// Category Archive for: Music Reviews

PJ Harvey, Let England Shake

By J Howell

If there’s one thing that can be said about Polly Harvey, it’s that she is full of surprises.

While a detailed discussion of the breadth of Harvey’s compelling body of work is beyond the scope of this review, it’s fair to say that while her music has always been inhabited by an often harrowing multitude of characters, the protagonists are generally embattled on an intensely intimate level. Just as often those same characters could arguably be described as victims.
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Over the Rhine, The Long Surrender

By Magda Underdown-DuBois

I was introduced to Over the Rhine when they opened for Ani DiFranco a few years ago. The girlfriend who bought us the tickets explained to me that the married duo of Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler had begun making music in the arena of Contemporary Christian, but had then broadened their reach to incorporate the deeply personal mundane that dominates the singer-songwriter genre these days. When I picked up The Long Surrender, I expected something similar to what I heard onstage so long ago. Their press release and the Notes within (a preface to the duo’s musical story written by their producer Joe Henry) argued against these preconceptions.
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Anna Waronker, California Fade

By Less Lee Moore

Singer/songwriter Anna Waronker has surrounded herself with talented musician friends for her second full-length album, but no voice rings as clear as Anna’s own. Her lovely alto is the shining star in this collection of tunes on which she also plays piano, guitar, synths, and more. Waronker has a real gift for harmonies and melodies; these skills become particularly gratifying in the way she crafts the endings of her songs, as they transcend the typical fade out or repeated chorus, and transform the entire song into something better than the sum of its parts. Additionally, Waronker’s vocal and string arrangements are beautifully crafted.
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Foetus, Hide

By Less Lee Moore

“Don’t ask me any questions you don’t want the answer to.”
—From “You’re Trying To Break Me”

At the risk of beginning a Foetus review with reference to another, I will do just that. If Sparks, the uncategorizable band composed (mostly) of brothers Ron and Russell Mael, can be said to make music that is practically theatrical, then Foetus, also known as JG Thirlwell, makes music that is downright cinematical.

And you know those annoying people who claim to despise movies that make them think? Those people will never appreciate JG Thirlwell. Sometimes it feels exhausting trying to figure out all his references and nods and motifs, especially when he keeps his true self so close to the chest. But for those of us who love listening to his music over and over—digging and pondering, delving deeper and deeper into it—the payoff is outstanding.
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Duran Duran, All You Need Is Now

By Jemiah Jefferson

In 2011, what does “relevance” mean? A term heavily bandied about by the music press, especially in the UK, a band’s relevance is of paramount importance, ranking ahead of sexiness, competency, or pure enjoyment. Perhaps for these reasons, Duran Duran hasn’t been necessarily “relevant” since their second album Rio set a new bar for all musical artists everywhere.
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Girl Talk, All Day

By Janet Brusselbach

It feels really good to be listening to free music that’s not only intended to be free, but that’s also really good.
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The Lexingtons, Isn’t It Nice To Be Loved?/Choose Choice

By John Lane

Something audacious is happening in the otherwise-inconspicuous state of Rhode Island. The Lexingtons, helmed by their chief Eric Warncke, have taken the plunge that very few bands dare to anymore: the release of a double album, titled (with its yin-yang polarity in check) Isn’t It Nice To Be Loved?/Choose Choice.
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The Corin Tucker Band, 1,000 Years

By Laura L.

If there’s one word to describe Corin Tucker, that’s punk rock. OK, that’s two words.

A few more words to describe Corin Tucker—post-riot grrrl. For those familiar with Tucker from her late, great band, Sleater-Kinney, one might expect a more guttural sound from her new band on its debut album, 1,000 Years. While there’s a definite punk edge on some of the tracks, this album often showcases the softer side of Corin Tucker. Those accustomed to Corin Tucker’s vocal trademarks will likely be surprised, and hopefully pleased, by the songs on this album.
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Jim Sullivan, UFO Reissue

By Chelsea Spear

As with so many other albums, the reissue of Jim Sullivan’s UFO came complete with a compelling back-story.

Sullivan, a purveyor of folk-inflected pop, spent the 1960s playing in LA nightclubs, making time with outlaw movie stars like Harry Dean Stanton and Dennis Hopper, and appearing on The Jose Feliciano Hour and in the movie Easy Rider. In early 1970, he recorded the album UFO with the Wrecking Crew, which his friend Al Dobbs released as a private pressing on his Monnie Records label. When the album failed to gain traction with those in the industry, Sullivan attempted a move to Nashville to work as a professional songwriter. He mysteriously disappeared at a stop in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
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Best Of 2010: Janelle Monáe, The ArchAndroid

By Brenna Chase

There’s no need for a list. Devote all of your listening attention to Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid. It was conceived by a twentysomething theatre major from Kansas, executive-produced by Sean “Diddy” Combs and Outkast’s “Big Boi” along with members of Monáe’s own creative outfit, The Wondaland Arts Society, and released on Bad Boy Records. If this seems a bit of a random selection, know that nothing about this album is typical.

The ArchAndroid is the epitome of risk and eccentricity. It’s a schizophrenic experience of genres, moods, characters, and themes. And, I promise you, it’s the only concept album released in 2010 that truly matters.
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