Sean Flinn

Wax PoeticBrasil(NuBlu)Turkish-born and New York-based arranger/producer Ilhan Ersahin, working under the name Wax Poetic, presents a scattershot of styles on Brasil. The only consistency throughout: the big-ass kick drum that dominates every track and ends up distracting the listener. (Wax Poetic’s roots are in trip-hop, a low-end, heavy-footed genre, after all.) The beats don’t vary […]

Sierra Leone Refugee All StarsLiving like a Refugee(Anti)The documentary came through this year’s Atlantic Film Festival and the praise was heard the world over. The music is good enough that you’ll forget the Buena Vista Social Clubbing over the head. There’s no other band that brings together West African blues, reggae, folk and pop together […]

CommonFinding ForeverGood/GeffenChicago’s finest should be appreciated far more than he is. That aside, this is another showcase of the smoothest—in a good sense, like Rakim or Q-Tip long ago—rapper working today. Kanye West, who produces this and collaborates well, may get all the attention, but our true love should go to Common. Sean Flinncategories: Best […]

Thievery CorporationVersions(ESL Music)Washington, DC-based Thievery Corporation continues its specialization in the Brazil-and- dub-based downtempo sound, in development for well over a decade. That may be the duo’s main problem: not much has changed in well over a decade. Versions offers remixes from Herb Alpert to the Doors to Ustad Sultan Khan to Sarah McLachlan—all of […]

Andy Palacio and the Garifuna CollectiveWátina(Cumbancha)Andy Palacio hails from Belize and specializes in garifuna, a mix of Central American and African sounds traced back to slaves brought to the Central American Caribbean coast. Throughout Wátina the African influence is apparent—most often it’s Malian musical influences, but Mali isn’t the only nation drawn on here. One […]

VariousSearching for Soul(Luv ‘n’ Haight/Ubiquity)The majority of these deep funk and soul tracks from 1968 to 1980 reveal the harsh realities of life in the Motor City. Manual B. Holcolm’s “I Stayed Away Too Long” includes this disheartening line: “When I got your last letter, I knew something was wrong/ I was layin’ in a […]

Paul WesterbergOpen Season(Lost Highway)Hopefully, Paul Westerberg will make a shitload of money off the Open Season soundtrack: The animated tale of forest animals is making a killing at the box office. The forgotten king of indie rock from Minneapolis, Westerberg deserves all the attention and cash coming to him. Open Season offers eight originals, mostly […]

MIAKala(XL)On this follow-up to her debut Arular, the young MC with Sri Lankan heritage turns the sass dial up full and strikes her own true “buffalo stance.” The first cue is the cut ’n’ paste, ’80s-inspired colour palette of the album artwork, including a cover shot of the artist with bobbed hair, shades, cloche hat […]

Beth OrtonComfort of Strangers(EMI)Beth Orton’s fourth album, Comfort of Strangers, pairs skip-along acoustic pop with beautiful balladry. She’s got Jim O’Rourke both producing and playing here; he provides layered, multiple-melodic piano and strings but to a degree that they don’t overwhelm the songs. This album keeps it simple. For the pop numbers – “Worms” and […]

Young and SexyPanic When you Find It(Mint)This is a savvy and sophisticated sounding band, based on, mainly, the musical partnership of Paul Pittrevor MacLarenan and Lucy Brain. They sing songs together about becoming adults, entering the adult world of work, fading friendships and other transitions. The closing tune “Satellite” is a gem among many, many […]

Dog DayNight GroupTomlabGuitarist/singer Seth Smith and drummer Corey Spidle stand apart as songwriters, but one can’t separate the bass/harmonies of Nancy Urich and the melodic lines drawn by Cristal Thili on keys from the overall gorgeous sound. A complete effort and complete joy, from the heavy downbeat that opens the album onward. Sean Flinncategories: Best […]