| .hinge The Rise & Fall Of Living Great | 2.0 |
| 3 Doors Down The Better Life | 2.5 |
| 65daysofstatic Wild Light | 3.5 |
| A.C. Newman The Slow Wonder | 3.5 |
| Air Talkie Walkie | 4.5 |
| Air France No Way Down | 4.0 |
| Alabama Shakes Boys & Girls | 3.5 |
| Alabama Shakes Sound & Color | 4.0 |
| Alex G Rocket | 4.0 |
| Alex G House Of Sugar | 4.0 |
| Alex Winston King Con | 4.0 |
| Amadou and Mariam Dimanche a Bamako | 3.0 |
| Amanda Palmer Theatre Is Evil | 3.5 |
| Anais Mitchell Hadestown | 4.0 |
| Anais Mitchell Young Man in America | 4.5 |
| Anathallo Floating World | 2.5 |
| Anathallo can perhaps best be described as a bizarre mix of Dredg and Sufan Stevens, with the cohesion and songwriting talent of neither. Throwing a variety of musical styles into the pot in search of something that sticks, Anathallo seems to always be reaching for the perfect song, but always seems to fall short. The only remotely interesting tracks are the "Hanasakajiji" sequence, but even those lack enough to draw the listener back. |
| Anberlin Cities | 3.5 |
| Anchor and Braille Felt | 3.0 |
| Felt is a pretty album. Unfortunately, it is often too pretty -- under the weight of Stephen Christian's cooing vocals, songs tend to dissolve into a warm and fuzzy mush. Best listened to in small doses. |
| Andrew Bird The Mysterious Production Of Eggs | 4.5 |
| Andy Shauf The Bearer of Bad News | 4.0 |
| Andy Stott Luxury Problems | 3.5 |
| Angel Olsen Burn Your Fire for No Witness | 4.0 |
| Animal Collective Feels | 3.0 |
| Arcade Fire Neon Bible | 4.0 |
| Arcade Fire Reflektor | 4.0 |
| Arcade Fire Funeral | 4.5 |
| Arcade Fire The Suburbs | 4.5 |
| Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare | 3.5 |
| Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not | 4.5 |
| Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Worn Copy | 2.5 |
| Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Before Today | 4.5 |
| As Tall As Lions You Can't Take It With You | 3.5 |
| At the Drive-In Relationship of Command | 4.0 |
| Audioslave Audioslave | 2.5 |
| Audioslave Out of Exile | 3.0 |
| Audioslave Revelations | 3.5 |
| Augustana All the Stars and Boulevards | 3.0 |
| Band of Horses Everything All the Time | 3.0 |
| Band of Horses Cease to Begin | 4.0 |
| Banks Goddess | 4.0 |
| Battles Mirrored | 3.5 |
| Beach House Bloom | 3.5 |
| Beach House Teen Dream | 4.0 |
| Bear Hands Burning Bush Supper Club | 4.0 |
| Bear Hands Distraction | 4.0 |
| Bear in Heaven Beast Rest Forth Mouth | 4.0 |
| Beck The Information | 2.5 |
| "No complaints, but it's overrated, that's for sure," sings Beck on his latest album, The Information. And although I'm a huge Beck fan, this album has so far been a huge dissapointment to me, despite receiving relatively positive reviews... It's a mixture of Guero and Sea Change, without the style of either. Although there are some excellent tracks like 'Cellphone's Dead', most of them seem to drone on with little sense of energy. Although I need to listen more, right now this album feels very shallow. |
| Beck Modern Guilt | 3.0 |
| Although far better than the pedestrian 'Information', Beck's latest album isn't entirely consistent or even noteworthy. Fortunately, what it lacks as a whole is redeemed somewhat by the few excellent songs scattered among the tracklist such as 'Youthless', 'Profanity Prayers', 'Modern Love', and 'Gamma Ray'. Think Guero with fuzz. |
| Beck Odelay | 4.0 |
| Beck Sea Change | 4.0 |
| Beck Guero | 4.0 |
| Beirut The Rip Tide | 3.0 |
| Beirut Lon Gisland | 4.0 |
| Belle and Sebastian Dear Catastrophe Waitress | 4.0 |
| Ben Folds Rockin' The Suburbs | 4.0 |
| Ben Folds Five Whatever and Ever, Amen | 4.0 |
| Best Coast Crazy For You | 3.5 |
| Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Howl | 2.0 |
| Black Rebel Motorcycle Club B.R.M.C. | 4.0 |
| Blanck Mass Animated Violence Mild | 4.0 |
| Blanck Mass World Eater | 4.5 |
| blink-182 Blink-182 | 3.0 |
| Bloc Party A Weekend in the City | 3.5 |
| Bloc Party Intimacy | 4.0 |
| Blonde Redhead 23 | 3.5 |
| Blue Man Group Audio | 3.5 |
| Boards of Canada The Campfire Headphase | 3.5 |
| Bombay Bicycle Club So Long, See You Tomorrow | 3.0 |
| Bombay Bicycle Club I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose | 4.0 |
| Bon Iver i,i | 3.0 |
| Bon Iver Bon Iver, Bon Iver | 4.5 |
| Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago | 5.0 |
| Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me | 3.0 |
| Brand New Daisy | 3.5 |
| Bright Eyes The People's Key | 3.0 |
| Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning | 4.0 |
| Broken Bells Broken Bells | 4.0 |
| Broken Social Scene Feel Good Lost | 2.5 |
| Broken Social Scene Broken Social Scene | 4.0 |
| Broken Social Scene You Forgot It in People | 4.5 |
| Broken Social Scene Forgiveness Rock Record | 4.5 |
| Broken Witt Rebels Howlin | 4.0 |
| Brontide Artery | 4.0 |
| Burial Kindred | 3.5 |
| Bush The Science of Things | 3.0 |
| Calexico and Iron and Wine In the Reins | 3.0 |
| Califone Roots and Crowns | 3.5 |
| Camera Obscura Let's Get Out of This Country | 3.5 |
| This Scottish indie-op group sounds almost predictably like Belle & Sebastian with a female lead singer. But the focus here is more on pop polish than their Scottish indie brethren -- and they accomplish it admirably check out "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken " and "Let's Get Out Of This Country " |
| Casper Hinterland | 4.0 |
| Caspian The Four Trees | 4.0 |
| Casualties of Cool Casualties of Cool | 4.5 |
| Cat Power You Are Free | 3.5 |
| Chevelle This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In) | 3.0 |
| Chevelle Wonder What's Next | 3.5 |
| CHVRCHES The Bones of What You Believe | 4.0 |
| City and Colour Little Hell | 2.5 |
| Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Clap Your Hands Say Yeah | 3.0 |
| Cloud Cult Love | 4.0 |
| Cloud Nothings Attack on Memory | 3.0 |
| Cloud Nothings Here and Nowhere Else | 4.0 |
