‘No More Normal’ unfolds as a tour de force of musicality that is easily encompassed by the artist at the heart of the endeavor.
Read moreSean Price’s Legacy of High-Caliber Hip-Hop Expands with Small Professor Collaboration ’86 Witness’ | Album Review
Across the ten-track affair, Small Pro’s beats provide the perfect accompaniment to Price’s signature gravelly flow and sharp lyrical barbs.
Read moreJessica Pratt Transforms the Darkest Hours of the Night Into the Sublime with ‘Quiet Signs’ | Album Review
A terse yet utterly transcendent triumph of a third album that illuminates Ms. Pratt’s evolving songcraft, the brilliant ‘Quiet Signs’ rather remarkably augurs that her best may still be to come.
Read moreGary Clark Jr.’s Genre-Blending ‘This Land’ is a Quintessentially American Musical Masterpiece | Album Review
‘This Land’ reimagines what contemporary blues might sound like without the profound influence of the 1960s British Invasion to alter its trajectory in the United States.
Read moreColin Linden & Luther Dickinson Craft a Whole Lotta Songs to Love with ‘Amour’ | Album Review
The performances captured here are all stellar, with the The Tennessee Valentines doing a particularly exceptional job of making sure each and every song sounds perfect.
Read moreChaka Khan Returns in Resplendent Form with ‘Hello Happiness’ | Album Review
Emboldened by her latest sonic surroundings, Khan’s passion is eloquently communicated, but with an edge that recalls the innovative peaks of ‘Chaka Khan’ (1982) and ‘I Feel for You’ (1984).
Read moreLe Butcherettes Forge Their Crowning Achievement with ‘bi/MENTAL’ | Album Review
Le Butcherettes have created an enveloping album of satisfying and addictive rock that manages to touch the parts of the heart and mind that deal with unspoken, deep heartache.
Read morePeople Under The Stairs Ride Off Into The Sunset with Style & Grace on ‘Sincerely, The P’ | Album Review
The L.A. duo’s final studio LP showcases their proven penchant for creating music that endures without ever compromising their vision, elevating their skills without ever chasing trends.
Read moreMonarchy Reaffirm Their Place Atop the Dance-Pop Hierarchy with Masterful ‘Mid:Night’ | Album Review
With their third studio album, Monarchy hold fast to their ability to needle at any and all sonic boundaries, a constant demonstration of a limitless artistic drive.
Read moreWith Nods to Hip-Hop’s Golden Past, Jay Royale Delivers Dynamite Debut ‘The Ivory Stoop’ | Album Review
‘The Ivory Stoop’ is a well-crafted album that maximizes Jay Royale’s abilities as an emcee with a savvy choice of production expertise.
Read moreSharon Van Etten Expands Her Sound & Vision with Revelatory ‘Remind Me Tomorrow’ | Album Review
‘Remind Me Tomorrow’ reinforces that Van Etten is an unnaturally consistent songwriter, her songs imbued with pathos, often just a breath in between the staggering joy and sorrow.
Read moreJames Blake Trades the Somber for the Sanguine on Stirring, Self-Aware ‘Assume Form’ | Album Review
While Blake’s fourth LP feels slightly condensed relative to previous outings, he still manages to leave enough room for the beauty in his compositions to shine through like a beacon.
Read moreMaggie Rogers Transcends the Hype Machine with ‘Heard It In A Past Life’ | Album Review
With Rogers’ promise and passion manifest throughout, her major-label debut album is an encouraging chapter in what will hopefully be a very long musical career.
Read moreSeth Rosenbloom’s Debut Album ‘Keep On Turning’ Approaches Blues Brilliance | Album Review
Even with a few imperfections, Rosenbloom provides glimpses of his potential as a singer/blues guitarist who has appeal beyond the Guitar Center set.
Read moreThe Beatles’ ‘White Album’ Resurfaces in Enthralling, Expanded Form to Mark Its Half-Century Milestone | Album Review
In conjunction with its 50th anniversary, the Fab Four’s ambitiously conceived and expertly executed 1968 double-LP resurfaces with plenty of rare audio treasures to behold.
Read moreThe 1975 Refine Their Perspective & Musical Palette with ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’ | Album Review
The 1975’s third studio album is less focused on the questioning heard across their previous records and finds the Manchester band more confident in what it means to be The 1975.
Read moreAnderson .Paak Paves a Bumpy Path from ‘Malibu’ to ‘Oxnard’ | Album Review
At its worst, ‘Oxnard’ mines tired, misogynistic material. But at its best, it shows the undoubted charm, talent and contagious spirit of its creator.
Read moreMasta Ace & Marco Polo Extend Their Musical Partnership with Eloquent & Engaging ‘A Breukelen Story’ | Album Review
A perfect rallying cry for fans of adult contemporary hip-hop, ‘A Breukelen Story’ showcases an adept producer skillfully scoring a veteran emcee rhyming with maturity and clarity.
Read moreMariah Carey Reveals a Renewed Sense of Artistic Purpose with ‘Caution’ | Album Review
A few forgivable missteps aside, Carey’s fifteenth studio affair still casts a wicked spell as a modern R&B record emboldened with intent.
Read moreLightfoils Summon Shoegaze’s Halcyon Days with Lush, Enveloping ‘Chambers’ | EP Review
Listeners who missed the first wave of shoegaze in the 1990s, or simply miss the sound today, should give Lightfoils a chance.
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