Category: Hi-Fi Friday

You’ve come to the right place if you want hot links to some of the latest music reviews online. Step right this way to the egress, er…I mean, the newly minted reviews!

Over at delovely Bullz-Eye, Jeff Giles has reviewed the latest disc by R.E.M. entitled Accelerate. “The new record’s surprisingly good – and, even better for those kvetchy fans, it’s good in a way that hearkens strongly back to the band’s classic sides,” says Jeff about the disc.

David Medsker cuts to the chase on Muse’s new release called H.A.A.R.P. “H.A.A.R.P., much like Green Day’s American Idiot 2005 tour document Bullet in a Bible, is one of those lightning-in-a-bottle moments that captures the band at the height of its powers.”

The Black Keys have returned with Attack & Release, and Jim Washington is there to put in his two cents. Says Jim, “Attack & Release is an apt title. The Keys’ music used to grab you by the throat and rock you. On this, they let go a bit.”

Switching over to Billboard, critic Sven Philipp has covered the new Rolling Stones soundtrack album, Shine a Light. “Much more dazzling than the guest list: More than 40 years into their career, the Stones sound raw and dangerously alive.”

Classic critic-meister Robert Christgau writes up the new Drive-By Truckers CD entitled Brighter Than Creation’s Dark over at NPR. Says Robert, “Like the old cowpunks they are, [Patterson] Hood and his band have a soft spot for losers and total scuzzballs. They’ve also written more good songs about musicians than any competing road dogs you can name.”

Carl F. Gauze of Ink 19 weighs in on Murder Mystery’s Are You Ready for the Heartache Cause Here It Comes, saying “Overall, this is a bouncy, tight band with a clean, happy sound, and the opportunity to make something of itself with its power pop love songs.”

Who knew the Breeders had a new one arriving? Well, I do, and perhaps you do, too now. Head over to Rolling Stone to check out Will Hermes’ review of the new disc entitled Mountain Battles. “Steve Albini (Nirvana, PJ Harvey), among other producers, keeps things raw; indeed, the record’s primitive art punk sometimes echoes Nirvana.”

Finally, over at Spin, Josh Modell discusses Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltisin’s Pershing. “This Missouri band’s music is so plainly likable that they should consider running for public office — even the off-putting name wouldn’t deter any voters who appreciate the shy prettiness of the Shins and the sweeter, least brash moments of the New Pornographers,” muses Modell.

Music reviews! You want ’em? We got em. Here’s a fine variety of critics’ thoughts on some of the latest releases from around the web.

Bullz-Eye’s Jim Washington gives his well-written report on Snoop Dogg’s latest Ego Trippin’. Sez Jim, “At first listen, Snoop’s latest album seems to fall into a pattern arguably going back to his first solo disc – a couple of killer singles surrounded by a lot of filler – but the more you listen, the more the filler grows on you, and the singles reveal themselves as some of his most entertaining work in years.”

Gnarls Barkley surprises everyone by releasing their latest earlier than expected. Jeff Giles writes up The Odd Couple, noting that “nothing on The Odd Couple offers as much in the way of immediate gratification as St. Elsewhere’s breakout hit, “Crazy”; though Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo still sound just as disconnected from current trends as they always have.”

“If you’ve been with PUSA from the beginning, you’ll surely enjoy this one.” So says I in regards to the latest from The Presidents of the United States of America and their great new CD, These Are the Good Times People.

The B-52’s are back…again. For good or bad, David Medsker states what many may have predicted about their new album Funplex: “Funplex is more traditional B-52s, for lack of a better word, with a surprisingly strong libido. It is neither their best nor their worst album, but it rights the band’s ship better than anyone had a right to expect.”

Over at Billboard, critic Kerri Mason tackles Junkie XL’s latest Booming Back at You. “Booming still sounds like music to machine-gun an alien attacker by, but with the subcultural electricity of a guy who’s played a packed Los Angeles nightclub or two, in the current, rock-happy decade,” quoth Mason.

Rolling Stone’s always enjoyable critic David Fricke gives a higher than average review for R.E.M.’s new album Accelerate, saying “[Michael] Stipe has not sounded this viscerally engaged in his singing and poetically lethal in his writing since the twilight of the Reagan administration.”

Ben Sisario of Blender covers The Kills’ new Midnight Boom and isn’t exactly bowled over. “‘Getting Down’ is a dizzy, horny dance; the lyrics are faux-menacing boho nonsense, but if you turn it up loud enough it won’t matter.”

Finally, Ink 19‘s Jeff Montgomery takes a listen to the new reissue of Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey’s Mavericks: Calling Mavericks ‘precious’—in the best sense of the word—is a pretty accurate summation. The album showcases more of the acoustic ’60s folksy pop influences of the two songwriters and even throws in a cover tune that was originally recorded by the Byrds.”

Hope you had a good week, dear readers. Here’s what’s cooking this week over at Bullz-Eye’s music reviews section.

First off, James B. Eldred dives headlong into the new Nine Inch Nails album Ghosts I-IV. James also offers up his thoughts on Fractured Life by Air Traffic.

Next up, Jeff Giles returns having listened to Here Is What Is by Daniel Lanois, along with Soul Speak by Michael McDonald, and finally Wisely by Willie Wisely.

Mr. TV himself. Will Harris returns from his small screen escapades to chime in on Get the Party Started by Dame Shirley Bassey.

This writer gives his opinion on the new reissue of Jesus of Cool by Nick Lowe. Yes, it’s still very cool after all these years.

Mojo Flucke wants you all to know how he feels about Squeal by Swamp Cabbage. With a name like that, you know you want to find out how things turned out.

And to wrap things up, Michael Fortes discusses his thoughts about The New Crystal Silence by Chick Corea and Gary Burton.

So that’s it! Do enjoy our reviews as always, and stay tuned for another new assortment next week.