| 'I'm not part of me' is my favorite single of the year so far. But the rest of the album isn't nearly as memorable. |
| Clue to Kalo One Way, It's Every Way | 3.5 |
| Coheed and Cambria From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness | 4.0 |
| Cold War Kids Robbers and Cowards | 3.0 |
| Coldplay Parachutes | 3.5 |
| Coldplay X&Y | 3.5 |
| Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head | 4.0 |
| Coldplay Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends | 4.5 |
| Conor Oberst Upside Down Mountain | 3.5 |
| Conor Oberst Conor Oberst | 4.0 |
| Creed My Own Prison | 3.5 |
| Creed Human Clay | 3.5 |
| Crippled Black Phoenix Ellengaest | 4.5 |
| Cursive Domestica | 3.0 |
| Cursive Mama, I'm Swollen | 3.0 |
| Cursive The Ugly Organ | 4.0 |
| Cymbals Eat Guitars Why There Are Mountains | 4.0 |
| Cynic Traced in Air | 4.0 |
| Dan Deacon Bromst | 3.0 |
| Danny Brown Old | 4.0 |
| Dave Matthews Band Busted Stuff | 2.5 |
| Dave Matthews Band Stand Up | 2.5 |
| Dave Matthews Band Everyday | 2.5 |
| Dave Matthews Band Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King | 3.0 |
| Dave Matthews Band Before These Crowded Streets | 4.0 |
| Dave Matthews Band Crash | 4.5 |
| I grew up listening to Dave Matthews on the radio, but I only really appreciated the band until my Sophomore Year in high school. A developing drummer, I was sucked in by Carter Beauford's beautiful grooves, and was soon hooked on the fantastic music on this cd. From 'Two Step' to the spectacular #41, this album is all about one thing: pure music. Although I don't listen to DMB as much as I used to, this album remains a classic of the jam rock genre and a lesson in musicianship. |
| Dave Matthews Band Under The Table And Dreaming | 4.5 |
| David Gray White Ladder | 4.0 |
| Dc Talk Nu Thang | 2.0 |
| Dc Talk Supernatural | 4.0 |
| Dc Talk Jesus Freak | 4.5 |
| Death Cab for Cutie Kintsugi | 2.5 |
| Death Cab for Cutie Something About Airplanes | 3.0 |
| Death Cab for Cutie Narrow Stairs | 3.0 |
| Death Cab for Cutie We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes | 3.5 |
| Death Cab for Cutie Plans | 3.5 |
| Death Cab for Cutie The Open Door | 4.0 |
| Death Cab for Cutie Codes and Keys | 4.0 |
| Death Cab for Cutie The Photo Album | 4.5 |
| Death Cab for Cutie Transatlanticism | 5.0 |
| On 'Transatlanticism', DCFC showcases a more mature sound than on their earlier works, while remaining true to their indie principles. If anything, the best word to describe this album would be 'cohesive'. Although the grandeur of the opening track, 'The New Year', contrasts sharply with the slow-paced and dramatic 'Transatlanticism', there is little, if any, feeling of discontinuity. Rather than relying on singles or catchy hooks, this album is best listened to as a whole. By the end of the album, Death Cab has taken you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and beautiful, moody songwriting. Highly Recommended |
| Death From Above 1979 You're a Woman, I'm a Machine | 3.5 |
| Deer Leap/The World Is A Beautiful Place... Are Here To Help You | 4.5 |
| Deerhunter Weird Era Cont. | 4.0 |
| Deerhunter Monomania | 4.0 |
| Deerhunter Fading Frontier | 4.0 |
| Deerhunter Microcastle | 4.5 |
| Deerhunter Halcyon Digest | 4.5 |
| Deftones Deftones | 2.5 |
| Delorean Subiza | 3.5 |
| Destroyer Kaputt | 4.5 |
| DIIV Is the Is Are | 3.5 |
| DIIV Oshin | 4.5 |
| Dispatch Who Are We Living For? | 3.5 |
| Dispatch Four-Day Trials | 4.0 |
| Dispatch Bang Bang | 4.5 |
| Dispatch Gut the Van | 4.5 |
| Divine Fits A Thing Called Divine Fits | 3.5 |
| Do Make Say Think & Yet & Yet | 4.0 |
| Do Make Say Think You, You're a History in Rust | 4.0 |
| Do Make Say Think Other Truths | 4.0 |
| dredg Leitmotif | 3.5 |
| dredg Catch Without Arms | 4.0 |
| dredg El Cielo | 5.0 |
| Duke Special Songs From The Deep Forest | 4.0 |
| Dzihan and Kamien Gran Riserva | 3.0 |
| Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Up From Below | 4.0 |
| Eels Blinking Lights & Other Revelations | 3.0 |
| Eels Electro-Shock Blues | 3.5 |
| Eisley The Valley | 2.5 |
| Elliott Smith Either/Or | 4.5 |
| Evanescence Fallen | 2.0 |
| Explosions in the Sky The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place | 3.5 |
| Fall Out Boy From Under the Cork Tree | 3.0 |
| Fang Island Fang Island | 4.0 |
| Father John Misty Fear Fun | 4.0 |
| Father John Misty I Love You, Honeybear | 4.0 |
| Feist The Reminder | 3.5 |
| Fennesz Becs | 4.0 |
| Fever Ray Fever Ray | 4.0 |
| Field Music Tones of Town | 3.5 |
| Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel... | 3.5 |
| First Aid Kit Stay Gold | 3.0 |
| First Aid Kit The Lion's Roar | 4.0 |
| Fleet Foxes Sun Giant | 3.5 |
| Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues | 4.0 |
| Florence and the Machine Lungs | 4.5 |
| Foals Holy Fire | 3.5 |
| Foo Fighters One by One | 3.0 |
| Forever the Sickest Kids Underdog Alma Mater | 2.5 |
| Foxygen We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors... | 4.0 |
| Frightened Rabbit State Hospital | 3.0 |
| Frightened Rabbit Pedestrian Verse | 4.0 |
| Frightened Rabbit Painting of a Panic Attack | 4.0 |
| Frightened Rabbit The Midnight Organ Fight | 4.5 |
| Frightened Rabbit The Winter of Mixed Drinks | 4.5 |
| Frou Frou Details | 4.0 |
| Fruit Bats Spelled in Bones | 3.0 |
The first thing you'll notice about this indie band is that their lead singer appears to be the bastard step son of any member of the Beatles. If not for the modern music and structure, this album, especially 'Lives of Crime' could easily slip within a Beatles playlist unnoticed. That being said, however, this album is no ripoff - the Fruit Bats have their own distinctive sound that fits within the larger indie/pop/electronic genre. And some songs, include the aforementioned 'Lives of Crime' are simply outstanding. However, this formula seems to largely get old by the end of the album. Pick up one or two songs, or if you like the genre, the album as a whole is pretty solid.
