AltWeeklies Wire
Westword's Favorite National CDs for 2004new
After sifting through more crap than a Roto-Rooter guy, Westword's music staff submits these suck-free national releases as reason not to stick a shank in your speakers.
From the Political to the Personalnew
Politics and music mixed this year in a way that reviewer Matt Ashare hasn't seen since he bought Let Them Eat Jellybeans (Alternative Tentacles) during the Reagan presidency and sang along to "Jesus Entering from the Rear." And against his better judgment, it made him care about the world beyond his iPod headphones in a way that he hasn’t in some time.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Music 2004
2004's music was about everything but singers and songs.
A True Entertainment Bargainnew
Chicks on Speed kick out dizzy cheers and brittle beats, crafting a propulsive, surprisingly funky blend of '80s-flavored electropunk and experimental glitchcore. Also reviewed is Kimya Dawson's Hidden Vagenda.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: 99 Cents, Chicks on Speed
The Latest from Hip-Hop's Sad Sisyphusnew
Only Eminem can make the subject of his own creative stagnation remotely interesting, although it's not always interesting enough. It helps that he's got Dr. Dre, whose grim and elegant string snippets invest even the weakest tracks with an apocalyptic gravitas.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Viva the Male Divanew
Drawing on the same smorgasbord of influences displayed on his magisterial debut -- show tunes, opera, cabaret, folk, jazz, SoCal pop, and art song -- Wainwright now seems more confident in exploring each genre's extreme, no longer compelled to disguise his highbrow proclivities with sticky hooks and sing-along choruses.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Rufus Wainwright, Want Two
Polemics with a Chirpy Venomnew
Despite its superficial gloss, This Island's not a radical departure for Le Tigre. Anyone susceptible to the band's trademark sound -- a cheerful cacophony of Casio chirps, guitar buzz, and handclaps -- can't help but dig it. Also reviewed is Lil Jon's Crunk Juice.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-28-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Le Tigre, This Island
Simple Pleasuresnew
The year's best CDs demonstrated craft and brains, whether it's the immaculate, melodic pop of Ron Sexsmith's Revolver or Van Hunt's nuanced take on love and lust. With the war and election as a cultural backdrop, warmth and intelligence were far more personally useful than jagged, new wave by Franz Ferdinand and the like.
Rating the Year's Hits With Mom and Dadnew
A reviewer plays this year's most popular music to her classical-music-oriented parents, who find Usher's Yeah! pleasant and Ashlee Simpson's Pieces of Me uninteresting.
Dallas Observer |
Sarah Hepola |
12-27-2004 |
Reviews
Album Features Dozen Finely Crafted Tunesnew
Recorded informally over two evenings at the legendary Station Inn, Nashville's premier bluegrass club, Camp uses the forum to showcase his lyrical collaborations with the likes of Guy Clark, Jim Lauderdale and Cowboy Jack Clement.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
James Kelly |
12-16-2004 |
Reviews
New Album May be Most Defining of Careernew
This album is Buddy Miller's version of a gospel album, and he nails it. All the signifying Miller traits are there, from his rich and soulful vocal style to his amazing guitar work.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
James Kelly |
12-16-2004 |
Reviews
Season's Bleatingsnew
Plenty of celebrities are looking to pad their bank accounts via Christmas recordings, and few appear to have broken a sweat while making them.
Trick Daddy Puréenew
A reviewer slices and dices a veritable buffet of new albums in a few sentences each.
Beyond Morphinenew
Sandbox reveals just how much there was to Mark Sandman -- the full experience included everything from the minimal instrumentation of Morphine to his larger configurations with a full horn section, guitar, four-string bass, and keyboards.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-10-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Mark Sandman, Sandbox
A Tale of Two Saintsnew
Boxed CD sets compile the works of two influential trailblazers who died young: jazz-saxophonist Albert Ayler and hipster comic Lenny Bruce.
Boston Phoenix |
Jon Garelick |
12-10-2004 |
Reviews
