CD Review: The Dexateens — Singlewide

CD Review: The Dexateens — Singlewide

The DexateensSinglewideSkybucket Records By Alexandra Edwards Alt-country has never really enjoyed a revival of popularity since its blip on the college radio map in the mid-'90s. Sure, individual bands or albums may enjoy some time in the spotlight, but there's no sense of exploration across the genre. It's a shame, too, since The Dexateens are […]

CD Review: Depeche Mode — Sounds of the Universe

CD Review: Depeche Mode — Sounds of the Universe

Depeche Mode Sounds of the Universe Mute/EMI By Stephanie Roman Considering the proliferation of '80s cover bands and modern artists clearly influenced by the synth-pop, new wave and dance music of that decade, '80s nostalgia continues to draw our attention. This summer, we find a diverse cross-section of '80s bands from Jane's Addiction to Specimen reuniting for note-worthy performances. What makes Depeche Mode any different from their contemporaries? Do […]

CD Review: Pistolero — Warface

CD Review: Pistolero — Warface

PistoleroWarface3 Bullets By Al Kaufman Pistolero is a bunch of music geeks who are so into it that they make their own amps. They know they're great musicians. They could have made one of those carefully crafted, perfectly produced technically mesmerizing CDs that showcased their talents. Instead, they sound like they were headed in that […]

CD Review: Cursive — Mama, I’m Swollen

CD Review: Cursive — Mama, I’m Swollen

Cursive Mama, I’m Swollen Saddle Creek By Julia Reidy The seminal Omaha band’s seventh full-length record seems almost made to be listened to in terms of pacing. It’s like an amusement park ride, quick and thrilling at times, but slowing suddenly, menacingly, right before a breathtaking plunge. When it relaxes, it does so via slowing […]

CD Review: Manchester Orchestra — Mean Everything to Nothing

CD Review: Manchester Orchestra — Mean Everything to Nothing

Manchester OrchestraMean Everything to NothingFavorite Gentlemen BREAKING NEWS: Atlanta is no longer the Home of Hip-Hop. Manchester Orchestra (Andy Hull on vocals, guitar, Jonathan Corley on bass, Jeremiah Edmond on drums, Chris Freeman on keyboard, Robert McDowell on guitar) has put Atlanta’s indie-rock scene on the map as a force to be reckoned with. The […]

CD Review: Telepathe — Dance Mother

CD Review: Telepathe — Dance Mother

Telepathe Dance Mother Iamsound Records By Stephanie Roman Dance Mother is the debut full-length CD from Brooklyn-based electronic duo Telepathe. The first track, "So Fine," is driving piece of electro pop that cleverly draws the listener in with gorgeous tone and a perfect mix. Put this in your ear next time you're gliding through France on the Eurostar for […]

CD Review: Jill Sobule — California Years

CD Review: Jill Sobule — California Years

Jill SobuleCalifornia YearsPinko Records By Al Kaufman You know Jill Sobule. You know her as the woman who sang the 1995 hit, "I Kissed a Girl," which included a video starring Fabio. Her name popped up again lately when Katy Perry recorded a completely different, and ultimately inferior, song with the same title.  Sobule has […]

CD Review: Gliss — Devotion Implosion

CD Review: Gliss — Devotion Implosion

Gliss Devotion Implosion Cordless Recordings By Eileen Tilson Gliss is a Kate Moss biographical soundtrack; a beautiful mess caught between drugs and rock and roll; Gliss is the music you listen to in the wee hours of the morning after partying in the underbelly of a city, and are coming off a great high.

CD Review: The HEAP — Deluxe

CD Review: The HEAP — Deluxe

The HEAP Deluxe By Samantha A. Parvin Close your eyes and listen to the first track, “One of Those Days,” from The HEAP’s debut studio album, Deluxe. I can imagine bodies jammin’ out at a gig on the festival circuit on a hot yet windy March afternoon, noodling to the funky beats of this eight-man […]

CD Review: The Coathangers — Scramble

CD Review: The Coathangers — Scramble

The Coathangers Scramble Suicide Squeeze Records By Samantha A. Parvin The Atlanta all-female quartet, The Coathangers, presents their latest and second full-length album Scramble with great enthusiasm. Their style showcases several characteristics of African and early American roots music (and ultimately blues, rhythm and blues, pop, hip-hop and rap genres), such as call-and-response, syncopated rhythms, […]