Comparisons: Beatles, The Shins, Clue for Kalo |
| Fucked Up Glass Boys | 4.0 |
| Fucked Up David Comes to Life | 4.5 |
| fun. Aim and Ignite | 4.5 |
| If you don't like it, listen to it again. Alternately, place 'Barlights' on repeat and dance around your house like a maniac. |
| Future Islands Singles | 3.0 |
| Gallows (UK) Gallows | 3.0 |
| Gang of Youths Go Farther in Lightness | 5.0 |
| Gavin Castleton Home | 2.5 |
| Generationals Heza | 4.0 |
| Girls Father, Son, Holy Ghost | 4.5 |
| Glen Phillips Winter Pays For Summer | 4.0 |
| Godspeed You! Black Emperor 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress' | 4.0 |
| Great Lake Swimmers Ongiara | 3.5 |
| Grimes Art Angels | 4.5 |
| Grizzly Bear Shields | 3.5 |
| Grizzly Bear Yellow House | 4.0 |
| At first listen, "Yellow House" is almost inaccessible. A dizzying maze of song structures and moods, it sounds as if Pink Floyd and My Morning Jacket combined and decided to go Indie. But if you can get past the initial audio barrage, you'll find a gem of an album filled with fantastic moments. The dazzlingly beautiful outro on 'Knife', the acoustic breakdown on 'On A Neck, On A Spit' and the climbing choruses on 'Lullabye' show that Grizzly Bear know exactly what they are doing. Highly recommended. |
| Grizzly Bear Veckatimest | 4.0 |
| Guster Ganging Up on the Sun | 3.0 |
| I've always loved Guster. In fact, I can confidently say they are one of my favorite bands. So in anticipation, I waiting 3 long years for their latest release, 'Ganging Up on The Sun.' And I'm dissapointed. Guster sound has matured yes, and their songwriting skills are improving, but this lacks the drive and energy that made Guster well, fun to listen to. Guster has never been a generic alt-rock band, they've always had a special something, whether it be driving bongo beats, crazy lyrics, or just pure energy. This album is laid back and -- drab. Although it's a new step for Guster, I preferred the old Guster. |
| Guster Keep It Together | 4.0 |
| Guster Goldfly | 4.0 |
| Guster Lost And Gone Forever | 4.5 |
| HAIM Days Are Gone | 4.0 |
| Handsome Furs Plague Park | 3.5 |
| I don't even like Wolf Parade. But this side project with an equally strange name seems to be a little more straightforward, with plenty of musical gems. "What We Had" and "Handsome Furs Hate This City" in particular are fantastic. |
| Have Mercy (Indie) The Earth Pushed Back | 2.5 |
| Hellogoodbye Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! | 3.5 |
| Hellogoodbye Would It Kill You? | 4.0 |
| Hey Champ Cold Dust Girl | 4.0 |
| Highasakite Silent Treatment | 3.5 |
| Hiss Golden Messenger Lateness of Dancers | 3.5 |
| Hiss Golden Messenger Terms of Surrender | 4.0 |
| Holy Other Held | 2.5 |
| Hop Along Get Disowned | 2.5 |
| Horse Feathers House With No Home | 4.0 |
| Howie Day Stop All The World Now | 3.5 |
| Howie Day Australia | 3.5 |
| HRVRD From the Bird's Cage | 2.5 |
| Iceage You're Nothing | 2.5 |
| Incubus (USA-CA) A Crow Left of the Murder... | 3.0 |
| Incubus (USA-CA) Make Yourself | 4.0 |
| Incubus (USA-CA) Enjoy Incubus | 4.0 |
| Incubus (USA-CA) Morning View | 4.5 |
| Incubus (USA-CA) S.C.I.E.N.C.E. | 4.5 |
| Interpol Turn on the Bright Lights | 2.5 |
| Iron And Wine Our Endless Numbered Days | 4.0 |
| Iron And Wine Woman King | 4.5 |
| Islands Return To The Sea | 4.0 |
| Most bubble gum indie pop gets old after a few listens. Even though it's 'fun' in the beginning, it has little musical depth, and as a result, little staying power. Islands, the side project from the Unicorns, breaks this mold pretty well. Although the music is quintessentially 'happy', with calypso beats, high pitched humming, and bouncing rhythms, it's also sophisticating enough to remain interesting. Check out the beautiful 'Rough Gem' and you'll see what I mean. |
| Jack Johnson Brushfire Fairytales | 4.0 |
| Jack Johnson On and On | 4.0 |
| Jack Johnson In Between Dreams | 4.0 |
| Jaga Jazzist What We Must | 3.0 |
| James Blake James Blake | 3.5 |
| James Blunt Back To Bedlam | 3.0 |
| Jamie xx In Colour | 4.0 |
| Janelle Monae The ArchAndroid | 4.5 |
| Japandroids Post-Nothing | 4.0 |
| Japandroids Celebration Rock | 4.0 |
| Jars Of Clay If I Left The Zoo | 2.5 |
| Jars Of Clay Who We Are Instead | 3.5 |
| Jars Of Clay Much Afraid | 4.0 |
| Following up their classic self-titled album, Jars of Clay produced the melancholic 'Much Afraid'. Drastically changing their music, the album featured a much higher singing voice and depressing subject matter. This can be seen in the beautiful and haunting song 'Frail', as well as in 'Tea & Sympathy'. In many ways this is a more indie album than the previous, featuring interesting musical arrangements and subdued tones. Notable also is the lack of immediate pop hooks within the music. Nevertheless, the music remains highly moving and achieves a depth not existing in their first record. So although this album is not as immediately accessible as their debut, it compensates by adding surprising depth. |
| Jars Of Clay Jars Of Clay | 4.5 |
| Jason Isbell Southeastern | 4.5 |
| Jason Mraz Waiting For My Rocket To Come | 3.0 |
| JD McPherson Let the Good Times Roll | 4.5 |
| Jeff Buckley Grace | 2.5 |
| I found this album to be a great dissapointment, given its reputation on Sputnik. Although there are a few spectacular songs like "Lover, You Should`ve Come Over," Jeff has more confidence in his voice than it deserves. He often whines, or drones, in an almost tuneless fashion, that destroys much of the beauty of his songs. Despite being pretty good musically, this album seems to be trying too hard. |
| Jem Finally Woken | 3.0 |
| Jens Lekman Oh You're So Silent Jens | 4.5 |
