Birdy Birdy Warner Brothers/14th Floor By Al Kaufman America is not the only country that makes huge stars out of televised music competitions. Birdy (whose real name, Jasmine van dem Bogaerde is a little more difficult to articulate) is a 15-year-old phenom from the UK who took the grand prize on Open Mike UK at […]
Mutemath Odd Soul Warner Brothers Records By Ellen Eldridge My interest in Mutemath reached its peak when I heard the term “mathrock,” because I assumed Mutemath would use more than the standard 4/4 time signature. I expected something of an intellectual band rich with musical texture, and style. Honestly, I don’t know why I thought […]
Taking Back Sunday Taking Back Sunday Warner Brothers By Al Kaufman Everything old is new again. Taking back Sunday started in 1999 when a bunch of friends from Long Island got together to play their post-hardcore, emo rock. They had a few personnel changes, but released their first CD, Tell All Your Friends, in 2002. […]
R.E.M. Collapse Into Now Warner Brothers By Al Kaufman If R.E.M. came out with Collapse Into Now on the heels of 1994’s Monster, it would have been their biggest seller.It’s got all the power and passion that has been missing from the boys from Athens since Bill Berry left the band. But, alas, Collapse comes out […]
We recently received a five-song sampler of the new R.E.M. album, Collapse Into Now (release date, March 8, 2011) at the office, and, if these songs are any indication, the boys from Athens are continuing on the upward curve they began with 2008’s Accelerate. Gone is the melancholic and mopey Michel Stipe that marred many […]
Iron and Wine Kiss Each Other Clean Warner Brothers By Al Kaufman With Kiss Each Other Clean, Sam Beam, the person behind Iron and Wine, should finally rid himself of the neo-folkie tag. While 2007’s The Shepherd’s Dog hinted at a fuller sound, Beam goes in full force on Kiss Each Other Clean. The CD opens […]
Jenny and Johnny I’m Having Fun Now Warner Brothers By Al Kaufman Those who complain that Rilo Kiley does not have enough Jenny Lewis will have the same problem with Jenny and Johnny. Jenny and her flame, Johnathan Rice, basically trade songs on their coming out disc, relegating the other person to back-up harmonies and […]
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