Brendan Benson: You Were Right
Brendan Benson You Were Right (Readymade Records) In some circles, Brendan Benson is perhaps best known for being a member of Jack White’s other other band, The Raconteurs. However, as a solo artist, Benson More...
James Vincent McMorrow: Post Tropical
James Vincent McMorrow Post Tropical (Vagrant Records) When James Vincent McMorrow’s stunning debut, Early in the Morning, was released, comparisons to successful folk acts like Bon Iver abounded. McMorrow More...
William Shatner: Ponder the Mystery
William Shatner Ponder the Mystery (Cleopatra Records) What do Mick Jones of Foreigner, Steve Vai, Vince Gill, Robbie Krieger of Yes, and Zoot Horn Rollo have in common? As you’ve guessed since you decided More...
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Various Artists (Universal Republic Records) Soundtracks are a strange science. Films like The Hunger Games: Catching Fire stick to instrumental More...
Robert Pollard: Blazing Gentlemen
Robert Pollard Blazing Gentlemen (GBV Inc.) Ladies and gentlemen, let us give our thanks for the likes of Robert Pollard. Without him, hundreds of delightfully weird songs would not be released every year in America. More...
Shearwater: Fellow Travelers
Shearwater Fellow Travelers (Sub Pop Records) You’d be forgiven for not realizing that Shearwater’s Fellow Travelers is an album of covers. Frontman Jonathan Meiburg has a voice so loaded with emotion that More...
Eliza Doolittle: In Your Hands
Eliza Doolittle In Your Hands (Parlophone Records) When Eliza Doolittle came on the scene, comparisons to Lily Allen were inevitable with her infectious pop sound and sweet delivery. On her sophomore record, More...
Mason Jennings: Always Been
Mason Jennings Always Been (Stats and Brackets) Mason Jennings has a rare, but important gift as a songwriter: brilliant simplicity. None of the songs on Always Been are complicated, but they are perfect, More...
Lissie: Back to Forever
Lissie Back to Forever (Sony Music Entertainment UK) “If you don’t know what my name is, so what?,” Lissie asks on the sensational track, “Shameless.” This sort of attitude is why I think Lissie is More...
Blitzen Trapper: VII
Blitzen Trapper VII (Vagrant Records) Blitzen Trapper is country for people who think that they don’t really like country. While their music contains many elements particular to that genre—harmonica and More...
