El-P & Killer Mike’s latest LP reaffirms that the pair have managed to capture their audience’s passion like few hip-hop acts have during this decade.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: Yasiin Bey (a.k.a. Mos Def) & Ferrari Sheppard Deliver Uninspired ‘December 99th’
Despite a few flashes of something interesting here, presumably the best thing about the 31-minute album is that it doesn’t waste too much of the listener’s time.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: Hip-Hop Vets The Lox Return Reinvigorated on ‘Filthy America…It’s Beautiful’
So how does 'Filthy America…It’s Beautiful' manage to navigate nearly 17 years of build-up? By barely acknowledging the trio's absence at all.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: Latest Installment of Miles Davis 'Bootleg Series' is a Treasure Trove for Devotees
Lifted from original analog session reels & master tapes, the tracks that comprise the triple-disc compilation were largely recorded between 1966 and 1968.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: ‘Let All The Children Boogie’ Honors David Bowie in Fine Fashion
If you want to introduce your kids to Bowie’s music while keeping yourself entertained, ‘Let All The Children Boogie’ is a great place to start.
Read moreA Tribe Called Quest Return with Triumphant Career Coda ‘We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service’ | Album Review
A fully-formed Tribe album in every sense, the iconic group’s swan song is simultaneously timely, timeless, and quite simply, terrific.
Read moreOn ‘Timeless,’ After 7 Return to Sing Soul for the Ages | Album Review
On their first proper album in 21 years, After 7 retain their trademark warmth without sounding dated. Simply put, this is good, unfiltered R&B.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: Alicia Keys Plays It Safe on Sixth Studio LP ‘HERE’
While Keys’ sixth studio album sounds fresher and more lyrically varied than her previous output, it ultimately steers too close to the middle of the road.
Read moreHoneyblood Make a Convincing Case That ‘Babes Never Die’ on Invigorating New LP | Album Review
The Scottish duo’s sophomore album is a noticeably more confident record with a more palpable sense of immediacy & purpose than its 2014 precursor.
Read more‘Running Out of Love’ Reinforces The Radio Dept.’s Enduring Promise of Evocative Pop | Album Review
The Swedish band’s fourth studio LP continues their sweet legacy, delivering a cohesive mix of smart, shimmery pop that stimulates both brain and body.
Read moreLeonard Cohen Delves Deep on Stirring ‘You Want It Darker’ | Album Review
Cohen’s 14th studio album finds the octogenarian in signature enthralling form, with his powers of provocation—not to mention his wry humor—fully intact.
Read moreWith ‘A Seat at the Table,’ Solange Crafts a Lighthouse in the Sea of 21st Century Despair | Album Review
Solange Knowles’ third album arrives laden with barely concealed fury and a humanity that embraces rather than divides.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: Two Years Since Her Magnetic Debut, BANKS Falters on 2nd LP ‘The Altar’
Despite the promise of her 2014 debut album ‘Goddess,’ many of the songs that comprise her follow-up LP devolve into plodding fare that fails to stimulate.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: Usher’s Lackluster “Hard II Love” Proves Hard to Like
Regrettably, much of Usher’s eighth studio album sounds like the recycled and insipid sonic & lyrical trends we’re currently inundated with on the radio.
Read moreTeenage Fanclub Shine on Revelatory ‘Here’ | Album Review
Though the themes of time and experience guide the entirety of 'Here,' the middle-aged indie-pop vets refreshingly avoid sounding jaded or complacent.
Read moreDe La Soul Deliver Fresh Yet Familiar ‘and the Anonymous Nobody…’ | Album Review
The iconic Strong Island hip-hop vets' new LP proves an often moving return that salutes their longtime fans and demonstrates that their outsider spirit is still intact.
Read moreLisa Hannigan Mesmerizes with ‘At Swim,’ an Unequivocal Triumph | Album Review
One listen to this hauntingly gorgeous song suite and you’ll be basking in its ceaseless afterglow, compelled to listen again and again and again.
Read moreRóisín Murphy Returns with Bold & Brave ‘Take Her Up to Monto’ | Album Review
The Irish chanteuse’s fourth long player signals not the beginning, but the continuation of her refreshingly imaginative sonic explorations.
Read moreALBUM REVIEW: Aphex Twin Mystifies & Mesmerizes Once Again with ‘Cheetah’ EP
‘Cheetah’ continues Richard D. James’ descent into peerless places, wrapping one arm firmly around sequential digital bliss and the other around analog warmth.
Read moreMaxwell Astounds on Dazzling & Romantic ‘blackSUMMERS'night’ | Album Review
The undeniable beauty of Maxwell’s fantastic fifth album rests on the fact that he continues to pursue progressive territory, without missing a beat.
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