Album Reviews Archives - Page 569 of 715

Iron Maiden: The Final Frontier

Bob Lange August 18, 2010 No Comments

After waning over the last couple of albums during Bruce Dickinson’s first stint, two ill-conceived releases with Blaze Bayley and a lackluster return for Dickinson on Brave New World, Iron Maiden stormed back to life with their last two albums and an outstanding tour documentary. Perhaps no other band in their third decade could raise such high hopes for a release, particularly after a four year layoff from the studio.

Gov’t Mule: Mulennium

Doug Collette August 18, 2010 No Comments

Mulennium is the first archival project ever released by Gov’t Mule, accurately timed for debut in the general time-frame of the loss of bassist Allen Woody a decade ago. Recorded at the cusp of the millennium on New Year’s Eve 1999-2000, this triple-disc package sounds (splendid) and looks like a blueprint for the band’s music throughout what is now a redoubtable sixteen year stint on the road and in the recording studio.

Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs: God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise

Patrick Flanary August 16, 2010 No Comments

While "Trouble" celebrated being saved by a woman, Ray LaMontagne's God Willin' kicks that no good lyin' lady to the curb. But it doesn't take long for this pariah dog to beg her back, let her go again, then finally stroll on toward the sunset, head held high.

The Black Crowes: Croweology

Jason Rooks August 13, 2010 No Comments

With their long hair, beards and edgy blues sound, The Black Crowes have epitomized what a rock-n-roll band sounds and looks like. With a pending indefinite hiatus looming, the band recently decided to record a double album’s worth of acoustic rearrangements from their catalog. Croweology is an exquisite slice of Americana complete with acoustic bottleneck slide, mandolin, and fiddles all done Crowe-style that never loses its swagger.

Big Head Todd and The Monsters: Rocksteady

Doug Collette August 13, 2010 No Comments

The challenge for a band with the longevity of Big Head Todd and The Monsters is how to subtly reinvent themselves without undermining the style they’ve cultivated during the course of their career. The Colorado group has struggled in that regard (see 2004’s Crimes of Passion), but Rocksteady is fresh in ways even the band might not expect.

Faithless: The Dance

Gabriel Scheer August 11, 2010 No Comments

In a stroke of awesome with The Dance, Faithless has managed to continue that dance trend, and their careful balancing act. The opening song, “Not Going Home,” proves once again that they have the chops to own a dance floor, with what is sure to soon be (or already be) a memorable, bring-down-the-roof riff.

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse: Dark Night of the Soul

Shane Handler August 11, 2010 No Comments

With all that Danger Mouse has tackled of late, he’s giving T-Bone Burnett a run for his co-production, co-mastermind skills. And unlike prior recent collaborations like Gnarls Barkley and Broken Bells, Dark Night of the Soul features Danger Mouse at his most haunting. Perhaps it’s an ironic show of foreboding that DM’s collaborator on this project – Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse committed suicide last March.

Los Lobos: Tin Can Trust

Doug Collette August 4, 2010 No Comments

Without any overtly topical songs within these eleven tracks, Los Lobos manage to capture the precarious tenor of our times and their cover of the Grateful Dead’s “West LA Fadeway” is particularly resonant in that regard. Like the iconic San Francisco institution, his band from East LA offers respite that’s as self-renewing as their own creativity and the music that arises from it.

Tea Leaf Green: Looking West

Bryan Rodgers August 2, 2010 No Comments

Music critics and fans alike have long droned on about the inability of musical road warriors – concert-focused bands like Tea Leaf Green – to produce a decent studio listen. While that onus doesn't apply to every album in the cosmos, it definitely applies to Tea Leaf Green's Looking West.

Mountain Man: Made The Harbor

Jason Lent July 30, 2010 No Comments

Following in the grand tradition of misleading monikers (Thompson Twins, 10,000 Maniacs), Molly Erin Sarle, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, and Amelia Randall Meath are the trio of voices that form Mountain Man. And more than anything else, it is their voices that elevate Made The Harbor above the babbling brook of Appalachian folk music flowing through indie music these days. Pairing their exquisite harmonies with almost nothing else, Mountain Man creates an album that can be appreciated as much for what it achieves as for what it leaves out.

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