By James Keller
Poor LeAnn Rimes. Stuck in a world of Britneys, she longs to find a place to fit in. To top it off, her record company bullies her around, and she sues her father. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, her record company throws I Need You, a sad collection of rehashed and unreleased material… Continue reading I Need You
By Jen Pearson
Modest is not something these mice need be. Thought-provoking musically-progressive albums are what Modest Mouse typically releases. Lyrically complex, The Moon & Antarctica is quirky and humorous. This album resonates with warped brilliance, instrumental experimentation and the coveted indie vibe that few major label releases can perpetuate. With auditory gems like "I Came as a… Continue reading The Moon and Antarctica
Intricate lyrics. Hypnotic back-beats. Forays into the weird and wonderful world of alternate musical genres. Just when you thought Sting was all washed up and done for, he comes out with Brand New Day–just because he can. It would be wrong to dismiss Sting’s latest effort as another pawn for adult contemporary radio stations; with… Continue reading Brand New Day
By Nicole Kobie
There haven’t been many CDs this year that I’ve actually listened to more than once. The M:i2 soundtrack, however, features great artists at the top of their respective games and genres, all on one fresh, energetic disc. The CD’s gem, a "Have a Cigar" cover by the Foo Fighters and Brian May, is complemented by… Continue reading MI:2 Soundtrack
By Rhia Perkins
Reviewing the Brown Eyed Susans’ Afraid of Heights is defining the indefinable. This album has everything: Beatles-worthy harmonies, crunchy guitars, foot-tapping beats, soulful keyboards, baffling 20-something angst-filled lyrics, strange samples and sound effects, and infectious melodies. It’s hard to say exactly what this album sounds like, as the Susans seem to have borrowed from the… Continue reading Afraid of Heights
There is a recording that exists in an alternate and vastly superior plane this year. The latest offering from Stereolab, the European oulipean pop geniuses, is The First of the Microbe Hunters which has no worthy competition in the musical arena. From its synth crankshaft opening through Laetitia Sadier’s soothing vocal meanderings until it’s melodic… Continue reading First of the Microbes
By David Kenney
"At least you know, you were taken by a pro," Aimee Mann sings in "Driving Sideways." Not only does she take you, but she spoon feeds you delicious melodies and soul-quenching lyrics on Bachelor #2. The former ‘Til Tuesday vocalist winds her melodramatic vocals around seemingly harmless songs that bore beneath the skin to hurt… Continue reading Bachelor #2
By Justin Lee
While Q-Tip choose to go the jiggy route on last year’s Amplified, the original five-footer from the now-defunct A Tribe Called Quest unleashes a debut that is nothing short of pure, untainted hip hop. Ventilation reveals Phife Diggy at his full-potential, as opposed to his more subdued performances back in the days of Tribe. With… Continue reading Ventilation
By Paul Margach
In the year when Y2K didn’t materialize, the power of man and machine would seem to be omnipotent. The sublime "He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot" opens Grandaddy’s second album and puts man at a technological crossroads. The storyline is maintained throughout and concludes with "So You’ll Aim Toward the Sky," where we start… Continue reading Sophtwhere Slump
By Natalie Sit
Far away from the spotlight on vacuous pop, Barenaked Ladies mixed Maroon, a step away from their hypercoloured and frantic previous efforts. No, it doesn’t have the number-one hits that Stunt produced or the classics from Gordon. Instead, it’s an unpretentious thoughtful pop album. Every song has a tint of maturity, but that doesn’t stop… Continue reading Maroon