The Compton-born, Long Beach-bred emcee’s music has grown more accessible with each new release, and ‘FM!’ is the largest leap forward in this process.
Read moreRobyn Solidifies Her Class Act Status with Masterful, Magical ‘Honey’ | Album Review
With ‘Honey,’ Robyn proves that even after taking a few years off, she is a true standout in a crowded dance pop scene, still setting the tone after all these years.
Read moreApollo Brown & Joell Ortiz Paint Vibrant Soundscapes and Vivid Narratives on ‘Mona Lisa’ | Album Review
Brown and Ortiz excel at their respective crafts and exhibit a musical chemistry that we’ve seen from hip-hop’s best producer/emcee collaboration albums in recent years.
Read moreEschewing Nostalgia for Timelessness, Boy George & Culture Club’s ‘Life’ Is An Unequivocal Triumph | Album Review
The trim, eleven-track ‘Life’ is breathtakingly accomplished and engaging, with the group’s signature sonics and fresh aural flavors in abundance throughout the entire affair.
Read moreAfter 18-Year Hiatus, Dubstar Resurface in Radiant Form with ‘One’ | Album Review
As if by magic, Dubstar’s long awaited fourth record has now manifested on the boutique imprint Northern Writes to stun loyal fans, surprise cynical critics and woo the uninitiated.
Read moreMike Shinoda’s Multiple Musical Identities Manifest on Stage in Atlanta | Live Review
Photo: Erin Kyle
Abandoning sadness and despair in favor of immortalizing his partner-in-song, Shinoda’s recent tour stop in Atlanta proved to be one of his most memorable performances to date.
Read moreRichard Ashcroft Rekindles His Melodic Muse with Conviction & Grace on ‘Natural Rebel’ | Album Review
Ashcroft injects the ten songs here with a musical joie de vivre that, while certainly manifested across its precursor albums, achieves full, fantastic bloom on ‘Natural Rebel.’
Read moreNeneh Cherry Embraces the Intimate & Introspective to Glorious Effect on ‘Broken Politics’ | Album Review
Aided by Four Tet’s production, Cherry injects the grooves with a transcendent, meditative quality as a result of her perfectly imperfect voice and been-around-the-world’ attitude.
Read moreElla Mai Transcends Hefty Expectations by Crafting Diverse, Dynamic Eponymous Debut | Album Review
Meeting the high hopes that accompanied the massive success of “Boo’d Up” was as daunting as pulling off a high jump. But Ella Mai gracefully clears the bar with her self-titled debut album.
Read moreKT Tunstall’s Musical Versatility and Vitality Burn Bright on ‘WAX’ | Album Review
Where 2016’s ‘KIN’ embodied the theme of “soul” as the first entry in a planned album trilogy, Tunstall’s recently released sixth LP ‘WAX’ acts as the ambassador for “body.”
Read moreMetric Play It Loud and Safe with ‘Art of Doubt’ | Album Review
The band’s decision to emphasize their strength of a thunderous guitar and sleazy vocal sound has definitely helped them head in the right direction.
Read moreBright Light Bright Light’s ‘Tough Love’ Points to the Future While Evoking Electro-Pop’s Past | EP Review
Rod Thomas’ unabashed embrace of timeless songcraft in a period of soulless track building via ‘Tough Love’ may possibly let him finally extend his reach even further.
Read moreMacy Gray’s Radiant ‘Ruby’ Solidifies Her Staying Power & Musical Magnetism | Album Review
Gray’s tenth LP reinforces the continued application of her wholly distinctive abilities as a writer, vocalist and collaborator which has made her sui generis in modern R&B.
Read moreInterpol Show Signs of Struggle, Stagnaion and Glancing Brilliance with ‘Marauder’ | Album Review
From its celestial NYC-dwelling dreaminess to the exemplary way the band’s individual talents coalesce, Interpol’s sixth studio album demonstrates the trio are in no way lacking.
Read moreMarissa Nadler Strikes a Cathartic Chord with Sublime, Slow-Burning ‘For My Crimes’ | Album Review
A critically-acclaimed artist for over ten years, Nadler’s eighth studio album ‘For My Crimes’ shines as another example of her preternatural talent and style.
Read moreTony Joe White’s ‘Bad Mouthin’’ Finds Strength in Its Simple, Stripped-Down Beauty | Album Review
With songs that breathe and run free, while fully realizing their potential, ‘Bad Mouthin’’ is the flip side of the over-production trap that plagues many an artist.
Read moreNobody’s Girl Dazzle and Delight with Impressive Debut ‘Waterline’ | EP Review
Vocalists BettySoo, Grace Pettis, and Rebecca Loebe formally joined voices as a trio just last year, but they sound as if they’ve been making music together for years and years.
Read moreMac Ayres Gives Us ‘Something to Feel’ with Dynamic Debut and It Feels Mighty Fine | Album Review
On his debut long player, Ayres pulls from a rich musical history, but his work is a revamp of classic sounds rather than a cheap imitation.
Read morePrince’s Fascinating ‘Piano & A Microphone 1983’ Uncovers New Dimensions of His Undeniable Genius | Album Review
‘Piano & A Microphone 1983’ captures the late great Prince Rogers Nelson in loose and freeform mode, on the cusp of global superstardom with ‘Purple Rain.’
Read moreBananarama Recapture Their Musical Magic with ‘Live at the London Eventim Hammersmith Apollo’ | Album Review
Available in a variety of formats, Bananarama’s ‘Live at the London Eventim Hammersmith Apollo’ finds the trio in fine and fighting form throughout its run time.
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