AltWeeklies Wire
Legendary Artists' Works Come Out Againnew
With the holiday spirit in mind, we offer a sampling of some of the more interesting sonic and visual treats that are hitting the racks this year.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-10-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Various Artists, Various Titles, Crooked Rain Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus Another State of Mind, Join the Dots: B-sides and Rarities The Clash, London Calling Pavement, Matador at Fifteen Old Enough to Know Better: 15 Years of Merge Records Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection The Cure
Christmas Crooningsnew
An annual wrap-up of holiday albums from Barenaked Ladies to a John Waters' version of Christmas.
Tucson Weekly |
Stephen Seigel |
12-03-2004 |
Reviews
Album Infiltrates and Imbues Pop with Dimensionalitynew
Across 12 tracks, Le Tigre makes like Chicks on Speed to Blondie to J.J. Fad; screechy and preachy to hopscotch hip-hop. However, the buffing of the chaotic lo-fi hiccups makes Le Tigre's staunch missives seem less urgent.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Tony Ware |
12-02-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Le Tigre, This Island
Soul-Scorching Redemption in 48 Minutesnew
One of those rare groups that conjures up a host of impossibly disparate influences (Pavement, the Velvet Underground, the Talking Heads, Neutral Milk Hotel) without relinquishing its originality, the Arcade Fire contains multitudes. Also reviewed is Smoosh's She Like Electric.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
11-30-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: funeral, Arcade Fire
Boxing the Rocknew
A music reviewer names six of the year’s best multi-disc sets, and one of the worst.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
11-30-2004 |
Reviews
After Elevation, Vertigonew
Even after 25 years, there's still no rock band like U2.
Boston Phoenix |
Jeffrey Gantz |
11-29-2004 |
Reviews
Eminem's Worldnew
Eminem's rhymes have the rambling hypersensitivity of diary entries, schizophrenically bouncing between nervous moments of clarity and narcissistic attempts at self-aggrandizement.
Miami New Times |
Mosi Reeves |
11-23-2004 |
Reviews
Soulful and Sweet Enoughnew
The arrival of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb highlights U2's diminishing skills -- both the "diminishing" and the "skills." A complete deconstruction, with help from Mom.
East Bay Express |
Rob Harvilla |
11-22-2004 |
Reviews
Everything You'll Never Havenew
Bruni is not just extravagantly gorgeous, filthy rich, and commercially successful, she's also getting excellent reviews from grouchy critics, who generally don't take kindly to singing supermodels. Despite all these facts, you probably shouldn't hate her.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
11-18-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Carla Bruni, Quelqu'un m'a dit
Become Your Own Saviornew
Johnston's life and body of work speak to the restorative power of hope. A 43-year-old with chronic manic depression, he lives with his parents in Waller, Texas. For the past 25 years, he's written hundreds of songs that plumb the darkest caverns of the soul and suffuse them with sunlight.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
11-18-2004 |
Reviews
Album Takes an Unconventional Approach to Hip-Hopnew
Williams shows how spoken word can be explosive-tipped and delivered in propulsive patois that puts many a mercurial MC to shame.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Tony Ware |
11-18-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Saul Williams
Second Album Mix of Bubblegum Pop and Post-Punknew
Brooklyn's the Rogers Sisters could just as well be from Athens circa 1982. The group's latest release has you wondering if you've run across a perfectly preserved artifact from over two decades ago.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Tony Ware |
11-18-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: The Rogers Sisters, Three Fingers
Album Pays Tribute to a Pioneer of American Musicnew
In a market flooded with tribute albums varying in quality from terrible to tremendous, Bloodshot Records manages to hit the higher end of the scale with a fairly well-balanced tribute to the first lady of rockabilly, Wanda Jackson.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
James Kelly |
11-18-2004 |
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
This is Popnew
A new Trojan Records box set reframes the history of reggae.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Jeff Chang |
11-10-2004 |
Reviews
