Album Reviews

Ron Levy

Within wistful melodies and beautiful textures are Cat Stevens and pre-Yellow Brick Road Elton John influenced songwriting as Adam sings of everyday life with abstract metaphors which are open to listeners interruption.

The Greencards debut album Movin

A big, hearty salad of sound is the way to describe Hysterical Stars by Head of Femur. Musicians Matt Focht (vocals, guitar, also of Bright Eyes), Ben Armstrong (vocals, keyboards, drums, ex-Commander Venus) and Mike Elsener (vocals/guitar, also of Solar Wind) form the backbone of this Nebraska based indie rock “supergroup.” But Head of Femur has brought in a large number other players on their second full length album. Where else can you hear a trumpet, gong, glockenspiel and violin all wrapped up in a pop album?

Hot Karl is a bonafide MC, with a delivery that’s fluid and old school.

Flaming Lips completists will pick it up for the rare track

The Thieves probably want you to believe that they are the last great rock band standing. Like The Darkness who have rekindled the lore of Queen and Thin Lizzy, The Thieves strive on proving that rock and roll is meant to be good clean fun. With lines like “gimme some lip boy and I

Fountains of Wayne seems to constantly improve on their formula for structured radio music.

Van Morrison will turn 60 next month but still he remains one of the most celebrated artists to come out of the British invasion of the swinging sixties.

Like Iggy Pop before him, Frank Black went from being the leader of a highly influential rock band, to landing a successful solo career. As a result, the Pixies front-man has been in a position to call his own shots in more ways than one. This liberty came to light before last year

This collection of songs of bitterness and self-destruction are sure to be popular with those who can relate to reveling in your own low self-esteem.

The latest John Hiatt offering was produced by Jim Dickinson and features his two sons, Cody and Luther (from the North Mississippi Allstars) on guitar and drums. With impassionate lyrics, the singer/songwriter paints confessional narratives with a sundry assortment of styles.

Guitar upstart DJ Williams looks like he ought to be serving you fries, not the kind of heavy jazz-tinged funk and soul on his debut, Projekt Management. The surprisingly mature young bandleader relies heavily on his Projekt of Richmond funk all-stars for the record

As a child, Mike Gordon and his family took a trip to the Bahamas. It was there, sitting by the pool, that he first heard the smooth, calypso rhythms of the Mustangs. Years later he would bring “Ya Mar” to the Phish table, but those island sounds would stay with him for much longer.

Honky-tonk bars and love-sick cowboys aren’t exactly common on Long Island. And they certainly don’t make it into the New York punk scene. But somehow Earl Pickens managed to transition his Anti-Folk, East Village holler to more subdued, Lone Star drawl and do just that.

With all their talent, Bering Strait is bound to attract the kind of following of an influence like Nickel Creek.

You can judge this book by its cover. This is cute and fierce grrrl power-pop that had a little punk rock as part of their complete breakfast

The Cowboy Junkies rarely record other songwriter’s material. However, when they do they are usually diamonds in the rough that only the hardcore fans of a particular artist have heard.

Dwight Yoakam was too Country for Country when he debuted in 1986 and 2005 is no exception. In the era of candy coated Country, Dwight again finds himself the outsider. However, if the past is any indication of Yoakam

Despite the gloomy messages, the album