Spins
Keren Ann reviewed
Keren Ann Keren Ann (Blue Note) By her fifth album, Parisian by-way-of Israel (and Javanese/Dutch/Russian descent) Keren Ann Zeidel should arrive fully formed. Instead we get an all-English self-titled album (the preferred avenue for self-declaration) that jumps her conventions. Appearing: June 8th at Lakeshore Theater in Chicago.
David Bowie reissued (yet again)
David Bowie Young Americans/Sight & Sound (Virgin) Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra might lead the field in amount of product on the market, but when it comes to reissuing the back catalog no one tops David Bowie. The near-chronic repackaging of older albums reaches comical proportions with another round of 1975’s Young Americans to go […]
Adrienne Young reviewed
Adrienne Young Room To Grow (Addie Belle) Socialist acoustic punk bands, ever lacking in foresight, completely missed out on a definitive genre tag. Instead comes eco-friendly Adrienne Young who, by packaging seeds with albums and donating proceeds to soil-nourishing causes, deserves the title of the first agri rocker.
Astrid Swan reviewed
Astrid Swan Poverina (Minty Fresh) By puppeteering her voice in such a way, Astrid Swan is sure to draw deadringer comparisons to Kate Bush and Tori Amos. But when she’s on her game the Finn portrays perhaps a more stable, but equally delectable artist.
Bang Gang reviewed
Bang Gang Something Wrong (Ryko/From Nowhere) Finally released in America, this Icelandic “band” sits on the coastline and tries to pick up distant European and New World pop stations.
Joe reviewed
Joe Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me (Jive) Chart-topping loverman’s sixth album is a slow jam from start to finish.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony reviewed
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Strength And Loyalty (Interscope) Five years and some member subtractions later, the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony comeback goes easy on its title theme.
Paul Rodgers reviewed
Paul Rodgers Live In Glasgow (Eagle) Riding the wave Queen unexpectedly put him on when they tapped him for their reunion tour, Paul Rodgers takes advantage with Live In Glasgow.
Of God And Science reviewed
Of God And Science Of God And Science (Detach) The cover art of this debut album depicts a duel (the winner of which is revealed inside), but any struggle the band are experiencing gets swept up in lollygagging acoustic love songs.
Cortney Tidwell reviewed
Cortney Tidwell Don’t Let The Stars Keep Us Tangled Up (Ever) Growing up in the heart of country music territory had such an effect on Cortney Tidwell she has ignored it completely on her debut album.
James Apollo reviewed
James Apollo Hide Your Heart In A Hive (No Alternative) Hide Your Heart In A Hive sounds recorded not “on the road,” as the liners state, but in a single sitting, almost as if James Apollo never got up from behind his piano. And if he did it probably wasn’t for more than to dig […]
The Dreadful Yawns reviewed
The Dreadful Yawns Rest (Exit Stencil) It’s (pick one: stupid, lazy, comically shortsighted) to attach a young band to a 40-year-old song, but The Dreadful Yawns are everything right about The Byrds’ “Ballad Of Easy Rider.”
The Greencards reviewed
The Greencards Viridian (Dualtone) Tip-toeing around a traditional genre, The Greencards keep subtlely updating bluegrass with Viridian, their third album. Appearing: May 5th at Schubas in Chicago.
Timbaland Reviewed
Timbaland Timbaland Presents: Shock Value (Interscope) First Handsome Boy Modeling School, then Pharrell, now Timbaland? What’s happening to the country’s top producers?
Carla Thomas Reviewed
Carla Thomas The Queen Alone (Stax) The latest in Stax Records’ revival re-introduces a somewhat forgotten ’60s star, Ms. Carla Thomas, a.k.a. the queen to Otis Redding’s king.
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