Michael Franti and Spearhead: The Sound of Sunshine
Franti finds his lost shaker of salt Michael Franti has achieved a secret bonus level of hippie not available to most folks. He’s barefoot whenever not on a plane, organizes a massive annual festival of music and yoga, shot an anti-war documentary in the Middle East, is from the Bay Area, gets you a water when you interview him and produces, both alone and with Spearhead, soaringly crunchy love-is-all reggae-rock. A few minutes with a Franti record and the Indigo Girls start looking like Coulter and Michelle Bachmann. Franti’s last record, 2008’s All Rebel Rockers was a Kingston-recorded fire-hose of... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsNew Decemberists Album Coming in February?
Not too long ago, we told you that R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck would be collaborating with The Decemberists for their sixth album. Now, though the band’s publicist cannot confirm a release date for the album, R.E.M.‘s official website says Colin Meloy & Co.’s next record could drop as soon as February 2011.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsDierks Bentley: Up On The Ridge
Yee-Haw By Jeff Leven Put away your cynicism about rolodex records—rarely do albums this star-studded sound quite so organic. Up on the Ridge comprises ambitious covers executed with modesty and respect, magnanimous co-writes and a loving attention to sonic detail; a true celebration of the state of modern country. A smoldering cover of Dylan’s “SeƱor (Tales of Yankee Power)” features gorgeous fiddle and mandolin interplay, while the wistful “Draw Me A Map” ranks among Bentley’s most poignant ballads, with its aching lead vocal performance; a chart-topper like this guy integrating as deep and disparate a group of performers as Kris... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsCorinne Bailey Rae: The Sea
Rae stays strong on long-awaited sophomore album The path to Corinne Bailey Rae’s sophomore record was surely a difficult one. In 2008—just two years after the British artist’s promising self-titled debut—her husband of seven years, saxophonist Jason Rae (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Mark Ronson), died of an accidental drug overdose in a Leeds flat.... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsOK Go: Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
Tread Ahead By: Emily Riemer Radio-friendly pop bands often struggle to strip bare the trappings and expectations of success and bravely experiment with their sound, but that’s what OK Go does on Of the Blue Colour of the Sky. Leaving behind the band’s ubiquitous treadmill-video gimmick of a few years ago, the new album channels ’80s synth pop, overlaid with Damian Kulash’s Prince-like vocals alongside ’70s rock-guitar riffs and funk, with a smattering of incongruous sound effects. The result, though occasionally bizarre, is a courageous amalgam that gets your head bopping to resoundingly upbeat rhythms and surging bridges, as on... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsA Beginner's Guide to Blur Coming in July
In addition to their two upcoming sold-out Hyde Park shows in early July, British rockers Blur are releasing a full career-spanning collection, Midlife: A Beginner's Guide To Blur, on Capitol/EMI Records July 28. The two-disc set contains 25 tracks, including both hit singles and lesser-known songs. ... read more
Found in: Music, NewsRadiohead: Pablo Honey, The Bends, OK Computer (reissues)
While the British press argued... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsThe Decemberists: The Hazards of Love
Three editors create three haiku for the Portland band's latest... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsBeastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique (20th Anniversary Edition)
By 1988, the Three Hip-Hop Stooges... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsLily Allen: It’s Not Me, It’s You
There are particular types of sarcastic wisdom and... read more
Found in: Music, Reviews