Cloud Nothings Attack on Memory Carpark By Al Kaufman Almost every band for the past five years has made the lead of song for their album, if not their best one, at least one that reaches out and grabs, that pulls the listener in. Dylan Baldi, the man behind Cleveland, Ohio’s Cloud Nothings, does just […]
Ben Kweller Go Fly a Kite Noise By Al Kaufman If Nick Lowe was the Jesus of cool of the 20th century, then Ben Kweller appears ready to take over the role for the new millennium. Kweller writes pure pop for now people. It’s tight and crisp without being trite. Every song on here sounds […]
Red Wanting Blue From the Vanishing Point Fanatic Records By Al Kaufman Red Wanting Blue plays slick, mainstream pop-rock songs. That could be the whole review right there, but it would leave the layout for this review wanting. It’s like Train or Hootie and the Blowfish, or, to a lesser extent, Counting Crows. It’s that […]
Amy LaVere Stranger Me Archer Records By Al Kaufman Turbulent times often leads to great art. Such is the case with Amy LaVere. While preparing to make her third album three years ago, her producer and mentor, Jim Dickenson, died of complications from triple bypass surgery. Then her guitarist, Steve Selvidge, left to join The […]
Eric Taylor Live at the Red Shack Blue Ruby Music By Al Kaufman Eric Taylor is like that cool uncle you had. You know, the one who lived out in the woods in a cabin he built by himself. He talked a little saltier than your mom approved of, he didn’t care if you flipped […]
Dare Dukes and the Blackstock Collection Thugs and China Dolls Starland Records By Al Kaufman When Savannah’s Dare Dukes released his debut, Prettiest Transmitter of All, in 2008, he established himself as a gifted songwriter who could write a catchy (but not obvious) hook. But, most importantly, he demonstrated that he has a penchant for […]
The Romans Tomorrow Coming Soon EP By Stephanie Roman I discovered The Romans (no relation) while they were playing live in Castleberry Hill for a friend’s art fundraiser. While I enjoyed viewing the art inside the gallery, the music outside was even more compelling. The moody vocals and warm melodies mixed perfectly with the setting […]
Gary Clark Jr. The Bright Lights EP Warner Brothers By Al Kaufman In Austin, Texas, blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan is God. His likeness overlooks the heraled Barton Creek, defending it against the evils of cheap pop music. Gary Clark Jr, who grew up in Austin, often hears his name bandied about in the […]
Black Keys El Camino Nonesuch By Al Kaufman It surprises nobody anymore that a couple of white boys from Akron, Ohio (Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, to be precise) can pack their music with so much blues and soul, but the fact that with El Camino, their seventh album, they continue to get better and […]
Smashing Pumpkins Gish and Siamese Dream Deluxe Boxed Sets Virgin Records By Ellen Eldridge Amazing as it may sound, I had never actually heard Gish even though Siamese Dream punctuated my teen years. I never considered myself a huge fan of Smashing Pumpkins, but when I saw them live I was utterly blown away by […]
The Cure Bestival Sunday Best Recordings By Ellen Eldridge The immediate warmth of the bittersweet opening paragraph to “Plainsong” opens the two-CD set with, “‘I think it’s dark and it looks like rain,’ you said/’And the wind is blowing like it’s the end of the world,’ you said/’And it’s so cold it’s like the cold […]
Korn The Path of Totality Roadrunner By Ellen Eldridge Korn came through Atlanta headlining for the Mayhem Festival in 2010, and again this fall to play Wild Bill’s. As soon as the opening track, “Chaos Lives in Everything,” started with its hi-hat beat and techno feel. Deeper into The Path of Totality the sound recalls […]
Bob Seger Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets Capitol Records By Ellen Eldridge An amusing thought always occurs at the mention of the words “Greatest Hits” or, in the case of the collected works of Bob Seger, “Ultimate Hits.” I wonder what makes a song a “hit,” especially in light of the fact that […]
R.E.M. Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage 1982-2011 Warner Brothers By Al Kaufman For many people outside of Georgia, R.E.M. broke up about 15 years too late. They should have called it quits after Bill Berry retired and before Michael Stipe started bitching in his songs. R.E.M. had a few lean years in […]
Various Artists The Twilight Saga — Breaking Dawn Part I Soundtrack Chop Shop/Atlantic By Al Kaufman While the Twilight movie series caters to teenage girls who find nothing more romantic than sleeping with 500-year-old vampires who wear glitter, the soundtracks aim for a wider audience. Past releases have helped aid the careers of the likes […]
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