THE HOLD STEADY DELIVERS ANOTHER KNOCKOUT PUNCH
By Michael Lello There was never any question about the quality of The Hold Steady’s swaggering brand of beer commercial guitar riffs and barstool sermons. But it never seemed like an aesthetic that...
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FUTURE ISLANDS TAKES ON BREAKUP DRAMA — AGAIN
By Emily Votaw In the post-post-post punk world where the Future Islands discography exists – where romanticism runs wild and every heartbreak is the most meaningful one and synths have the power to ...
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BECK’S NEW “MORNING”
By Emily Votaw Since some odd day in 1985, or maybe (probably) earlier, Beck Hansen has created a multitude of musical personalities, some poetic and distant (“Sea Change”), some defiant and funny (“...
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ROBERT ELLIS HONORS SINGER/SONGWRITER TRADITION
By Michael Lello Following in the footsteps of Lyle Lovett, John Prine and Jay Farrar comes Robert Ellis, a supremely talented songwriter who combines an introspective spirit and sly wit on “The Ligh...
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VOLLEBEKK OFFERS MERE GLIMPSE ON “NORTH AMERICANA”
By Emily Votaw Leif Vollebekk is an idealist. You can feel it in his music. The way each chorus-less, unwaveringly lonely tune wraps itself into itself until it snaps, wanders or rolls away from th...
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MALKMUS AND THE JICKS WIG OUT
By Michael Lello Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks’ music is easy to listen to. The sounds are catchy and jangly, and the words are a free-flowing mishmash of wordplay and in-jokes. A very pleasant e...
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KEVIN MORBY’S SOLO DEBUT A MAGNIFICENT STUNNER
Kevin Morby is like an old friend you meet on the street by chance and then spend the rest of the day catching up with as the city and day fades out behind you. His voice and music is comfortingly fa...
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CRYSTAL ANTLERS BLAST OUT OF THE GARAGE
By Michael Lello Garage rock or anything loosely called punk or post-punk can be a dicey proposition. Sometimes the attitude and energy is there, but to be blunt, the songs and playing prowess are a...
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DON’T “WEIGHT” TO HEAR BATTLEME’S LATEST
By Nikki M. Mascali It was only a matter of time before the ’90s became cool again. But who are we kidding? We all know the ’90s -- and pretty much everything from that grungy, flannel-lined decade...
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ARCADE FIRE HITS THE MARK
By Michael Lello There are a handful of bands in rock history that have made high-minded and uncompromising music and still achieved arena-level acceptance. Montreal’s Arcade Fire, a band that sees ...
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