| "Oh You're So Silent Jens" is a strange album. It sounds like an old 70's music soundtrack, mixed with equal parts of European indie and folk, and coupled with Jens' rather Frank Sinatra-like baritone. It's also one of the best albums that came out last year. Songs like 'Black Cab', both 'Rocky Dennis Farewell' Songs, 'Maple Leaves', and 'Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill' are musical and songwriting gems that are powerful from the first listen. Although the rest of the album isn't quite as poignant or immediately accessible, there are certainly no abject failures either -- all in all, this is a relatively cohesive and solid work. Pick this up immediately if you have a penchant for other similarly self-indulgent indie artists such as Sufjan Stevens. All in all, a great find, and a spectacular demonstration of old-school songwriting and positive musical pretentiousness. |
| Jet Get Born | 3.0 |
| Jets Overhead Bridges | 3.5 |
| Jimi Hendrix Experience Hendrix: The Best of Hendrix | 5.0 |
| Jimmy Buffett Banana Wind | 3.5 |
| Jimmy Eat World Stay on My Side Tonight | 2.5 |
| Jimmy Eat World Bleed American | 4.0 |
| Jimmy Eat World Futures | 4.0 |
| Joanna Newsom Have One on Me | 4.5 |
| Joe Gideon and the Shark Harum Scarum | 3.5 |
| A stripped-down affair that strikes a delicate balance between minimalism and grittiness. Spoken word rock done right. |
| John Joseph Brill Pieces | 4.0 |
| John Mayer Room for Squares | 4.0 |
| John Mayer Heavier Things | 4.5 |
| John Mayer Continuum | 4.5 |
| John Mayer's most mature work to date, Continuum blends both the pop sensibilities of Mayer's earlier work with the blues styling he recently displayed on the album Try!. Although the album lacks cohesion, the songwriting is fantastical, filled with excellent musicianship and laudable restraint. Check out 'Belief', 'Heart of Life','Vultures' and 'Stop this Train' |
| John Mayer Trio Try! | 4.0 |
| Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison | 4.5 |
| Jon Hopkins Immunity | 4.0 |
| Jose Gonzalez Veneer | 3.5 |
| Joseph Arthur Our Shadows Will Remain | 3.0 |
| Joseph Arthur Redemption's Son | 3.5 |
| Josh Ritter The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter | 4.2 |
| Julian Casablancas Phrazes for the Young | 3.0 |
| Jurassic 5 Quality Control | 4.0 |
| Jurassic 5 Power in Numbers | 4.0 |
| Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience | 3.5 |
| K Sera Collisions and Near Misses | 3.0 |
| k-os Atlantis: Hymns For Disco | 4.0 |
| Keaton Henson Romantic Works | 4.0 |
| Kelly Clarkson Breakaway | 4.0 |
| Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly | 4.5 |
| Kevin Drew Darlings | 4.0 |
| King Creosote From Scotland With Love | 4.0 |
| Kings of Convenience Riot on an Empty Street | 3.5 |
| Kishi Bashi Lighght | 4.5 |
| Kiss Kiss The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left | 2.5 |
| Klaxons Myths of the Near Future | 3.5 |
| KT Tunstall Eye To The Telescope | 4.0 |
| Kurt Vile Smoke Ring For My Halo | 3.0 |
| Lady Gaga Born This Way | 2.0 |
| Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell! | 4.5 |
| LAU Race The Loser | 4.0 |
| Laura Stevenson Wheel | 3.0 |
| Laura Veirs Saltbreakers | 3.5 |
| Laura Veirs Warp & Weft | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Best Of, Vol. 1: Early Days | 4.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV | 4.5 |
| Lemon Jelly '64-'95 | 3.0 |
| Liars Sisterworld | 3.0 |
| Linkin Park Meteora | 2.5 |
| Linkin Park Hybrid Theory | 4.0 |
| Local Natives Gorilla Manor | 3.0 |
| 'Wide Eyes' is exceptional -- the rest of the tracks are simultaneously pleasant and unmemorable. |
| Local Natives Hummingbird | 3.5 |
| Lord Huron Lonesome Dreams | 4.0 |
| Lorde Pure Heroine | 3.5 |
| Good pop music. But hard to get past the lyrics. Class clowns, hairpins, riding buses and bikes, and teen poetry. |
| Lotus Plaza Spooky Action At A Distance | 4.0 |
| Lovehammers Marty Casey and Lovehammers | 3.0 |
| Low Roar 0 | 3.5 |
| Lykke Li Youth Novels | 3.5 |
| M. Ward Transfiguration of Vincent | 4.0 |
| M. Ward Post-War | 4.5 |
| A crackling radio spits out snatches of Western tunes, accompanied by a cracked baritone. It's 'Post-War' by M. Ward, and it's an absolutely stunning album that feels both old and new at the same time. This isn't necessarily singer-songwriter folk; it heralds back to an older tradition (think Johnny Cash minus the country). In any case, it's superb. Check out 'Poison Cup' and 'Chinese Translation' especially. |
| Mae The Everglow | 3.5 |
| Manchester Orchestra Simple Math | 2.5 |
| Manchester Orchestra Cope | 3.5 |
| Manchester Orchestra I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child | 4.0 |
| Manchester Orchestra Mean Everything to Nothing | 4.5 |
| Mates of State Re-Arrange Us | 3.5 |
| Matisyahu Shake Off the Dust...Arise | 4.0 |
| Matt and Kim Grand | 3.5 |
| Matt Nathanson When Everything Meant Everything EP | 4.5 |
| Matt Pond PA Emblems | 3.5 |
| Medeski, Martin and Wood End of the World Party (Just in Case) | 3.5 |
| Metallica Master of Puppets | 4.0 |
| Metallica S&M | 4.0 |
| Metric Old World Underground, Where Are You Now | 3.5 |
| Metric Fantasies | 3.5 |
| Metric Live It Out | 4.0 |
| Mew And the Glass Handed Kites | 4.0 |
| Mew makes rock music with grandeur. Soaring vocals, anthemic melodies, all done in a very non-cheesy way. Think back to the grand days of Queen and similar bands, add an indie twist and pop hooks, and you have Mew, who are simply making good rock music. |
| Mew No More Stories | 4.0 |
| MGMT Congratulations | 2.5 |
| MGMT Oracular Spectacular | 4.0 |
| Midlake Antiphon | 2.5 |
| Midlake The Trials of Van Occupanther | 4.0 |
