Little Simz’s ‘GREY Area’ deserves every plaudit and prize coming its way, and if there’s any justice, they will arrive by the barrel load.
Read morePartners In Rhyme Smif-N-Wessun Return Reinvigorated with ‘The All’ | Album Review
Here’s to another adult contemporary rap album, which is age-appropriate in its reflections of the ‘90s without succumbing to excessive nostalgia and sentimentality.
Read moreDido’s Distinctive Pop Pulse Radiates on Stirring ‘Still On My Mind’ | Album Review
The vocal, lyrical and arrangement levels all function superbly throughout the runtime of ‘Still On My Mind,’ which makes for an absorbing listen.
Read moreSolange Aims High with Captivating & Challenging ‘When I Get Home’ | Album Review
Solange’s fourth album unfolds as a loosely constructed, often lyrically repetitive set of songs that intermingle and flow into one another to an even greater degree than her previous album.
Read more‘Sky Blue’ Extends the Mystique & Magic of Townes Van Zandt’s Songcraft | Album Review
Van Zandt’s ability to bring songs to life with just his words, voice and guitar is why, some 20 years after his death, people are still re-examining and enjoying his work.
Read moreCzarface Deliver Another Dose of Dopeness With Ghostface Killah Collaboration ‘Czarface Meets Ghostface’ | Album Review
The collaboration succeeds because all three emcees deliver what their longtime fans were hoping for: an album that is current, but harks back to their best moments in the past.
Read moreSwindle Paves a Distinctive & Dynamic Musical Path with ‘No More Normal’ | Album Review
‘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.
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