Trevor Savory

MatisyahuYouth(Sony)If you took Matisyahu at face value, you more than likely wouldn’t be reaching for the play button anytime soon. However those who pressed play and gave the album a chance would be quickly rewarded by its infectiously mellow Judaic-infused reggae vibe.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of the year (2006)

JDiggzMemoirs of a PlaybwoyMaxamus EntertainmentCan someone pass JDiggz a dictionary? Glance at the tracks on Memoirs of a Playbwoy and you’ll understand (“Whutchu Like” and “Bad Gyal”). But spelling is the least of his problems. The debut effort sees JDiggz trying to pull double duty as witty emcee and sensual R&B seducer, but the shift […]

OK GoOh No CapitolThere are those albums that need time to grow on you, and the ones that leave you humming their hooks well into the night. There are also those albums you love the moment you hear them and then that love quickly erodes into boredom and disinterest. Chicago’s OK Go means well with […]

Robin BlackInstant Classic (EMI)Instant Classic is the latest, so-so release from the outspoken Robin (Fucking) Black. His androgynous cock-rock evokes a love/hate response from anyone subjected to it. The flamboyant confidence of Black and his band allows them to put their own spin on the influences they so proudly wear on their sleeves. If you […]

Norah JonesFeels Like Home(EMI)Norah Jones has tried to squelch the hype as best she could with the release of Feels Like Home, but it is still running overtime. With good reason: Her sophomore release embraces fans of the multi-platinum Come Away With Me and onlookers alike as if they were old friends, treating them to […]

Pearl JamPearl Jam(J)After tearing the roof off of the Metro Center last September, Pearl Jam headed back into the studio to complete work on its self-titled eighth album. During the considerable downtime between studio releases, Pearl Jam continued to satisfy fans with a b-sides compilation, a greatest hits package and an acoustic live album (not […]

Gwen StefaniThe Sweet Escape(Interscope)One gets the distinct impression Stefani’s sophomore solo effort is more a response to releases from Fergie and Paris than an album that is close to her heart. She claims this is a far more personal album than the severely overplayed and vapid Love. Angel. Music. Baby. But the depth of The […]

Neko CaseThe Tigers Have Spoken(Mint)The pairing of Neko Case with her pals The Sadies is pure genius. While The Tigers Have Spoken only whets our appetites for a new disc from Ms. Case (tentatively scheduled for the spring of ’05), it certainly satisfies. This 12-track compilation of live tracks was culled from seven shows in […]

AlexisonfireCrisis(Vagrant)Screamo isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you can manage to get past George Petit’s screaming and sink your teeth into the instrumentation and/or Dallas “City and Colour” Green’s vocals, it’s easy to see why Alexisonfire is so beloved. Though previous release Watch Out helped to raise the band’s mainstream profile, they are not […]

Dolores O’RiordanAre You Listening?(Sanctuary)It’s like visiting an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Dolores O’Riordan, frontwoman of the Cranberries, hasn’t been heard from since the release of 2002’s Bury the Hatchet. Fans of the band will feel right at home with O’Riordan’s familiar Irish brogue, falling sonically someplace between Björk and Tori Amos. While […]