The pace plods on some mid-tempo tracks, but overall this is a personal, politically-charged mix of dark thoughts and good vibes. [Aug 2019, p.88]

Bruce Springsteen began making this album in 2010--like golden reflections late in the day, it's been worth the wait. [Aug 2019, p.88]

Model 500 fans, prepare for increased static. [Jul 2019, p.96]

While such songs can be taken on a simple level as a promise between two lovers, like so much great soul music, tghere's a sense that Black Pumas, responding to the current mood of division and fear, are providing a what-the-world-needs-now- is-love message. [Jul 2019, p.90]

A pulse-racing revolt into style. [Jul 2019, p.96]

Though Robinson's limited lyrical purview rarely moves beyond "moths, dragonflies, bumblebees," the well-trodden poetry of the road and the inevitable woman with silver rings on her fingers, his soulful rasp, when combined with the Brotherhood's easy, 200-gigs-a-year musicality, is hard to resist. [Jul 2019, p.95]

There is a slight trophy cupboard quality to Ronson's accumulation of contributors but the conception, if not the feeling, is impeccable as ever. [Jul 2019, p.93]

Hot Chip remain ruthlessly consistent and relentlessly reliable. [Jul 2019, p.86]

The result is mesmerising--one lone, moving meditation on love and England and murderous empire. [Jul 2019, p.86]

The Raconteurs offers a much more straightforward and enjoyable 42 minutes [than Boarding House Reach]. [Jul 2019, p.84]

While the woozy house piano of Mad World, contained dynamics of Mind's Eye and tension-building twists and turns of Oasis are early highlights, RAkei's crying falsetto and brooding croon often carry far too leisurely songs whose midtempo grooves run the risk of rolling into one. [Jul 2019, p.86]

Blom hits all the alt-rock pleasure centres. [Jul 2019, p.96]

The pick of the Lou-less numbers are Dear Heartbreaker, a marching homage to Tom Petty, and the shuffling, Springsteen-lite Pretty Soon. But the Reed/Lofgren songs muscle their way to the top of the pile. [Jul 2019, p.94]

This time there's more of an improvised, experimental feel. ... Once again, Beam wrote most of the songs, but the imprint of both acts is pretty equal. [Jul 2019, p.94]

An epic beast. playing to their strengths while also sprawling in new directions. [Jul 2019, p.89]

Beautiful and surprising album. [Jul 2019, p.88]

Vibrates with a thrilling energy. [Jul 2019, p.94]

Where it really gets interesting--when you notice how music evolves and genre names become meaningless-is when the walls of commerce tumble down because musicians found freedom in the cracks and crawled through. [Jul 2019, p.106]

The big screen really suits him. [Jul 2019, p.94]

The incomplete tape of his concert. ... Some of the best moments on the 11 surviving songs from this University of Tuscaloosa show with Jack Nitzsche, Ben Keith, Tim Drummond and Kenny Buttrey are the mellow, almost hymn-like After The Goldrush and the edgy Alabama. [Jul 2019, p.107]

On this taut, pithy set he offers sardonic observations of human folly. [Jul 2019, p.93]

As passionately exciting as anything in the classic Carlos canon, Africa Speaks is an album of highlight after highlight. [Jul 2019, p.87]

Countless bands can switch from quiet to loud effectively; few do it with such overwhelming power as Jambinai. [Jul 2019, p.91]

Three Demons is yet wilder, more alien and untidy, swerving trad rockabilly's regulation grooves and crescendos in search of an often sinister and cactus-trippy otherness. [Jun 2019, p.94]

His vocals reverberate with the passion of Bobby Womack, the sensuality of Al Green and the sincerity of Curtis Mayfield. The music, an interlocking web of bass and drums, fanfaring horns and wah wah, carry his romantic ballads and socially engaged protest. [Jun 2019, p.95]

This time Fussell has a full band to flesh out his vision, providing front porch grooves that carry the same kind of woody resonance as those of The band. [Jul 2019, p.91]

It's wholly bewitching. [Jul 2019, p.90]

An exotic and exuberant affair with hard-rock, electronica and symphonic elements. ... Some might find the afterlife that Farrell's Kind Heaven promises a little daunting, ultimately. There's a helluva lot going on all the time. [Jul 2019, p.89]