Tara Thorne

Matthew GoodHospital Music(Universal)The infamously contentious Matthew Good was markedly affable upon the release of White Light Rock and Roll Review in 2004, looking as if he loved to play shows again. Then he fell apart. Diagnosed as bipolar, he also got divorced and OD’d in his parents’ shower. He wrote the aptly titled Hospital Music […]

Matthew GoodIn a Coma: 1995 – 2005 UniversalSkip the for-casual-fans-only single- disc hits package and cough up for the deluxe. Disc two of a staggering three-part package is the literal and musical centrepiece. Before a reissue of the limited edition Loser Anthems EP and some b-sides is Rooms, an acoustic thematic re-arrangement of nine songs […]

VariousMusic from The OC: Mix 1(Warner)Welcome to the soundtrack, bitch! Proving further that Josh Schwartz is handily surfing the zeitgeist—track names are “hand-scrawled” on the disc as if it were a copy; you can web-link to the scenes featuring each song—the first collection of The OC’s hip background music is as smart and emotional as […]

The WeakerthansReunion TourEpitaphFour fucking years after Reconstruction Site come the 11 tracks of Reunion Tour, which includes a sequel to the song sung by a cat on its predecessor, as well as tributes to curling, Gump Worsley, lost friends and transit drivers. It’s more of the same, but when shit’s this brilliant, that’s a compliment. […]

Ben FoldsSongs for Silverman(Epic)Ben Folds has travelled under the proverbial radar for 15 years and a half-dozen records; like the best character actors, he’s never been big enough to be a star or a cult artist. Those who adore him do it with slobbering devotion, the rest sing along to “Brick” when it comes on […]

Pony UpMake Love to the Judges with Your Eyes(Dim Mak)The legend of Pony Up goes like this: in spring 2003, the girls attended a show by Australian wunderkind Ben Lee, who was visiting Montreal for the first time and who had been robbed earlier that day. They took him out after the show, took him […]

Bright EyesCassadaga(Saddle Creek)Conor Oberst needs to stop with the audio art installations that open every album. If they were interesting or entertaining, that would be one thing. But they’re indulgent and boring, so stop it, because what he’s doing here is detracting from the lovely lead track “Clairaudients (Kill or Be Killed),” which forlornly addresses […]

Jimmy Eat WorldFutures(Interscope)Coming a long three years after 2001’s terrific Bleed American, Futures is more of the same straight-up rock and slightly over-earnest ballads that comprised the last record (re-titled Jimmy Eat World in the US in the touchy days after 9/11). It goes down catchy and easy (save a few political statements), which is […]

Tegan and SaraThe Con(Superclose)Under the hand of Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, the Quin sisters have produced their most mature and affecting effort yet. Where before their atonal singing, questionable playing and teenage success was easier to dismiss as novel—yes, they are twins and lesbians—now, their hook prowess and deceptively simple songwriting are undeniable. […]