On his fifth studio affair, Saadiq freewheels, offering up a variation in tone and style that has not been readily displayed on his past solo ventures.
Read moreThe Hold Steady Traverse a Few Too Many Twists & Turns on Patchwork ‘Thrashing Thru the Passion’ | Album Review
While the band’s structural experimentation could be fun, in very few instances does it feel necessary or even authentic across the duration of their seventh studio album.
Read moreBon Iver Summon Their Signature Strain of Enigmatic Musical Magic Once Again with ‘i,i’ | Album Review
The band’s fourth studio LP is yet another installment in a series of never-ending layers that are labyrinthine upon close inspection and, from a distance, so simple and clear.
Read moreMurs, 9th Wonder & The Soul Council Congregate for Solid ‘The Iliad Is Dead And The Odyssey Is Over’ | Album Review
Despite a few shortcomings, ‘The Iliad Is Dead And The Odyssey is Over’ is another solid addition to the Murs & 9th Wonder canon.
Read moreThe HawtThorns Triumph on Radiant, Distinctive Debut Album ‘Morning Sun’ | Album Review
Ultimately, the HawtThorns’ gift is how they make songs sound pretty. They do it in a variety of ways. Their arrangements. KP's vocals. And their gorgeous sense of melody.
Read moreBryan Haraway Harnesses Positive Energy for Special, Self-Titled Debut Album | Album Review
Haraway’s debut LP reinforces that there’s something refreshing about an album that challenges the listener, without bumming them out.
Read moreNas’ ‘The Lost Tapes II’ Proves That Even His Middle-Tier Material Eclipses the Competition | Album Review
Originally intended for a 2010 release, ‘The Lost Tapes II’ contains a wide swath of cutting-room-floor material recorded between 2006 and 2018.
Read moreBig K.R.I.T. Embraces His Comfort Zone with Solid ‘K.R.I.T. Iz Here’ | Album Review
K.R.I.T. is definitely here, but hopefully, his next project will feature more of his musical presence, not just his lyrical prowess.
Read moreBANKS Examines the Complexities of Love in Captivating Fashion with Stunning ‘III’ | Album Review
BANKS’ musical and lyrical evolution is clearly visible throughout her third album, which finds the singer-songwriter further embracing her vulnerabilities to devastating effect.
Read moreThe National Tackle Life’s Biggest Questions with Colossally Beautiful ‘I Am Easy To Find’ | Album Review
The band’s eighth studio LP and accompanying film flow from a similarly heaping bank of emotion, both continuously informed by the relationships in our lives that shape our identities.
Read moreRyan Porter Sketches the Shape of Modern Jazz to Come with Inventive, Progressive ‘Force For Good’ | Album Review
Teetering on the verge of unbreakable, we hear Porter, cooking up-to-date compositions, employing different methods, and creating space for others to sit at the Jazz table.
Read moreFreddie Gibbs & Madlib Elevate Their Synergistic Game with ‘Bandana’ | Album Review
Gibbs and Madlib migrate from the honeymoon to the stability phase of their musical relationship with ‘Bandana,’ naturally bringing out the best in each other.
Read moreThe Raconteurs Fail to Recapture Their Magic with Listless, Uneven ‘Help Us Stranger’ | Album Review
The album’s singles are great, but the remaining tracks sound a lot like afterthoughts thrown together, making for an ultimately disappointing listen overall.
Read moreWill Young Seizes Upon His Strengths for Expertly Executed ‘Lexicon’ | Album Review
As it pertains to Young as an unconsciously soulful presence as a singer, he pairs his vocal instrument to these song scripts flawlessly.
Read morePrince’s ‘Originals’ Encapsulates the Expanse of His Musical Genius | Album Review
‘Originals’ reinforces the Purple One’s reputation as not just the most prolific, but also as the greatest all-around artist of his generation, hands down. Not that we needed to be reminded.
Read moreJordan Rakei Stretches His Sound to Thrilling Heights on Immersive, Inspired ‘Origin’ | Album Review
Rakei’s third long player is a record that deserves your time and space to flourish on the best sounding system and format you have.
Read moreMadonna’s Battle for Her Musical Identity Pervades ‘Madame X’ | Album Review
For Madonna in 2019, ‘Madame X’ is an intimidation tactic for the detractors and new kids on the block, a boastful display of modern pop might at the expense of anything else.
Read more‘Western Stars’ Is Bruce Springsteen’s Eloquent, Empathetic Elegy For An Alienated America | Album Review
When Springsteen’s nineteenth studio album succeeds, it uses themes of cowboys and the West to come to an understanding of humanity, rather than simply replicating its tropes.
Read moreSteve Lacy Stretches, Soars & Slays on Dynamic, DIY Debut Album ‘Apollo XXI’ | Album Review
A resolute do-it-yourself atmosphere permeates throughout Lacy’s debut long player and there is a refreshing lack of star-studded buddies crowding the track list.
Read moreAdrian Marcel Captures the Sound & Spirit of Modern Soul on Stellar ‘98TH’ | Album Review
On his latest album, the Oakland-bred Marcel fully embraces the moody, nocturnal sound of today’s R&B.
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