AltWeeklies Wire
'Modern Guilt' Solidifies Beck's Transition from Man-Child Genius to Inventive Middle-Agernew
Modern Guilt is the shortest album of Beck's almost-15-year career, and the betting is that while it's not distinctive enough to rank as many people's favorite, it'll hold up pretty nicely in the canon. That's provided, of course, that you like the direction he's taken recently.
Metro Times |
Tim Grierson |
07-22-2008 |
Reviews
Yup, Meryl Streep Can Sing ABBAnew
The album's a comprehensive affair featuring the vocal talents of the big-name cast, including Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and newish-comer Amanda Seyfried in a role Mean Girls star and triple-threat-wannabe Lindsay Lohan would most likely kill for.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Staff |
07-21-2008 |
Reviews
Beck and Danger Mouse Collaboration Sounds Satisfyingly Dense and Intricatenew
But despite its unusual touches, the recording gives off a somewhat musty scent.
A Dozen Delicious Tracksnew
If you like your rock music served up with a healthy dose of political protest, Lou Reed-style lyric delivery and Springsteen-esque guitar, then get hooked into James McMurtry.
Tucson Weekly |
Annie Holub |
07-18-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: James McMurtry, Just Us Kids
Seamless Collaborationsnew
The vibe of this first full-length album from The Watson is wholly American--and that encompasses a whole lotta elements.
Tucson Weekly |
Kristine Peashock |
07-18-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: The Watson Twins, Fire Songs
Digital Leather Prove Synth-pop's Not Deadnew
Its latest release, Sorcerer, succeeds thanks to its ability to mix up tempos and styles, and the band injects each song with hooks more infectious than the airborne Reaper virus.
Washington City Paper |
David Dunlap Jr. |
07-18-2008 |
Reviews
Do Not Listen to 'Heavy Deavy Skull Lover' While Operating Heavy Machinerynew
It's hard to imagine doing anything while listening to Heavy Deavy Skull Lover except lying on the couch in a substance-induced stupor--cough syrup, hydro, opium, take your pick.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
07-16-2008 |
Reviews
Jay Reatard: Wonderfully Messynew
When you get past Reatard's productivity (17 original tracks over a two-year period), you notice how seamlessly these disparate singles flow together, as if one song picks up a thought he left unfinished three months earlier.
San Antonio Current |
Gilbert Garcia |
07-16-2008 |
Reviews
The Melvins Bring New Lineup and Materialnew
The quartet's newest offering, Nude with Boots , is the second Melvins album with the new setup, and Buzz Osborne explained that the dynamic with Coady Willis and Jared Warren works not only musically, but personally and professionally as well.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Adrian Castaneda |
07-14-2008 |
Reviews
Did You Say Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis?new
Sometimes weird combos can work. Like pineapple pizza. R.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Caralyn Green |
07-14-2008 |
Reviews
Coldplay: Wall Street's Favorite Bandnew
After three years between releases, Coldplay have returned with Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, in turn boosting EMI/Capitol Records' shares while reigniting debates worldwide over fruit-related baby names.
Tucson Weekly |
James Hudson |
07-10-2008 |
Reviews
Daylight Dies Creates Sweeping Melancholynew
The band follows the template of Swedish melodic metal bands like Opeth and In Flames, reining in Opeth's jarring bipolarities and stamping out In Flames' triumphant flourishes.
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
Jamie Lidell Lightly Touches His Soulnew
Betraying his roots in U.K. dance music, Lidell applies a slick veneer to his love songs, which can make their seemingly natural swing feel a tinge antiseptic. But that's assuming any objective bystander won’t be too busy tapping his foot to notice such an insignificant detail.
San Antonio Current |
Tim Grierson |
07-09-2008 |
Reviews
Dog Men Poets Swap Juvenile Lyrics for Something Bluenew
On the back cover of their new CD, Dog Men Poets list the artists who inspired each of the disc's 10 tracks. The roster, which runs from Stevie Wonder to George Clinton to Amy Winehouse to Robert Randolph, is pretty impeccable.
San Antonio Current |
Gilbert Garcia |
07-09-2008 |
Reviews