| Midlake's music is instantly disorienting. Although other indie acts such as the Decemberists have freely adopted older musical styles, few have embraced these musical influences to the degree present on "The Trials of Van Occupanther." From the opening notes of Roscoe, the listener is transported back to 70's folk rock and perhaps even more confusingly, immersed in the lore of the late 19th century. Surprisingly, this odd approach is a stunning success. Each song feels handcrafted, and contrary to expectations, indie music, Steely Dan, and the Doobie Brothers work together in harmony. Highly recommended. |
| Minus the Bear Omni | 2.5 |
| Modest Mouse Good News for People Who Love Bad News | 3.0 |
| Monsters of Folk Monsters of Folk | 4.0 |
| Mother Mother O My Heart | 3.5 |
| Mount Eerie Clear Moon | 3.5 |
| Mountains Centralia | 4.0 |
| Mumford and Sons Babel | 3.0 |
| Muse Absolution | 3.0 |
| Mutemath Mutemath | 3.5 |
| Mutemath are hard to figure out. On one hand the lead singer sounds like Sting, they imitate Coldplay pop hooks, and they have a decided tinge of the mainstream. On the other hand they are stunningly experimental and undefinable, using hip-hop rhythms, indie instrumentation, and an almost electronica undercurrent. The resulting record is uneven, but hints at future promise. Expect big things from this band in the future; in the meantime check out 'Chaos', 'Noticed', and 'Typical' |
| My Bloody Valentine Loveless | 4.0 |
| My Chemical Romance Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge | 3.0 |
| My Chemical Romance The Black Parade | 3.0 |
| My Morning Jacket Circuital | 3.0 |
| My Morning Jacket Z | 4.0 |
| Nada Surf The Weight Is a Gift | 4.0 |
| Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings The Flood | 3.5 |
| Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea | 4.0 |
| Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus | 4.0 |
| Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Let Love In | 4.0 |
| Nickel Creek This Side | 4.0 |
| Nickel Creek Nickel Creek | 5.0 |
| Nine Black Alps Everything Is | 3.0 |
| Noah and the Whale The First Days of Spring | 4.5 |
| Noah Gundersen Ledges | 4.0 |
| Now, Now Threads | 3.5 |
| Of Monsters and Men My Head is an Animal | 4.0 |
| of Montreal The Sunlandic Twins | 3.5 |
| Office Q&A | 4.0 |
| OK Go Oh No | 3.5 |
| Fun party music, pure and simple. Ok Go's music isn't quite pop punk, not quite indie rock, and not quite pop either. But it's undeniable that this album has energy, and a lot of it. Although the album tends to fall into a slight cliche of formulas, without much variation, there are some great tracks scattered throughout: The first set of predictably clustered singles, 'Invincible, ' Do What You Want', and 'Here it Goes Again' are actually quite good, and later tracks such as 'No Sign of Life' and 'Crash the Party' keep the energy from dying. Recommended - for a shallow fix. |
| Okkervil River The Silver Gymnasium | 3.5 |
| Okkervil River The Stand Ins | 4.0 |
| Oneohtrix Point Never R Plus Seven | 4.5 |
| Our Lady Peace Clumsy | 3.5 |
| Owen Pallett Heartland | 3.5 |
| P.O.D. Satellite | 3.0 |
| Panic! at the Disco A Fever You Can't Sweat Out | 3.0 |
| Paramore Riot! | 3.5 |
| Passion Pit Chunk of Change | 3.0 |
| Passion Pit Manners | 4.0 |
| Try listening to 'Little Secrets', 'Moth's Wings', and 'Sleepyhead' without cracking a smile. |
| Passion Pit Gossamer | 4.0 |
| Perfume Genius Put Your Back N 2 It | 3.5 |
| Pete Yorn Day I Forgot | 4.0 |
| Pete Yorn musicforthemorningafter | 4.5 |
| Pete Yorn's debut presented a fresh face to the tried and true alternative singer-songwriter genre. Adding a bit of country twang, a heavy emphasis on rhythmic music, and above all his gravelly lyrics and pop hooks, Yorn created a truly solid album. The only knack against this type of formula is that the music is a bit superficial -- and it is true that this is largely simple music. But it feels earnest, and doesn't resort to usual songwriting cliches. Additionally, the music quality is consistent, with there being few, if any, bad tracks. Highlights include 'Life on a Chain', 'Black', 'For Nancy', 'Closet', and the spectacular 'On Your Side'. Recommended for fans of pop rock and alternative music alike. |
| Pete Yorn Nightcrawler | 4.5 |
| When I first heard this album I absolutely hated it. So much in fact, that I didn't give it another chance in 4 months, and only then when I was completely in a state of musical boredom. I don't know what I missed the first time around, but this is a beautiful alternative pop album that ranks up there with Yorn's other work. 'Maybe I'm Right', 'The Man', 'Bandstand in the Sky,' and 'Undercover' are highly recommended. |
| Peter Bjorn and John Writer's Block | 3.5 |
| Phoenix (FRA) United | 3.0 |
| Phoenix (FRA) Bankrupt! | 3.0 |
| Phoenix (FRA) Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix | 4.0 |
| Pinback Summer in Abaddon | 4.0 |
| PJ Harvey Let England Shake | 4.5 |
| Polyenso One Big Particular Loop | 3.5 |
| Punch Brothers Who's Feeling Young Now? | 4.0 |
| PUP PUP | 4.0 |
| Radical Face The Family Tree: The Branches | 4.5 |
| Radiohead Hail to the Thief | 3.0 |
| Radiohead I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings | 3.5 |
| Radiohead OK Computer | 4.0 |
| Radiohead The Bends | 4.5 |
| Radiohead In Rainbows | 4.5 |
| Rage Against the Machine Renegades | 3.0 |
| Rage Against the Machine Evil Empire | 4.0 |
| Rage Against the Machine The Battle of Los Angeles | 4.5 |
| Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine | 5.0 |
| Ratatat LP3 | 3.5 |
| Ray LaMontagne Till the Sun Turns Black | 3.5 |
