Dave Hayden

Elliott SmithFrom a Basement on the Hill (Anti)Given the tragic ending to Elliott Smith’s troubled life, this “final” album will surely be picked apart and over-analyzed. Songs like “The Last Hour” and “Memory Lane” are horribly telling in hindsight. When he sings “it is raining in my heart,” only the coldest heart could ignore its […]

David SylvianBrilliant Trees (Virgin)Brilliant Trees was David Sylvian’s first solo album after he disbanded Japan. While not far removed from previous work, this was the beginning of a fruitful kinship with ex-CAN bassist Holger Czukay and avant-garde composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Their influences are felt most in “Red Guitar” and “Backwater” where the subtle jazz and […]

Amy MillanHoney from the Tombs(Arts & Crafts)Message boards have been abuzz for months in anticipation of Amy Millan’s first solo release. And rightly so—her dreamy, hush-toned voice has been one of the catalysts for the Stars’ (and certain Broken Social Scene tracks) success. But anyone expecting a Stars-style release, in the vein of the debut […]

Buck 65SituationWEAIt’s been nearly 10 years since Skratch Bastid (Paul Murphy) went head to head with Buck 65 (Rich Terfry) at the DJ Olympics. It was a much talked about turntable battle with a classic “old guard versus new” fable. That was 1999. And now in 2007, the two have come together for an album […]

Tony BennettThe Complete Improv Recordings (Concord)Tony Bennett was (and still is) a jazz singer most aficionados consider to be too much a showman, too Broadway to be considered a “real” jazz interpreter. But there is no questioning his influence and popularity over the years. His associations with some of the biggest jazz musicians—Bill Evans, Rudy […]

Stiff Little FingersGuitar and Drum(Kung Fu)While Stiff Little Fingers have put records out for the last 15 years, this is the first disc to really equal what the band was doing in its heyday (1981-82). SLF’s brand of punk is many shades poppier than the Clash or Husker Du, but it always contained an edginess […]

Damien JuradoAnd Now that I’m in your Shadow(Secretly Canadian)Listening to a Damien Jurado album is like watching a full season of Six Feet Under in one sitting—gratifying but emotionally draining. The hard part arises from the stories he creates—dark character studies depicting emotionally painful experiences. Yet his ability to craft tender melodies and seduce the […]

At the Drive-InThis Station is Non-Operational (Fearless)Funny how it happens — the album that breaks a band into mainstream consciousness ends up being its last. In the case of At The Drive-In, that album was Relationship of Command. The band then splintered into the catchier, more accessible Sparta and the difficult-to-come-to Mars Volta. This single […]

The Wedding PresentTake Fountain(Manifesto)Eight years after Saturnalia, indie darlings The Wedding Present return with an album that sounds like a blend of classic WP and Cinerama (David Gedge’s softer side project). There are three or four tracks—most notably “Ringway to Seatac” and the extremely harsh break-up song “Larry’s”—that satisfy with sharp, dry guitar lines that […]