After their flashy, dance-friendly album “It's Blitz!,” the New York trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs claim they're returning to basics on their fourth studio production, supposedly reminiscent of “Show Your Bones” (2006). I say “supposedly” because while “Show Your Bones” was a great milestone for the ever-evolving band, “Mosquito” feels painfully inadequate and unable to follow the energy of their...
The Man on the Moon returns with “Indicud,” the third album that plays a hefty interlude to Kid Cudi’s astronomical series. When describing his latest album, Scott Mescudi (“Kid Cudi”) identified Dr. Dre’s “2001” as his inspiration and said this was the opportunity to add “more energy into signature sound.”
As soon as the album begins, there is little...
4 out of 5 stars
After Paramore’s fast rise to stardom thanks to Hayley Williams’ electric voice, a swarm of criticism and lackluster music seemingly tore the band apart. Coinciding with the release of their third album, “Brand New Eyes,” Paramore lost its cohesiveness when the Farro brothers departed from the band. But out of celebrity scandal and band breakup...
I have been waiting for “Ride Your Heart” for a few eons now, and after being teased with two seven-inch records, Bleached has finally released their first full length album––and it didn’t disappoint. The Clavin sisters, Jennifer and Jessie, have taken off their skuzzy punk coat on this release and replaced it with pleasant pop hooks and beachy instrumentation....
Youth Lagoon’s sophomore album “Wondrous Bughouse” is nothing short of a magnum opus. It has something for everyone: the bubblegum pop kids, the experimental cats and the beat groovers. The album’s lush quality is likely to be bottlenecked into the dream pop genre, but one should not ignore frontman Trevor Powers’ ability to explore the avant-garde side of music....
In the years since Britain’s indie-pop queen Kate Nash’s international debut in 2007 with her breakout album “Made of Bricks,” the singer has become known for her signature plucky style. After a three-year period of dabbling in charity, films and feminist advocacy, Nash returns to the music scene with her third album “Girl Talk.” The bold and quirky songs...
During the rise of chillwave, circa 2009 and 2010, many bands that were high on the wistful atmosphere of the genre started up a burgeoning dream-pop scene that has survived to present day. Of these rooftop-bumping bedroom bands, Beach Fossils has garnered widespread blog appeal with their hazy guitars and low fidelity vocals. After three years, the relatively adolescent...
Occasionally we come across people who were born in the wrong era. In Matt Costa’s case, he was off by a few decades. His past works already emit a very psychedelic aura that is just asking to be played on vinyl from the 70s. His self-titled fourth album still exudes a vintage vibe, but with a tone that is...
Full of ambient experimentation, hard jams and slightly removed vocals, the band Foals has created one of the most engaging albums of 2013. “Holy Fire,” the band’s third release, captures all sides of the band—from the dancy, upbeat “My Number” to the desperate, confessional “Providence.”
The album begins with “Prelude,” an almost experimental, instrumental opener with hazy, nearly indecipherable vocals;...
Harry Connick, Jr. transports listeners to the Mardi Gras parade with his latest album “Smokey Mary.” Its release is timed perfectly to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his Krewe of Orpheus. This group is one of the largest super krewes that organize momentous parades. Connick reprises a unique jazzy style in the fashion of his previous album “She” to...