Album Reviews
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They wanted, as we say, to ‘call their souls their own.’ But that means to live a lie, for our souls are not, in fact, our own. They wanted some corner in the universe of which they could say to God, ‘This is our business, not yours.’ But there is no such corner. They wanted… Read more
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Mark Lanegan came to prominence in the Nineties with his band Screaming Trees, a group that melded metal, rock, and the blues in a loud and truly innovative way. Sadly, like many bands of the era, personality conflicts and substance abuse problems would eventually destroy the band. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Lanegan’s… Read more
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Danish band Northern Portrait has thrilled all those who have heard them; their sound, a satisfying blend of indie-pop, has garnered them critical acclaim not only in their home country but also the rest of the world. Ta! is a collection of the band’s singles and compilation tracks, and it really speaks well of the… Read more
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To many people’s great surprise, Lambchop’s fifth album, Nixon, was a surprise European hit. In many ways it was a grand departure from the band’s previous work; lush and supple, much less “country” and much more R&B in nature, the album seamlessly flows from start to finish in one continuous groove. This was a newer,… Read more
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The Nineties were a very prolific time for musicians; the sudden popularity of DIY culture and underground, independent music, tempered with the easy access to affordable recording equipment and physical reproduction–these factors all led to small but fertile scenes. For me, I was quite fond of the indie-pop/indie-rock scene; though both terms are now meaningless… Read more
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Even among the varied and interesting discography of esteemed punk label Stiff Records, Passion Puppets is an anomaly. This London quintet had a decidedly pop edge, and their sole album, Beyond the Pale, was more contemporaneous with the New Romantic scene than with the punk and New Wave styles it was known for. Comparisons to… Read more
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Country-punk rockers Lone Justice‘s brief existence produced two fine albums, established lead singer Maria McKee‘s career, and helped to define the country-punk and nascent “alt.country” genres. This Is Lone Justice: The Vaught Tapes, 1983 is a rare recording from the band’s early years. Shortly after signing to Geffen, the band went into friend and notable… Read more
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Hindsight being what it is, it’s not very hard to hear what major label executives were hearing when they signed Murfreesboro, Tennessee’s Self. Twas the era of “alternative rock,” after all, and in 1995 that meant poppy guitar rock with clever, intelligent, and sometimes irreverent lyrics. In listening to debut album Subliminal Plastic Motives‘ opening… Read more
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Though he would become synonymous with grand, bombastic soul ballads, singer Billy Paul‘s career did not start out that way. His 1968 debut–an album long out of print–was a live-in-the-studio recording of Paul with his jazz trio. It is stunning, then, when one first hears introductory number “Billy Boy,” for his style is much more… Read more
The Recoup 