AltWeeklies Wire
The Price Is Variablenew
In other businesses -- wine, for example -- price can skyrocket according to quality, scarcity, demand, and dozens of other factors, yet we expect all music to cost the same amount. Does that make sense? After all, not all music is created equal.
How the Jazz Year Endsnew
Evidence of jazz's engagement with the world's greater events, trends and circumstances emerges from three items that pop out as one muses on the year past.
New York Press |
Howard Mandel |
12-29-2005 |
Music
Tags: yearinreview2005
Healthy Distrustnew
On the surface, 2005 was another banner year for hip-hop. But beneath the surface there was an underlying restlessness -- a cultural and an aesthetic agitation that was both hidden and violent.
Riverfront Times |
Sam Chennault |
12-29-2005 |
Music
Tags: yearinreview2005
Overlooked in 2005new
Most of the CDs on this list are by artists you've likely never heard of, but a couple are by neglected but trusty war-horses.
Riverfront Times |
Scott Faingold |
12-29-2005 |
Music
Tags: yearinreview2005
Hip-Hop Year in Reviewnew
A tight focus reveals hip-hop thriving in dozens of niches, even if none of the resultant albums can completely refute the sense that the genre is still stuck in a holding pattern.
Riverfront Times |
Dan Leroy |
12-29-2005 |
Music
Tags: yearinreview2005
Let There Be Rocknew
One writer counts down the ten albums that make it easy to avoid fretting about your old-fashioned, Rockist ways.
Riverfront Times |
Rob Harvilla |
12-29-2005 |
Music
Tags: yearinreview2005
Heady Metalnew
When it comes to heavy metal, 2005 will be remembered as the year the promising Sounds of the Underground tour debuted, metalcore dominated the scene and Iron Maiden got egged at Ozzfest.
Riverfront Times |
Jason Bracelin |
12-29-2005 |
Music
Tags: yearinreview2005
Pass it Onnew
One music writer turns her personal soundtrack into the perfect holiday gift.
Phoenix New Times |
Michele Laudig |
12-29-2005 |
Music
A Pack of Muttsnew
The mongrels and strays are the very albums one writer loves -- the ones that are too artsy and meandering for No Depression, too rootsy and plainspoken for Pitchfork and too concise for the hippies at Relix.
Dallas Observer |
John Nova Lomax |
12-29-2005 |
Reviews
Pop Rocksnew
In 2005, pop music was rock music. Even the biggest top-40 starlets liked their guitars cranked up to a sassy 11. Here are the shiniest and catchiest of 2005's snap and fizz.
Dallas Observer |
Annie Zaleski |
12-29-2005 |
Reviews
A Blissful Soundnew
Mi and L'au are an ex-model and a composer/multiinstrumentalist who fell in love in Paris. Between sessions of what was no doubt mutually satisfying and respectful lovemaking, they wrote these 14 spare, gentle, steadfastly pretty songs.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-28-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: folk, Mi and L'au
A Godless Liberal Christmasnew
One music reviewer offers Bill O'Reilly the gift of Christmas carols and tries to make peace.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-28-2005 |
Reviews
Grammy Gripesnew
Today's Grammys are stale, uneventful, and hopelessly out of touch with the very world they're supposed to represent. Just how much do they suck? Let us count the ways.
Cleveland Scene |
Jason Bracelin |
12-28-2005 |
Music
New Rubblenew
Comebacks are out. Repackaged credibility — an artist reaching back to the sound of his or her prime, coached by an admiring junior — was the new remastering in 2005.
Bah...PC Bugnew
A computer virus pales in comparison to some of the anti-piracy ideas thrown around by Sony executives.
Miami New Times |
Sam Chennault |
12-28-2005 |
Music
