Category: Album Reviews

Despite his best efforts during the last three years to abandon the perpetually-angsty Bright Eyes moniker, Conor Oberst continues to carry the burden of the project’s name. Regardless of the delivery or substance of the music being released, Oberst continues to be best associated with the alcohol-induced frenzy of the nine albums he has previously…

In the hip-hop world, the trend is that if Eminem vouches for you, you’re up next. See 50 Cent or the success D-12 had in the early 2000s. And now newcomer Yelawolf, who already has a massive independent following, is starting to blow up.  At the same time, hip-hop group Slaughterhouse have dropped a new…

I haven’t stopped listening to “Don’t Peel Your Bloomers Off Just Yet” by Wesley Allen Hartley and the Traveling Trees since I got it half a year ago. It’s a gorgeous and devastating album written by a transplanted Texan with one of the most beautiful voices you’ll hear in Maine. The Traveling  Trees, in addition,…

“Gutter Rainbows,” the newest release by Brooklyn-based MC Talib Kweli, once again has the artist catering to his already established and dedicated fan base. With an album consisting of familiar subject matter and Kweli’s constant social awareness, “Gutter Rainbows” continues to utilize the same formula that the artist has relied upon during his entire sixteen-year…

“Tower” is a collection of unreleased recordings from local drone-improv giants Planets Around the Sun. The opener and title track begins as a mid-paced, mind-bent psychedelic processional and then dismantles itself into a cloud of swirling, ghostly voices and guitar fuzz before slowly receding into silence. The whole track is soaked in a dense haze,…

Minneapolis based indie-rock outfit Tapes ‘n Tapes have encompassed an entire career’s worth of success, as well as disappointment, into their small three-album discography. “The Loon” was an instant hit with critics when released in 2005, as the band proudly displayed their classic indie-rock influences with an album that combined the rural frenetic nature of…

For the majority of The Decemberists’ career, complicated concept albums have been the norm, ranging from a loose interpretation of a traditional Japanese folk tale á la 2006’s “The Crane Wife,” to the unnecessarily complex romantic narrative of 2009’s “The Hazards of Love.” These dense narratives added an additional level of inaccessibility, on top of…

“Nothing, This Makes Sense” is Seth Gallant’s latest release, despite being issued in early 2010. The album begins with a gorgeous piece of arranged minimalist guitar work, recalling one of the more austere mid-90s slowcore acts, Bedhead. The piece contains a gentle melody and spacing between the many guitars on the track, making them breathe…

Despite forming over a decade ago, indie rock band Spouse is anything but old hat and their new album “Confidence,” which came out earlier this spring, goes a long way to prove that. The consistent parade of different musical styles and musical talent used throughout is not normally seen in an indie-rock album of this…

The last few years in new music have been primarily preoccupied with two easily distinguishable concepts: an unhealthy obsession with summer, and its singular sonic adjective: fuzzed-out. While this auditory relationship for many acts, including Los Angeles’ own summer spinsters Best Coast, have proven successful, it unfortunately fails to recognize one of the most creatively…

“Minimal Message,” the new album by Mike Clouds, is 29 minutes of a very mellow blend of beats and tones. Unfortunately, the title speaks more than was anticipated because the majority of the album doesn’t tell much about itself or Mr. Clouds. With the first listen through the two leading songs, “A Day With Rain”…

Abstract Expressionist painter Jackson Pollock rose to international fame with his iconographic drip painting works that included countless experimental masterworks including One: Number 31, 1950 as well as No.5, 1948. After achieving international fame, Pollock struggled with the personal curse of his once experimental style becoming stale, and unable to evolve further past the pure…

The curiously upbeat and unusually boisterous album “Cover the Forest” by Honey Clouds is your cure for the mid-day blues. The album, which is bookmarked throughout with the band’s unique form of controlled chaos, bounces from song to song with excitement and strategy, like a puppy looking for a lost ball. “Fever Rabbit” kicks off…

With a unique mixture of sounds ranging from electronica dance music to a slight tecnho-metal feel, Crunk Witch “The Legends of Manicorn” is definitely a CD worth checking out. The album gives off a morbid first impression. A song titled “BXBS” is especially shocking to hear the first time through, with the first two lines…

The new self-titled album by local Portland rockers, Grand Hotel is a 40-minute showcase of rock at it’s absolute finest and most fun. The band is chock-full of musical talent and each member gets a chance to show off their chops in different sections on the album. Straight from the get-go the listener is pulled…