| Wow. I hadn't even heard of this guy, and was surprised to find him at #2 on the iTunes charts. I don't know what I've been missing - this guy writes stellar, and I mean stellar, singer-songwriter folk. The musing, the emotion, the melodies -- the complete package is here. Listen to the opening track 'Be Here Now' and prepared to be blown away. |
| Real Estate Atlas | 3.5 |
| Real Estate Real Estate | 4.0 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers By the Way | 3.0 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium | 4.0 |
| This album really grows on you - after a brief listen I thought the first side was terrible, and would have given the complete album a 2.5. But after listening to it a lot more, I began to see a lot of things in tracks that before had only blended together - this is a solid album that any RHCP fan would love, given the patience. Of course there are a few tracks to bump (as on any double disc), but there is a lot of good material here that could merit the double album. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication | 4.5 |
| Refused The Shape Of Punk To Come | 3.5 |
| Regina Spektor Begin To Hope | 4.0 |
| Reigning Sound Shattered | 4.0 |
| Reindeer Section Son of Evil Reindeer | 3.0 |
| Relient K Five Score and Seven Years Ago | 3.5 |
| Relient K Mmhmm | 4.5 |
| Reveille Bleed the Sky | 2.5 |
| Rich Price Night Opens | 4.5 |
| Right Away, Great Captain! The Church of the Good Thief | 4.0 |
| Rilo Kiley More Adventurous | 3.0 |
| Rise Against Revolutions per Minute | 4.0 |
| Rise Against The Sufferer and the Witness | 4.0 |
| Rise Against Siren Song of the Counter Culture | 4.5 |
| Rival Consoles Articulation | 4.0 |
| Rodrigo y Gabriela Rodrigo y Gabriela | 4.0 |
| Rogue Wave Descended Like Vultures | 4.0 |
| Rufus Wainwright Want Two | 1.0 |
| Run the Jewels Run the Jewels | 4.5 |
| Rx Bandits Mandala | 3.0 |
| Ryan Adams Rock 'n' Roll | 3.0 |
| Ryan Adams Jacksonville City Nights | 3.0 |
| Ryan Adams Easy Tiger | 3.0 |
| If this album is anything, it's safe. Ryan publishes few of the cringe-worthy tracks that he has sometimes included in the past, but there is a real lack of the brilliance that shines through in his other albums. Songs like 'Two' and 'Halloweenhead' are great, but nothing to write home about. |
| Ryan Adams 29 | 3.5 |
| Ryan Adams Cold Roses | 4.0 |
| Ryan Adams Love is Hell | 4.5 |
| Saintseneca Dark Arc | 3.5 |
| Sanctus Real Fight The Tide | 4.0 |
| 'Fight the Tide' is a perfect mainstream Christian rock album. In the vein of Switchfoot and other similar acts, Sanctus Real combines pop hooks with heavy guitars and rhythms to create memorable tunes. Although the album drags a bit in the middle, on the whole, this is a solid album from start to finish, with excellent tracks such as 'Everything About You','Alone','The Show','Message', and 'Deeds'. Highly recommended for anyone into Christian rock. |
| Sarah Jarosz Song Up In Her Head | 4.5 |
| Savages Silence Yourself | 4.0 |
| Say Hi Oohs & Aahs | 3.0 |
| Say Hi Impeccable Blahs | 3.5 |
| Say Hi Numbers & Mumbles | 4.0 |
| Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters | 3.5 |
| Secret Machines Now Here is Nowhere | 4.0 |
| Secret Machines Ten Silver Drops | 4.0 |
| Sevendust Animosity | 2.0 |
| Shame (UK) Songs of Praise | 4.0 |
| Sharon Van Etten Tramp | 3.0 |
| Sharon Van Etten Are We There | 3.0 |
| Shearwater Rook | 3.0 |
| Shearwater Palo Santo | 3.5 |
| Shout Out Louds Our Ill Wills | 3.0 |
| Shovels and Rope O' Be Joyful | 4.0 |
| Sigur Ros Med Sud i Eyrum vid Spilum Endalaust | 3.0 |
| Sigur Ros Takk... | 4.5 |
| Silversun Pickups Carnavas | 4.0 |
| Silversun Pickups Pikul | 4.0 |
| Silversun Pickups Swoon | 4.0 |
| Six Gallery Breakthroughs in Modern Art | 3.5 |
| Sleater-Kinney No Cities to Love | 3.5 |
| Sleigh Bells Treats | 3.0 |
| Snow Patrol A Hundred Million Suns | 3.5 |
| Snow Patrol Final Straw | 4.0 |
| Snow Patrol Eyes Open | 4.5 |
| Something Corporate Leaving Through The Window | 3.5 |
| Something Corporate North | 4.0 |
| Sound Team Movie Monster | 2.5 |
| Special Interest The Passion Of | 4.0 |
| Spoon Gimme Fiction | 4.0 |
| St. Vincent St. Vincent | 3.5 |
| St. Vincent Strange Mercy | 4.5 |
| Stanton Moore Flyin' the Koop | 3.0 |
| Stars Set Yourself On Fire | 3.5 |
| Sting Mercury Falling | 3.5 |
| Strawberry Girls Italian Ghosts | 4.0 |
| Sublime Sublime | 3.0 |
| Sufjan Stevens All Delighted People | 4.0 |
| Sufjan Stevens The Age of Adz | 4.0 |
| Sufjan Stevens Seven Swans | 4.5 |
| Sufjan Steven's Seven Swans is a rather quiet affair, lacking the sprawling arrangements, lengthy song titles, and interludes of his more famous 'states' albums. Sufjan's formula here is much simpler: banjo, acoustic guitar, and his signature hushed vocals. While the album tends to get slow by the end, there are some truly beautiful songs here, including the phenomenal 'The Dress Looks Nice On You', and perhaps Sufjan's best song 'To Be Alone With You'. Other songs such as 'Sister' show an experimental approach, using complicated vocal harmonies in what is a prelude to much of the material on Illinois. At the end of the day, however, this is a quiet album that lovers of Iron & Wine and mellow folk/indie would love. |
| Sufjan Stevens Illinois | 5.0 |
