Indigo GirlsAll That We Let In (Sony)After returning to prominence with 2002’s Become You, the great duo of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray release another great close-to-the-roots folk-rock disc. Where most duos rely on one genius songwriter (Simon and Garfunkel), the Indigo Girls come from different musical ideologies that have made them a leading force […]
Trevor MacLaren
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Various
VariousStart Your Own Country(Loose Music)Loose Music’s compilation has a great cross-section of Americana. The artists here put the label in the same league as Yep Roc and Eleven Thirty. Some of the highlights include San Francisco’s Two Gallants, sounding a lot like Bright Eyes, as well as Steve Ketchen and The Kingston Hillbillies covering The […]
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Brendan Benson
Published December 08, 2005. Brendan Benson The Alternative to Love (V2) Packed end-to-end with driving power pop of all shapes and sizes, not to mention one of the year’s best singles “Spit it Out,” Benson mixes Big Star, The Move and Cheap Trick with an ounce of Westerberg. This is essential listening for the future […]
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AIDS Wolf
AIDS WolfThe Lovvers LP (Lovepump United)Atonal noise bands that have risen in the 20 years since Sonic Youth’s masterpiece breakthrough Sister have all been suspect at best. Sure, some like Royal Trux and Blonde Redhead are great, but most are lost in a wash of dissonance. Unlike the artists and composers who evolved from the […]
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Peaches
Published September 25, 2003. Peaches Fatherfucker (Kitty-Yo/XL) If someone were to take the punk grind of industrial pioneers Suicide and throw in some guitars and techno beats, they would have Peaches. Pushing the sexual politics laid out by Wayne/Jayne County in the ’70s/’80s NYC punk scene, Peaches twists androgyny into a vulgar camp ideal. Fatherfucker […]
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Punishment Park
Punishment Park Directed by: Peter Watkins (New Yorker Video)Punishment Park is a chilling and haunting pseudo-documentary about how the American government decides to deal with “traitors” and “dissidents.” An opening voiceover explains how Nixon uses the 1950 McCarran Internal Security Act—the right to collapse the traditional justice system and detain anyone who is “a risk […]
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Wilco
WilcoSky Blue Sky(Nonesuch)After the alt-rock masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco’s A Ghost is Born was even darker and delved deeper into avant-garde composition. Each album featured some of Jeff Tweedy’s finest work, but both alienated many of the early Wilco fans who loved the band’s Americana style. Sky Blue Sky walks away from those experimental […]
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Heavy meadows
Heavy meadowsheavy meadows(Dependent)On their second full-length disc, heavy meadows prove again they are one of the city’s best-kept secrets, filled with Seth Timothy’s lush arrangements of subtle textured folk that would make Nick Drake and Tim Buckley proud. Here their sound relies more on Timothy’s guitar and vocals of Virgil Muir, but the songs have […]
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Priya Thomas
Published October 16, 2003. Priya Thomas Songs for Car Commercials (Boiling Point) Songs for Car Commercials is an interesting collection of well-orchestrated pop that stretches out into some new and interesting realms. Thomas has the amazing ability to sample Nick Drake, Indian folk and Bruce Springsteen all on one record, plus the intellect to make […]
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The Ghost is Dancing
The Ghost is DancingThe Ghost is Dancing(Sonic Unyon)The Ghost is Dancing is one of the weakest orchestral rock and chamber pop bands to arise in the last 10 years. The music is fluid and players tight, but songs are underdeveloped and lack the soul of experienced songwriters. As well, they are treading into the territory […]
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The Sadies
The SadiesNew SeasonsYep Roc/OutsideThe Canadian kings of surf country add more psychedelic vibes to their 13th Elevators meets Buck Owens sound. Drops of old-school country mixed with trippy jams make old Grateful Dead records obsolete. New Seasons is not only one of The Sadies’ best it is quintessential listening for the future of alt-country.Trevor McLarencategories: […]
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The Bad Plus
The Bad PlusSuspicious Activity? (Sony)The Bad Plus is one of the finest bands of the new school of free jazz. Adding a rock and pop fusion while covering Black Sabbath, Blondie, Nirvana and Aphex Twin has made them one of the most loved and eclectic jazz trios. With disc number three The Bad Plus switch […]
