| • |
Bedroom / City
by L. Abramson
Something old and mostly new L. Abramson may not change the world with her voice and hollow-body electric guitar, but she might allow our hearts to take a breather and our lives to slow down a little. She'll fill us up with the empty. |
 | |
| • |
State of the Ark
by The Ark
Climb Aboard Swedish rockers The Ark became a proud part of the unofficial backlash against what lead singer Ola Salo describes as “that authenticity bullshit,” referring to the calculated “anti-image” of the grunge, garage, and emo music scenes. |
| |
| • |
Operation: Mindcrime II
by Queensryche
I Remember, but does Queensryche? Easily the best album Queensryche has released since Empire, but Mindcrime II certainly doesn't have the import of the original. |
| |
| • |
3121
by Prince
Prince is Back, and He's Damn Happy 3121 flows from beginning to end with only a few hiccups, and the ride is over in 53 minutes. Prince's triple-disc kitchen sink efforts are a thing of the past - the new Prince is calculatedly commercial and finally capable of self-editing. |
| |
| • |
Dante XXI
by Sepultura
Sepultura Descends Into the Inferno Dante XXI is the best Sepultura album to be released since Roots. |
| |
| • |
The Agoraphobic Cowboy
by Rick Moranis
Urbane Cowboy As many artists have discovered, it can be quite liberating to do something that is totally different from what they are known for. And like fellow Canadian comedian Bruce McCulloch, he proves he really can carry a tune, with a deep, mellow voice more Tom Monroe than Seymore Krelborn, managing to convey just the right amount of humor and sincerity in each track. |
| |
| • |
Sky High
by Bad Wizard
Metal Madness Perhaps in welcome reaction to the barrage of over-produced, image-dominated music that still holds a death grip on the radio airwaves and musical channels these days, the '70s style of metal certainly seem to be making a bit of a comeback, one band at a time. What Whitestarr are doing for southern fried rock, Bad Wizard are doing to keep raucous Black Sabbath type metal alive. |
| |
| • |
A Change Is Gonna Come
by James, Leela
Backward-looking forward thinking Leela James has to follow and coexist with a decade of neo-soul stars, and while she sports a rich, husky voice you'd expect to hear coming from the mouth of a 300-pound sister at a black church, you'd be hard-pressed to point at anything new about much of the songwriting or production on this album. |
| |
| • |
No Disassemble
by Slow Runner
Slow and Steady Wins The music of Slow Runner is described by the band “like if r2-d2 had an aching heart and a love for the noisiest beatles songs.” It is the brainchild of South Carolina-based Michael Flynn, who sounds a lot like Ben Folds. However you describe it, No Disassemble is an often transcendent pleasure to listen to. |
| |
| • |
Whitestarr
by Whitestarr
Re-Energizing Rock Although brief, the 4-song EP from Whitestarr's debut album (along with the aforementioned video on DVD) gives a decent overview of how they have mastered the subtleties of the genre. Each song skillfully showcases soaring guitar licks and Alder's appropriately scratchy, “rock-fried” voice. |
| |