| What should I say about Illinois? Let's just say that I'm head over heels in love with this album. It's not about the indie rock cred, the press, or style points. It's about the quiet beauty underlying every song. This is an album about life, not just a state or a style of music. Although there are a lot of segues in this album, which has tended to receive some negative press, this isn't an album about instant gratification. Despite the 'soft' style of the music, this isn't meant for mere easy listening. Songs gradually reveal levels of complexity as the album plays, such as when Sufjan moves from the show tune style of 'Come on feel the Illinoise' to an absolutely spectacular chorus. Within the tapestry, there are some true golden threads; songs like 'Predatory Wasp of the Palisades', ' Casimir Pulaski Day', 'Chicago', and 'Jacksonville' are absolute masterpeices, both lyrically and musically. This is truly one of my favorite albums - not just of 2005, but ever. Open up your ears and hear the Illinoise. |
| Sufjan Stevens Michigan | 5.0 |
| Sufjan Stevens Carrie and Lowell | 5.0 |
Sufjan has spent the past eleven years fleeing the stripped-back indie folk of 'To Be Alone with You' and
'Romulus' in favor of more dramatic arrangements. Carrie & Lowell represents a stunning return to form. |
| Sun Kil Moon Tiny Cities | 4.0 |
| If you don't listen to Modest Mouse, you'd have no chance guessing that every song on this album is a cover. But these aren't your typical covers - Sun Kil Moon changes not only the feel of the songs but the phrasing and structure as well, in the end leaving merely the lyrics intact. Some songs, especially 'Ocean Breathes Salty,' are stunners |
| Sun Kil Moon April | 4.0 |
| Sunset Rubdown Dragonslayer | 4.0 |
| Surfer Blood Pythons | 3.0 |
| Surfer Blood Astro Coast | 4.0 |
| Susanne Sundfor Ten Love Songs | 4.0 |
| Swans The Seer | 4.5 |
| Switchfoot The Beautiful Letdown | 3.5 |
| Switchfoot Nothing is Sound | 3.5 |
| Switchfoot Oh! Gravity. | 3.5 |
| Taking Back Sunday New Again | 4.0 |
| Tame Impala Lonerism | 3.5 |
| Tame Impala Innerspeaker | 4.0 |
| Taylor Swift 1989 | 4.0 |
| Team Me To The Treetops! | 3.5 |
| Team Me Blind as Night | 4.0 |
| Tegan and Sara Heartthrob | 3.0 |
| Teitur Poetry & Airplanes | 3.5 |
| The Album Leaf In A Safe Place | 3.0 |
| The All-American Rejects Move Along | 3.5 |
| The American Analog Set Know By Heart | 4.5 |
| The Antlers Burst Apart | 3.5 |
| The Antlers Hospice | 4.0 |
| The Appleseed Cast Peregrine | 3.0 |
| The Appleseed Cast Two Conversations | 4.0 |
| The Babies Our House on the Hill | 3.5 |
| The Black Keys Brothers | 4.0 |
| The Boy Least Likely To Best Party Ever | 3.0 |
| The Brakes Give Blood | 3.0 |
| The Brian Jonestown Massacre Revelation | 4.0 |
| The Changes Today is Tonight | 3.5 |
| The Clientele God Save the Clientele | 3.0 |
| The Cribs New Fellas | 3.0 |
| The Cribs Ignore The Ignorant | 3.5 |
| The Decemberists The King Is Dead | 3.0 |
| The Decemberists What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World | 3.0 |
| The Decemberists Picaresque | 3.5 |
| The Decemberists The Crane Wife | 4.5 |
| Many associate major label debuts by indie bands as a formn of selling out. They don't want the uniqeness of the band dumbed down for the masses, or even worse, they don't want to lose the indie chic of being a dedicated fan of a relatively obscure band. But for the Decemberists, their move to a major label has actually improved their sound. Although the minstrel tinged voice has predictably become more mainstream, the Decemberists feature some of their best songwriting yet, and perhaps more importantly, begin to show a breadth lacking in their previous albums. In the three part track "The Island, Come and See, The Landlord's Daughter", the Decemberists surprisingly display a classic rock influence, while the vocal melody in "When the War Came" sounds eerily like a Led Zeppelin song. While there are some typical Decemberist's songs on here like "Yankee Bayonet", they begin to branch out on song's like "The Perfect Crime", and display surprising musical skill in the process. All in all, the Crane Wife is not a story of a band selling out, but of a band growing up. |
| The Decemberists The Hazards of Love | 4.5 |
| The Dodos No Color | 3.0 |
| The Dodos Visiter | 4.0 |
| The Dodos Carrier | 4.0 |
| The Drones I See Seaweed | 3.5 |
'How to See Through Fog' is a tour de force. Unfortunately, some of the other songs aren't nearly as
memorable, largely because Gareth Liddiard's vocals can be...droning. |
| The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots | 4.5 |
| The Format Dog Problems | 3.5 |
| The first few tracks threw me off a little bit, as it wasn't what I was expecting at all. The Format's signature - driving pop beats and indie hooks seemed to be missing somewhat, and the album felt a little more experimental. Despite a few misses, however, this is a quality album with several spectacular songs, notably 'She Doesn't Get It','Oceans','Snails', and 'The Compromise' |
| The Format Interventions and Lullabies | 4.0 |
| The Gaslight Anthem The '59 Sound | 3.5 |
| The Go! Team Thunder, Lightning, Strike | 3.5 |
| The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America | 2.5 |
| The Honorary Title Anything Else But The Truth | 4.0 |
| The Hotelier Home, Like NoPlace Is There | 4.5 |
| The Killers Day & Age | 2.5 |
| The Killers Hot Fuss | 3.0 |
| The Knife Tomorrow, In a Year | 2.5 |
| If this album was comprised solely of 'Colouring of Pigeons', it would potentially vie for album of the year. Unfortunately, there are other songs on the album. Enough said. |
| The Knife Silent Shout | 4.5 |
I don't normally like Electronic music. Although it's often shiny and brilliant on the surface, it usually disguises a shallow musical base that expires after about 3 listens. Fortunately, Sweden's The Knife have managed to break the mold by crafting a cohesive, fantastic album that sheds pop hooks for long lasting appeal. The synth tones here are simply beautiful, especially when contrasted with the apparent harshness of the vocals. Check out the first two songs and you'll be hooked.
