess your heart, then TV On The Radio wants to possess your phone number.
San Antonio Current |
Chuck Kerr |
10-01-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: TV on the Radio, Dear Science
'Death Magnetic' is a Return to Form for Metallicanew
The band's 10th studio album, produced by Rick Rubin, was hailed as a return to Metallica's speed metal days long before it was released in September. And it is.
C-Ville Weekly |
Scott Weaver |
10-01-2008 |
Reviews
Solange Knowles Tries to Seperate Herself From Her Sisternew
While Beyonce's primary persona is fiercely independent, domineering, and largely overconfident, her little sister presents as fragile, unsure, and in need of male protection.
Baltimore City Paper |
Raymond Cummings |
09-30-2008 |
Reviews
Daptone Captures the Mississippi of Right Nownew
Though it currently has a population of just about 1,300, Como, Miss., holds a large place in music history. Blues greats such as the amazing Hemphill family and Junior Kimbrough lived very close, up in the Mississippi hill country that lies between the Tennessee border and the Delta.
Baltimore City Paper |
Mike McGonigal |
09-30-2008 |
Reviews
There's Genius Below the Gross-Out Surface of 'Live at the Platypussery'new
The fact that Blowfly (born Clarence Reid) likes to rap about wet pussy, old pussy, fat pussy, and smelly pussy is not news. What's clever, however, is the way Blowfly takes already established standards on this disc and turns them into his own freaky-deaky platforms.
New Times Broward-Palm Beach |
Jonathan Cunningham |
09-30-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Blowfly, Live at the Platypussery
'Brass Knuckles' is Nelly's 'Thriller'new
Brass Knuckles shows an artist who, having been deemed irrelevant, has come back hungry, utilizing every name in his Rolodex and teaching himself some new tricks.
Raphael Saadiq Brings It Back to the Past With His Current Releasenew
Saadiq worked on The Way I See It for two years while creating singles for other performers. Like most of his music, it contains a sound reminiscent and respectful of the music he grew up listening to on the streets of Oakland.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Craig D. Lindsey |
09-29-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It
Rodney Anonymous vs. The World: Georgianew
We're about to discuss the other Georgia -- the former Soviet republic that naive, reactionary Sarah Palin thinks she can see from the roof of her outhouse.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Rodney Anonymous |
09-29-2008 |
Reviews
TV on the Radio Gets More Accessible without Selling Outnew
Although the Radio crew's talent is well established, the band's music has always raised user-friendliness questions: Sure, 2006's Return to Cookie Mountain was excellent, but did anyone other than rock critics listen to it?
Tags: TV on the Radio, Dear Science
Two Archival CDs Reveal a Peculiar Hunger for the South's Old Waysnew
As literary endorsements of musicians go, it's hard to beat Mark Twain's praise for Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette.
Washington City Paper |
David Dunlap Jr. |
09-25-2008 |
Reviews
'Death Magnetic' is Arguably Metallica's Best Effort Since 1988new
For nearly two decades, old-school fans of Metallica have cried for the band to return to the thrash-metal sound that made them legendary. Well, the bitching can finally stop.
Tucson Weekly |
Jon Hobson |
09-25-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Metallica, Death Magnetic
Mugison Whips Up a Maelstrom of Righteous Noisenew
The Icelandic artist's approach may leave you a little cold at first -- call it kitsch glitch -- but by the fourth song, you'll believe.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
09-25-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Mugiboogie, Mugison
