Dave Hayden

William ShatnerHas Been(Shout Factory/Sony)Put away any thoughts that this is another kitschy “Lucy in the Sky” laugh-off. William Shatner, ever the overly dramatic thespian, delivers a funny, thoughtful and at times heartbreaking performance here. He manages to hold his own with Henry Rollins and Joe Jackson, and not trip over Pulp’s brilliant “Common People.” The […]

Ani DiFranco Educated Guess(Righteous Babe)Ani DiFranco is an institution and an artist who no longer fears alienating her audience. On her last three albums—larger band recordings that saw her taking risks like never before—she was clearly saying “follow me or get left behind.” On Educated Guess, DiFranco returns to the acoustic stage, performing all instruments […]

Sonic YouthRather Ripped (Geffen)The pre-release reports were not exaggerating when they pinned the latest Sonic Youth release (the band’s 20th) as a rock record. Rather Ripped, at its core, is just that—taking song structure down to its basics. But don’t fret—there are many moments of buzzing guitar noise and guitar neck explorations, usually in the […]

Thurston MooreTrees Outside the AcademyEcstatic PeaceThurston Moore’s second solo record is a superb example of how great artists never cease to explore and take risks. And on this album, with acoustic guitar in hand and backing violin in tow, Moore reminds us that behind all of Sonic Youth’s usual feedback and chaos lies meticulously thought-out […]

Susie Arioli BandLearn to Smile AgainJustin timeThis fourth disc from the Susie Arioli Band is primarily dedicated to the music of Roger Miller, one of America’s finest country songwriters. He mainly wrote comedic songs (“You Can’t Roller Skate Through a Buffalo Herd”) but also crafted serious music that went on to be well respected and […]

VariousRussian Christmas (BBC Music magazine)If you want something beyond the umpteenth version of “Rudolph,” the best source of holiday music can be found at the newsstand. Every year the classical music monthly BBC Music puts together seasonal offerings of a divergent kind. This year the focus is Russia, with a version of Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony […]

SpartaPorcelain(Dreamworks)When At The Drive-In splintered, few thought Sparta would outdo rival offshoot Mars Volta. But it did. On its second full-length, Porcelain, Sparta deals with the consistency problems that marred the debut while also avoiding the trap of trying to appease newfound critical expectations. “Breaking The Broken,” “Lines in Sand” and “Splinters” are unforced, simple […]

The Paper ChaseNow You are One of Us(Kill Rock Stars)Listening to this disc is like seeing your most favourite horror movie for the umpteenth time, knowing full well what to expect and yet still shitting your pants at all the scariest scenes. Think Modest Mouse on a whole mess of acid and having a paranoid […]

Stephen MalkmusFace the Truth(Matador)Stephen Malkmus’ third post-Pavement solo effort finds him aging gracefully, sounding comfortably assured even when he’s experimenting wildly — with obvious intent to cause audience double-takes. Like on the opener “Pencil Riot” or “I’ve Hardly Been,” it’s almost like Malkmus has a twisted will to frustrate. But these moments are broken up […]

MemphisI Dreamed We Fell Apart (Paper Bag)You would think that Stars frontman Torquil Campbell would be satisfied that his band pretty much owns the lush-pop throne in this country. But no. He has to dive into Euro-dance-pop with Memphis, a band he formed in 2002 with multi-instrumentalist Chris Dumont. Think Pet Shop Boys on tranquilizers […]

Jens LekmanRocky Dennis EP(Motown)There is an incredibly sad thread running through this EP—the second of an anticipated trilogy by this Scandinavian wunderkind—creating a forceful undercurrent beneath an otherwise glossy orchestral folk-pop sheen. The song titles alone (“Farewell Song to The Blind Girl,” “If You Ever Need a Stranger”) dig a pit of loss and loneliness. […]