|
| The Lone Bellow The Lone Bellow | 3.5 |
| The Magic Numbers The Magic Numbers | 2.5 |
| The Men Open Your Heart | 3.5 |
| The Men New Moon | 3.5 |
| The Menzingers On the Impossible Past | 3.5 |
| The Morning Benders Big Echo | 3.5 |
| The National Trouble Will Find Me | 4.0 |
| The National Alligator | 4.5 |
| The National High Violet | 4.5 |
| The National Boxer | 5.0 |
| The New Pornographers Challengers | 3.5 |
| The New Pornographers Twin Cinema | 4.5 |
| The Notwist The Devil, You + Me | 4.0 |
| The Oh Hellos Dear Wormwood | 3.5 |
| The Oh Hellos Through The Deep, Dark Valley | 4.5 |
| The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart | 4.0 |
| The Postal Service Give Up | 4.0 |
| The Raconteurs Broken Boy Soldiers | 3.5 |
| The Radio Dept. Clinging to a Scheme | 3.5 |
| The Rakes Capture/Release | 3.0 |
| The Reign of Kindo This Is What Happens | 2.5 |
| The Rocket Summer Of Men and Angels | 3.5 |
| Brings back memories of Something Corporate at their height. |
| The Shins Wincing the Night Away | 3.5 |
| The Shins Chutes Too Narrow | 4.0 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream | 4.5 |
| The Smiths The Queen Is Dead | 4.0 |
| The Soviettes LP III | 3.0 |
| The Strokes First Impressions of Earth | 3.5 |
| The Subways Young For Eternity | 3.5 |
| The Tallest Man on Earth Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird | 3.5 |
| The Vines Highly Evolved | 3.5 |
| The War On Drugs Lost in the Dream | 4.5 |
| The Weakerthans Reunion Tour | 4.0 |
| The Weeknd House of Balloons | 4.0 |
| The Weepies Say I Am You | 3.0 |
| This album starts out on a beautiful note, with the stunning 'Take It From Me', and 'Gotta Have You'. The former's vocal hook is absolutely infectious, but not in a flashy modern pop way - it heralds to an older singer-songwriter style of writing. The album continues with the excellent 'World Spins Madly On', but eventually really slows down. It's not that the songwriting is bad on the latter half of the album, but it lacks the energy and interest that the beginning few songs held. Overall, this album would probably have been better as an EP. |
| The World Is a Beautiful Place... Whenever, If Ever | 4.0 |
| The xx xx | 4.0 |
| Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything | 4.5 |
| There Will Be Fireworks The Dark, Dark Bright | 4.5 |
| This Good Robot The Light is Taking Me to Pieces | 2.5 |
| This Will Destroy You Young Mountain | 4.0 |
| Throw Me The Statue Creaturesque | 3.5 |
| Titus Andronicus The Airing of Grievances | 3.5 |
| Titus Andronicus The Monitor | 5.0 |
| Tobias Jesso Jr. Goon | 4.0 |
| Todd Terje It's Album Time | 4.0 |
| Tokyo Police Club A Lesson in Crime | 3.0 |
| Tokyo Police Club Forcefield | 3.0 |
| Tokyo Police Club Elephant Shell | 4.0 |
| Tokyo Police Club Champ | 4.0 |
| Torres Torres | 4.5 |
| Touche Amore Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me | 3.0 |
| Tove Lo Queen of the Clouds | 4.0 |
| Travis The Man Who | 3.5 |
| Trophy Scars Never Born, Never Dead | 4.0 |
| Trophy Scars Holy Vacants | 4.0 |
| TTNG 13.0.0.0.0 | 2.5 |
| tUnE-yArDs w h o k i l l | 3.0 |
| Turnover Peripheral Vision | 4.0 |
| TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain | 3.0 |
| TV on the Radio Dear Science | 4.5 |
| Tweedy Sukierae | 3.5 |
| Twin Shadow Confess | 3.0 |
| Typhoon (USA-OR) White Lighter | 4.5 |
| Quirky at first; brilliant after repeated listens. |
| U2 All That You Can't Leave Behind | 3.0 |
| Under the Influence of Giants Under the Influence of Giants | 3.0 |
Backed by incredibly catchy and dance-inflected singles such as "Mama's Room", Under the Influence of Giants seems to be trying to put the funk back into pop music. Their formula, (an eclectic mix of dance, electronica, indie, and pop) is refreshingly new, and is b acked by an undeniably strong groove and vocals. With that being said, however, the music isn't particularly sophisticated - although this stuff will get stuck in your head, it fades fast after a few listens, and is probably best suited for party music. Not to mention that along with the significant hits here, there are also a lot of faceless misses. Buy the singles.
Recommended: "In the Clouds," "Mama's Room," "Faces" |
| Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend | 3.5 |
| Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City | 4.0 |
| Volcano Choir Repave | 4.0 |
| Waxahatchee Cerulean Salt | 4.5 |
| We Are Scientists With Love and Squalor | 2.5 |
| We Were Promised Jetpacks These Four Walls | 3.5 |
| White Rabbits It's Frightening | 3.5 |
| Why? Alopecia | 3.0 |
| Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot | 3.5 |
| Wilco Summerteeth | 4.0 |
| Wilco The Whole Love | 4.5 |
| Wild Beasts Two Dancers | 3.5 |
| Wild Nothing Gemini | 4.0 |
| Wolf Parade At Mount Zoomer | 3.0 |
| Although ostensibly 'Mount Zoomer' is a solid album, it's also an unremarkable one. Fans of Wolf Parade have become accustomed to hearing dashes of musical genius throughout everything Krug and Boeckner touch, whether it be the brilliant 'Queen Mary' or side projects such as Handsome Furs or Sunset Rubdown. 'Mount Zoomer' seems to largely be playing it safe, despite the excess of the 10 minute Kissing the Beehive and the typically obtuse song titles. Rather than pushing the envelope of every song, Zoomer plods along, fitting comfortably within the bounds of Wolf Parade's music rather than expanding it. The result is a few good songs and an altogether forgettable album. |
| Wolf Parade Expo 86 | 4.0 |
| Wolf Parade Apologies to the Queen Mary | 5.0 |
| Woods Bend Beyond | 4.0 |
| WU LYF Go Tell Fire to the Mountain | 4.5 |
| Yeasayer All Hour Cymbals | 4.5 |
| Yo La Tengo And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside... | 4.0 |
| Young Heretics We Are The Lost Loves | 4.0 |
| Youth Group Skeleton Jar | 3.0 |
| Youth Lagoon Wondrous Bughouse | 3.5 |
| Youth Lagoon The Year of Hibernation | 4.5 |
| Yuck Yuck | 4.0 |
