The discrete opening notes from lead-off single ‘Desperation Breeds’ recalls the sombre atmosphere of Bird’s earlier works, like ‘Scythian Empires’, but whereas Armchair Apocrypha featured sweeping strings, Break It Yourself feels more restrained.
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Rating: 2 / 5 Reviewer: Andrew Mitchell |
Releasing A Sleep & A Forgetting, the latest opus from Montreal indie rock band, Islands on Valentine’s Day feels more calculated than ironic. » Read More
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 Reviewer: Greg Hutton |
Cloud Nothing’s second full-length effort, Attack On Memory, is impressive both in its affectation and its bite, improving on 2011′s self-titled debut across the board. Memory is the portrait of a band evolving and prospering in an age that is less than amenable to second albums » Read More
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Rating: 3 / 5 Reviewer: Michelle Kennedy |
When you listen to La Grande, Laura Gibson’s third full length album, there is little surprise. Even if you haven’t heard of her, you will know two things upon first listen: a) she is from Portland and b) La Grande has come out on Barsuk Records » Read More
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Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov |
Hospitality’s debut album is a collection of unsettlingly confident pop gems that squeak and squeal with cuteness. But cuteness, if you ask a band like She & Him for example, can only get you so far. » Read More
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Michelle Kennedy |
The debut of a biweekly blog from Music-Critic contributor Michelle Kennedy… » Read More
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Rating: 4 / 5 Reviewer: Andrew Mitchell |
Poignant, hook driven, psychedelic rock tunes have defined a Dr. Dog album over the past decade. While 2008’s Fate felt heavily steeped in late 60’s retro rock nostalgia, 2010’s slickly produced Shame, Shame marked somewhat of a turning point. » Read More
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Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: Kevin Hartford |
Old Ideas is aptly named. It has all the elements you’d expect from a Leonard Cohen record: lyrics about sex and mortality and religion, cooing female backup vocalists, sparse, piano-heavy instrumentation, and Cohen’s trademark chainsmoker grumble speak-singing from beginning to end. » Read More
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Rating: 4 / 5 Reviewer: Cam Hoff |
As the frontman of The Hold Steady, Craig Finn is the cilantro of the indie music scene – people seem to either love his brand of talky/shouty vocals or just don’t care for it at all. » Read More
