REVIEW: BLOC PARTY – FOUR (2012)
Did Kele leave? Are you guys still a band? Will the sound continue shifting towards more electronic? Less? Do you still play guitars? Bloc Party triumphantly answers all these questions and more with Four, their fourth album and first in four years. And it, for the time being, s
REVIEW: HARRY OAKWOOD (MILLIONAIRE) – EP (2012)
Gimmicks don’t usually do it for me. However, in the case of Harry Oakwood (Millionaire), I have to make an exception. On their website, the London-based quintet claim they formed at the behest of of a millionaire backer who sought “to build a band of brothers who would serve him
REVIEW: PURITY RING – SHRINES (2012)
The best music often comes via word-of-mouth. This one was as clear as crystal when, in mid-winter, Jeremiah Nelson, one of the Midwest’s hidden music gems, stopped me by mentioning this one band. They were the first of many recommendations I would receive from him, and proved to be the one t
Review: P.O.D. – Murdered Love (2012)
The San Diego quartet has spent the majority of the last five years under the radar. 2008’s release of When Angels and Serpents Dance yielded little fanfare despite the return of Marcos Curiel as their lead guitarist, and with two minor hits from that album and a South American tou
REVIEW: CROCODILES – ENDLESS FLOWERS (2012)
A senior quote in my high school yearbook read, “Sometimes you just gotta take a look at that wave and be like ‘Let’s party.’ ” Bear in mind, I went to a high school over a thousand miles away from the nearest beach. This particular senior was the epitome of effortless cool, a painful remi
Review: Wintersleep – Hello Hum (2012)
Wintersleep‘s LP, Hello Hum, demands a glass of Canadian Club and a massive window, covered in frost, overlooking the Cape Breton Highlands. Unfortunately, I had to resort to a humid St. Louis roof and a bottle of Jack Daniels. Simply a disclaimer; nothing more. The record begins with a
Review: Metric – Synthetica (2012)
Metric has built a name for themselves with their distinct attitude and Emily Haines‘s iconic voice. They’ve always stayed true to themselves, and with their fifth album, it’s no different. There is a surprising and refreshing uniqueness to Synthetica, which is reassuring to Met
Review: Norah Jones – Little Broken Hearts (2012)
How many little broken hearts? Norah Jones doesn’t specify a number in the title of her fifth studio album. There is a wonderful track titled “4 Broken Hearts” on the album, but the answer is not four. Based on the weight, scope and clarity of the hurt and vulnerabil
REVIEW: CHILDREN 18:3 – ON THE RUN (2012)
The home schooled Minnesota trio are music veterans by this point in time. The release of their self-titled debut on Tooth and Nail Records resulted in rave reviews and fans heralding a new powerhouse group on the scene. Two years later, they are back with epic (forgive the cliche adjectiv