Belong showcases a young band operating at an impressive level of cohesion and consistency.
Even for a band that specializes in making gray-scaled musical monoliths, True Widow could benefit from the occasional pop of color.
I Remember Me makes tepid improvements on Jennifer Hudson’s self-titled debut.
Lupe’s half-assed, club-ready radicalism is ultimately the most frustrating thing about Lasers.
It’s only in the last few weeks that Adele has made a credible bid for her own place in the upper tier of female pop singers.
A combination of traditionalist songwriting and avant-garde sonics is what makes the album such a compelling listen.
The album finds Mogwai going easier on the ears than they have since 2003’s Happy Songs for Happy People.
Is it possible that Cut Copy has played things a little too cool?
Trail of Dead’s Tao of the Dead further bloats their repertoire with songs calibrated to induce despair.
The U.K.’s most stylish avant-pop renegades continue doing for indie what Tarantino does for cinema.
Perhaps one day Bejar will cut an album for the unconverted, but Kaputt is not that album.
If only Mike Ness was as concerned with keeping his own sound fresh as with giving patronizingly modern “updates” on the work of his forbears.
If this isn’t just meta indie meant to entertain folks who love indie rock and not a whole lot else, then what is it?
With this mixtape, M.I.A. has made great strides toward liberating her music from herself.
Just Charlie is a family reunion, and Uncle Charlie brought the potato salad.
Basic Instinct strictly observes a no-ballads policy.
Despite its conceptual underpinnings, Love Remains never sounds overburdened by theory.
There are plenty of “real” songs on the album, and the more simplistic sing-alongs sound boorish and annoying in their company.
All I Want Is You blends slick, radio-friendly R&B with Prince-aping theatrics.
Even without the affected singing, these ballads would still be unpalatably over-sweetened.