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Moscow Olympics – “Cut the World” (2008)
Cut the World is modern, jangly, dreamy, twee pop reminiscent of similar-sounding ’80s indie pop bands, particularly The Wake. Seriously! If you like this, listen to Something That No One Else Could Bring, it’s practically the same thing (but better). Though derivative, Cut the World does that scene justice. Every song is good, and what it lacks… (read more)
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Paul Simon – “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” (1973)
There Goes Rhymin’ Simon is Paul Simon’s third solo album, but it’s the first that shows the next evolution in his songwriting after his work with Simon & Garfunkel. Though predominately driven by folk rock instrumentation like always, we see Simon incorporating many new instruments such as electric guitars, organs, and livelier percussion that’s heavier… (read more)
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Manic Street Preachers – “Lifeblood” (2004)
Lifeblood is the second-best Manic Street Preachers (MSP) album after The Holy Bible. For the first time in the MSP catalog, synthesizers take the lead and wash over the guitars, layering everything and making one of the most silky-smooth “rock” albums you’ll ever hear, while James Dean Bradfield’s vocals elevate the album to something almost soulful.… (read more)
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The Wake – “Make It Loud” (1990)
If you’re looking at Make It Loud, it’s because you loved Here Comes Everybody and/or Something That No One Else Could Bring and wanted to know if later efforts by The Wake continue in their style and quality. You might see the poor reception and assume not, but you want to be sure. Well, your assumption would be right.… (read more)
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Better Than Ezra – “Deluxe”
‘Deluxe’ by Better Than Ezra sounds like a poor man’s R.E.M. Not enough strong hooks here to be a great pop rock album. (read more)
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My Bloody Valentine – “m b v” (2013)
I just want to be the first to call m b v the “indie Chinese Democracy” before Pitchfork says it 10 times in their review. I don’t actually view this as another Chinese Democracy at all, I just wanted to be the first to say it. After all, I was one of the first people… (read more)
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The Olivia Tremor Control – “Music From the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle” (1996)
You know all those retro indie bands around today that make music styled in the vein of ’60s psychedelic pop, only mildly updating it with more modern (but still tepid) production tricks? Well, that stuff has actually been going on as far back as the ’90s. Dusk at Cubist Castle is an extremely derivative album,… (read more)
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Astrobrite – “Crush”
Crush by Astrobite is by-the-numbers shoegaze. It’s too same-y and mediocre to be worth your time. Good luck telling the tracks here apart. Sure you’ve got your fuzzy, noisy crunchers and ethereal, cyclical, slow songs, but those are your only two modes. Also, the vocalist thinks he’s Kevin Shields—but no one is! I don’t know… (read more)
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Pet Shop Boys – “Elysium”
Is Elysium the Pet Shop Boys’ worst? No, that doesn’t sound right. After such a long career, it’s nice to see Pet Shop Boys taking a new direction, which in this case is that of the ambient pop variety. They do an acceptable job at it, not a great one. Elysium is excellently produced, as… (read more)
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The Byrds – “The Notorious Byrd Brothers”
On ‘The Notorious Byrd Brothers,’ The Byrds oversaturate their album with too much hippy-dippy, reverbing, psychedelic production and undermine the immediacy of their signature jangly pop rock. (read more)