Album Reviews

Esperanza Spalding: Radio Music Society

The format of musical structure that represented Esperanza Spalding’s 2010 release Chamber Music Society is one that is centuries old.  It’s a presentation of music that had birthed itself in classical realms within a very intimate environment.  Originally Spalding was looking to release that record as a double effort alongside a possibly more familiar sounding arrangement, made available for an additional audience, but success has left time as a premium and that project would wait to unveil itself, until now in the form of Radio Music Society.

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Lee Ranaldo: Between The Times and Tides

Playing with a dynamic group of musicians that includes Nels Cline, John Medeski, Alan Licht and SY drummer Steve Shelley (as well as others) has Lee Ranaldo focusing on song oriented offerings that are tight yet far from restrictive. 

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Of Monsters and Men: My Head Is An Animal

Maybe it's the isolation of being Icelandic that gives Of Monsters and Men their charm. Maybe it's their rose-tinted sincerity or their ability to make dramatic yet inviting folk rock. Perhaps it is merely a combination of all of these that make Of Monsters and Men seem so universally appealing.

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Civil Twilight: Holy Weather

What differentiates Civil Twilight’s latest record Holy Weather from their debut record is a lesser fascination inside the storied characterization the lyrics set themselves within.  You could picture what was occurring in the minds of the musicians through what was presented, and it was exciting.

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Bruce Springsteen: Wrecking Ball

Long celebrated for his ability to capture the mood of a specific American moment (New Jersey 1975, USA 1985, New York post 9/11,) Bruce Springsteen had his work cut out for him with his new album, Wrecking Ball. For such an earnest songwriter to strike a resonant tone in perhaps the greatest social, economic, and cultural upheaval in American history is no easy task

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Miike Snow: Happy to You

Part of the thing that makes the Swedish indie pop trio Miike Snow so intriguing is their unflinching love of variety. Not content to simply make great dance cuts like “Sylvia” and “Black and Blue” as they did on their first release, they dip into the surreal with equal aplomb and dabble in a host of sounds and genres. This is the sort of creativity that helps define bands’ greatness and the desire to try new things is what makes their music noteworthy.

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KNESSET: Coming of Age

Coming of Age is an amazingly crafted debut from a young band we’ll hopefully hear more from as time progresses.  It will be interesting to see how their songwriting and thematic elements develop as they age and matriculate among the rock and roll lifestyle.  They’ve captured a particular slice of life well this time around.  Here’s to hoping they keep it up and reward us with a long career.

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Jerry Joseph & The Jackmorons: Happy Book

Beauty pervades even the saddest situations, and Happy Book gives the impression that the perpetually ornery Jerry Joseph is coming to grips with that and maybe loosening up a bit.

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The Magnetic Fields: Love at the Bottom of the Sea

Always facing the specter of a comparison to 69 Love Songs, Merritt and company have produced an album that maintains their classic factors of fun, wit and innovation while coupling it all with a palpable sense of maturity that will make longtime listeners nostalgic for their older work while enjoying the progression that this album represents.

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