AltWeeklies Wire
With its Fourth Album, Story of the Year Stays the Coursenew
Four albums into its career, the St. Louis quintet continues to defy critics – and resist pigeonholing. Exhibit A: The Constant, the band's second LP for Epitaph Records and fourth album overall, which it recorded last summer with producer Elvis Baskette
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
02-19-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: The Constant, Story of the Year
Pokey LaFarge Forges His Own Path Through Old-Time Country and Bluesnew
The question isn't how Pokey LaFarge, a 26-year-old, guitar-plucking blues singer — who was born in Benton, Illinois, and is now based in St. Louis — got to Florida. That's easy: Love and Interstates 10 and 75 took him there.
Riverfront Times |
Roy Kasten |
02-19-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Pokey LaFarge, Riverboat Soul
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.
Kick Out the (Holiday) Jamsnew
Here are 10 holiday releases to deck your halls.
Riverfront Times |
Christian Schaeffer |
12-14-2007 |
Reviews
The Brits Are Alrightnew
With a new four-CD retrospective The Brit Box, Rhino Records captures the agony and ecstasy of the golden age of Modern English rock.
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
11-26-2007 |
Reviews
PJ Harvey Bewitches with 'White Chalk'new
Harvey's new studio album often feels like a sequel to Björk's Vespertine.
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
10-10-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: PJ Harvey, White Chalk
A Disappointing Third Albumnew
Lavigne's attempts to embrace her girly side (a move for which the ex-Sk8er Girl has received much flak) mistake empowerment for helplessness.
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
04-20-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Avril Lavigne, The Best Damn Thing
The Arcade Fire Explore the Intricacies of Religionnew
The Montreal orchestra geeks' Neon Bible is a worthy follow-up to 2004's Funeral.
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
03-02-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
More Diverse, Shockingly Danceablenew
Despite even thicker coats of studio gloss painted over songs, High contains catchier hooks, bigger choruses and more vocal histrionics than a MySpace flame war.
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
02-12-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Fall Out Boy, Infinity on High
Nible Genre-Skippingnew
Stefani finally sounds comfortable enough in her pop-chameleon skin to rely on songcraft over shtick.
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
12-15-2006 |
Reviews
Tags: Gwen Stefani, The Sweet Escape
Baroque and Brokenew
This high-spirited re-creation of a 1974 album by the criminally underworshipped Harry Nilsson is the band's best work since their 2002 debut.
Riverfront Times |
Jason Harper |
12-11-2006 |
Reviews
Heart-Fluttering Beautynew
The Church sound absolutely nothing like any other band playing today; thankfully, neither does Clouds.
Riverfront Times |
Annie Zaleski |
05-26-2006 |
Reviews
Find the Rivernew
Bill Callahan discovers new sounds and voices -- and cleans up with Chloe Sevigny -- on Smog's latest album.
Riverfront Times |
Randall Roberts |
08-01-2005 |
Reviews
Here & Queernew
Rufus Wainwright has released the gayest album this side of Turbonegro's "Ass Cobra," and it couldn't come at a better time.
Riverfront Times |
Mike Seely |
11-11-2004 |
Reviews
The Philibusternew
While flimsy and overwrought, this Collins retrospective provides for the introduction of a great new karaoke game to the world: the Philibuster. Nothing can be sung except Phil Collins songs, and the singer cannot pick any of his or her own titles.
Riverfront Times |
Mike Seely |
10-06-2004 |
Reviews
