Reviews

Coldplay is a band that manages to draw the ire of its critics no matter what direction it heads in. Chris Martin and company have always been saddled by the idea that Coldplay is merely following in the footsteps of U2, and while Mylo Xyloto won’t do much to dissuade that notion, it is a wholly […]

Sweden’s Alex Willner has returned to form on his third full-length for Kompakt Records. Fans let down by his last record’s penchant for choosing texture over composition will be pleased to find out that Looping State of Mind is a perfect synthesis of his knack for immaculate microhouse hooks and his growing interest in live […]

Brian Fallon is one of our best lyricists, but his voice has only recently caught up. Years of straining and growling working-class rock anthems with The Gaslight Anthem has sanded the edges off the bottom end, and in The Horrible Crowes, you can nearly call it lovely. Though TGA comprises half of this band—co-fronted by […]

This is the British band’s third full-length record, and aside from a heavier pop-influence, it doesn’t stray too far from what they’ve been doing since 2006. Tasteful guitar licks, catchy acoustic patterns and crisp, snappy vocals are a staple in The Kooks’ delivery. Incredibly tight and unified bass and drum work keep every song interesting […]

Hind Legs’ debut, Pleasure Cave, is not at all like that cave in The Descent, but it is also a little spooky and a lady yells in it. Halloway Jones belts out the grungy tunes like nobody’s business over a thick layer of fuzz. Hind Legs turns out lyrically funny songs (about surfing, unicorns, dolphins […]

Heavier guitars, a taut rhythm section and elevated song writing make Andrew Hunter and The Gatherers’ LP Warhorses a few tones above the Halifax band’s previous EP. No frills, no shticks and best of all, no over-production. Warhorses showcases musical maturity and a polished dynamic that has helped make this band a local success. While […]

Expecting KC Spidle’s new band to sound like Dog Day is like expecting Dog Day to still sound the same without him. Neither does. Nor is BV much like Husband & Knife, KC’s lo-fi quieter side. Bad Vibrations is a different beast altogether. While there are some elements of each of his other projects, the […]

Oh Hawksley Workman. You’re so bloody brilliant and frustrating. I can’t help but admire your irreverent muse. In 2001 you came out with Almost a Full Moon, a delightful set of original seasonal tunes, including the classic “First Snow of The Year,” which I just listened to the other day (because it was). Now you’ve […]

In hip-hop at large, few beatsmiths dare to release albums predicated largely on instrumental work. Once, LPs driven by rapper-free beats like Pete Rock’s Petestrumentals served as documents reminding hip-hop heads the culture was born on DJ tables; today, producers let their voices be heard through their rapper Rolodexes instead of beat machines. At its […]

For a second time, New Jersey’s Real Estate has delivered a faultless set of dreamy, guitar pop gems. Everything on this sophomore effort sounds tighter, crisper and clearer, without losing any of the easygoing charm of the 2009 debut. The most immediate draw is, once again, the impeccable guitar playing; the dual work of Matthew […]

Some movies are unapologetically desperate cries for Oscar consideration (hello, J. Edgar), and Take Care sounds like Drake’s attempt at the sonic equivalent. It’s more focused than 2010’s Thank Me Later, and goes harder without losing the smoky instrumentalism that defines his best work. Take Care’s title track, paired with the raw “Marvin’s Room,” captures […]

Sarah Slean has made her timeless masterpiece. Exploring the ocean’s depths and vastness of landscape, this double disc—Land produced by Joel Plaskett, Sea produced by Slean and Jonathan Goldsmith— 
showcases a sophisticated songstress at the height of her classical-pop poetic powers. Slean’s sorted through the muck of being human and settled the score with herself. […]