Young Dreams: Between Places
Young Dreams Between Places (Modular Recordings) Norwegian “symphonic pop” indie band Young Dreams are probably as retro as it gets; they cite Mozart and other classical composers as influences for More...
Daft Punk: Random Access Memories
Daft Punk Random Access Memories (Columbia) I was super psyched to get an advance copy of Daft Punk’s anticipated Random Access Memories, having streamed it incessantly at work for over a week. While hardcore More...
Spacehog: As It Is On Earth
Spacehog As It Is On Earth (Hogspace) Anyone who was at least a teenager in 1995 probably remembers the catchy chorus of Spacehog’s big hit, “In The Meantime.” Or maybe you remember that spacey More...
Bleached: Ride Your Heart
Bleached Ride Your Heart (Dead Oceans) Self-described “rock ‘n’ roll post-punk” duo Bleached hails from LA, yet there’s something a little gritty about their sound, which to me is More...
Depeche Mode: Delta Machine
Depeche Mode Delta Machine (Columbia) Naturally, the most telling test for any new Depeche Mode album is to hold it up to the classics, as Violator will always stand alone as a hallmark of their achievements. More...
Ducktails: The Flower Lane
Ducktails The Flower Lane (Domino Recording Co.) Something about this album strikes me as a collaborative effort, maybe because it appears to have such a wide array of influences. It seems to be every music critic’s More...
B.B. King: Life Of Riley Soundtrack
B.B. King Life Of Riley Soundtrack (Universal) This album is a must-have for blues enthusiasts, especially in the context of the film. Even the shortest song, “Nobody Loves Me But My Mother,” is an More...
The Menahan Street Band: The Crossing
The Menahan Street Band The Crossing (Daptone Records) You might have heard The Menahan Street Band in some unexpected places and wondered, “Who is this?” Sampled by many hip-hop artists including More...
Electric Six: Absolute Pleasure
Electric Six Absolute Pleasure (Metropolis Records) It’s always a challenge for a band to release a number of successful albums and then do them justice onstage. It’s another achievement altogether More...
Victor Wooten: Sword and Stone
Victor Wooten Sword and Stone (Vix Records) While not necessarily a household name, there’s no denying the impact that Victor Wooten has had on the contemporary jazz world, for fellow bassists and listeners More...
