Album Reviews

Solange Knowles

Sol-Angel and The Hadley Street Dreams

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:33:40

Clearly, 1960s-style production is in these days. With Amy Winehouse, Duffy, and Gnarls Barkley all making use of the kind of sound that rushes right ...more

The Academy Is...

Fast Times at Barrington High

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:21:56

If you ever want to take a trip back to high school, The Academy Is…'s latest album Fast Times at Barrington High is a sonic Delorian ready to hit 88 ...more

Inara George

An Invitation

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:47:21

For Inara George's second solo effort, An Invitation, you'll be hard pressed not to find a review that doesn't mention two things: Bjork's Selmasongs ...more

Daz Dillinger

Only On the Left Side

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:33:02

In 2008, Daz Dillinger epitomizes West Coast hip-hop. The Long Beach, California rapper was a part of the famed, mid-90s Death Row Records dynasty, ...more

Jerry Douglas

Glide

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:41:46

Jerry Douglas has always been a consistent figure in country and bluegrass music. Not only has he played on a zillion records, but he's also ...more

The Verve

Forth

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:51:09

The Verve can't deny their Brit pop sensibilities and scope. Before the colossal success of their lone mega-hit, the ubiquitous anthem "Bittersweet ...more

Slipknot

All Hope Is Gone

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:14:02

"America, what if God doesn't care?!" bellows Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor on "Gematria (The Killing Name)," the second track from All Hope Is Gone. ...more

Shadows Fall

Forevermore

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:42:25

Shadows Fall are nothing if not culpable to their fans. That's probably why the Western Massachusetts metal band constantly feeds its fanbase with ...more

Zach Hill

Astrological Straits

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:47:38

There's really no mistaking Zach Hill. If you've seen the drummer extraordinaire in concert or heard him on CD, your thought process probably ...more

The Arabian Prince

Innovative Life Anthology

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:12:29

There is no Hip Hop Genome Project. No scientists in lab coats examining the contents of mix tapes; no geneticists pouring beats from beaker to ...more

The Faint

Fasciinatiion

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:50:52

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then The Faint's new album, Fasciinatiion shows the band as sycophantic self-lovers. Ten years after ...more

Skillz

The Million Dollar Backpack

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:37:29

Though the Detroit native known as Skillz hasn't quite hit the jackpot since his ill-fated debut From Where??? had the misfortune of coming out the ...more

Nappy Roots

The Humdinger

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:22:39

Nappy Roots hearken back to a time in southern rap when lyricism was king, ruling over plodding beats and guttural, unintelligible yelling. After a ...more

Keanthony

A Hustlaz Story

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:11:19

You'd never guess from the butter-smooth, adult contemporary R&B present on KeAnthony's A Hustlaz Story that the soulful singer spent eight years ...more

DJ Yoda

Fabriclive 39

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:05:20

No one could ever accuse DJ Yoda of lacking playfulness in his programming and mixing. He has emerged as one of the most well-known hip-hop DJ’s on ...more

Mandi Perkins

Alice in No Man's Land

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:06:55

There's something to be said for reliability and consistency in songwriting, but the downside to so faithfully toeing the line is a repetitive ...more

Jonas Brothers

A Little Bit Longer

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:33:26

A Little Bit Longer might be the term to apply to the duration of the career of the wildly popular Jonas Brothers. The curly-mopped, New Jersey trio, ...more

Shwayze

Shwayze

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:22:10

Malibu meets the Sunset Strip on Shwayze's self-titled debut. Shwayze is quite possibly the most chill artist to emerge from either. Touting a smooth ...more

Life Beyond Mars: Bowie Covered

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:08:10

At first glance, you'd expect an album full of cover versions of David Bowie to flop unsuccessfully—unable to capture the idiosyncracies of one of ...more

Amy MacDonald

This Is the Life

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:57:27

It's boom time for solo female performers, particularly those out of the UK, and Amy MacDonald's entering the field at an increasingly crowded time. ...more