HoodOutside Closer(Domino)Coming off the icy tones of Cold House, it’s surprising how warm of a record Hood has made now. Not to say that the band has pushed all of their trademark wallowing in a pit of lo-fi sadness sound to the side—they’ve just surrounded it with plusher production. This change is also aided by […]
Matt Charlton
Posted inArts + Music
Ryan Adams
Published January 15, 2004. Ryan Adams Love is Hell, Part 2 (Lost Highway) Adams’ second installment in his Love is Hell series finds him on more or less the same page as Part 1. The songs are sparse and accomplished enough to make his whining about how rough it is to be a wealthy scenester […]
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Sigur Ros
Published December 08, 2005. Sigur Ros Takk (Geffen) Sigur Ros almost isn’t worth describing. Their music hits on a visceral level that makes it more of an experience than a series of notes and beats. Takk, their self-proclaimed “rock record,” continues in this tradition. With stripped-down lows and crashing heights, it’s epic and wonderful. Matt […]
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Mark Gardener
Mark GardenerThese Beautiful GhostsUfoThe former frontman of Ride, Mark Gardener is now regarded as a kind of fallen hero. The band created a wealth of influential music on its first two records before dry-heaving up two more and falling apart in the process. Still, its music has developed a lasting fan base among people who […]
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Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee RascalShowtime (XL)Seeing that prior attempts at street culture have included Westlife and Bradley from S Club 7, it’s amazing that two of the most exciting voices in modern hip-hop come from England. While The Streets has had more success with an indie-rock crowd, Dizzee Rascal has fallen in with the actual hip-hop community. On […]
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We Are Scientists
We Are ScientistsWith Love and Squalor(EMI/Virgin)It’s never going to be said that With Love and Squalor was a pivotal point in any movement. We Are Scientists’ sound is an ultra-hip patchwork of well-placed tips of the hat which, on the whole, create a charming overview of the current state of indie-rock. While this leaves them […]
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Thievery Corporation
Thievery CorporationThe Cosmic Game (Esi)Thievery Corporation has taken their spacey dub sound even further on The Cosmic Game. With the help of several guest vocalists, the duo has merged aggressive and subtle elements into a downbeat groove that holds the album’s core. The most apparent of these ventures is the inclusion of Wayne Coyne on […]
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Feist
FeistLet it Die(Arts and Crafts)On her solo debut, Leslie Feist creates the ultimate indie kid makeout album (Air’s Talkie Walkie well considered). With her vibrant voice ringing out over sparsely arranged tracks, things flow in a simple but accomplished manner. Though most of the album is covers, it is her own “Mushaboom” that’s the real […]
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Justin Timberlake
Justin TimberlakeFutureSex/LoveSounds (Sony/BMG)This album isn’t about the final step in Justin Timberlake’s move away from his boy-band past. It’s not about a pop idol returning to reclaim his throne. It’s not a statement of sexual liberation or a collection of smartly written songs. FutureSex/LoveSounds is about nothing more than hormones and killer grooves, and that’s […]
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Conversion
Jon Boudreau is usually a warm and outgoing guy. Every time I visit the CDPlus location he manages on Barrington we talk for a while about new albums we like and local bands we hate. That all changed a few weeks ago. As I brought box after brimming box into his store, containing all the […]
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The Grinch is back
February has come with its usual tidings. The ice on the sidewalks has settled into a seemingly permanent residence as wind cuts through the city with the bite of a sandstorm. Workplaces are full of idle complacency as the realities of seasonal affective disorder and the mid-year break of primetime TV takes hold. The festive […]
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Hylo country
It’s getting harder and harder to write a story on Canadian music without at least mentioning Paul Aucoin’s name. The Halifax-born producer/musician has left his stamp on a growing number of bands through his production work. He plays in The Old Soul, The Fembots and is a contributing member of Cuff The Duke. Now, with […]
