Editorial Review

Nine seconds into her first studio album since 2002's Read more

Reviews (70)

An impressive cohesive whole
With her flaming red hair and imposing good looks, Neko Case strikes an impressive pose, but that's nothing compared to the development of her singing and songwriting over the past few years. This album bathes her strong voice with echoing reverb, making her tales of love and loss seem even more apocalyptic. Case mixes country, folk and pop with an unusual deftness that sets her apart from the veritable army of female singer songwriters on todays music scene, and with backup from the likes of Calexico, one of the finest roots rock groups around, the music meshes very well with the lyrics.
wonderful stuff..
"Alt-country" would indeed be a limiting description,none-the-less an accurate point of reference,as this artist is obviously drawing from past Country musicians.But make no mistake,this is not a tired retread thru the same-old same-old but rather an exceptional modern piece of music.I'm usually more inclined towards the Heavy than the twangy,but this is just so well written and catchy with a distinct melancholic cloud hanging over the proceedings,and this woman can SING.One of the few recent musicians that deserve that designation!

"Country Noir" indeed - excellent purchase
After having this recommended to me as a hard-to-categorize album, I was lucky enough to stumble into a copy the next day.The beautifully produced, played, sung, and especially well written songs on this album are haunting and catchy at the same time.The album comes in at just about 35 mintues, which is perfect for a quiet listen while reading or driving around.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

Reviews (137)

Totally addicting!
I bought this CD for two main reasons - "Dirty Little Secret" and "Move Along." After sampling the tunes I found myself liking a few others and so I took the plunge and bought this CD.
Hi
I dont know anything about the AAR!
Friggin' Addicting!
I can't stop listening to this!
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Emo    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Punk-Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Battling his own personal demons while he has been highly coveted as a producer for other bands, singer/songwriter Mark Linkous' output with his own Sparklehorse has been as irregular as it is ingenious. And it's been five years since the candid album Read more

Reviews (2)

Light years of dreaming
Oh, heavens. Every song, every moment was worth waiting for.
I dreamt for light years...
It's been five long years since Sparklehorse's "It's A Wonderful Life," which is probably the most "ordinary" album Mark Linkous has ever produced. But the mysterious Linkous returns to his peak with"Dreamt For Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain," his fourth album full of unpredictable indie-rock.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Dream Pop    4. Indie Rock    5. Noise Pop    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Immaculately prolific and blatantly ambitious, My Morning Jacket celebrate eight years as a recording band with what many refer to as a death knell: the double live album. Yet it takes but a single listen to declare that the brass neck and bravado pays off for this Kentucky band of longhairs, which released the 21-song epic as a companion piece to their concert DVD. Songwriter and singer Jim James's howling falsetto ricochets through MMJ's backlog of songs, which have been reenergized for the stage by the band's airtight live-show mettle. Dusting off remnants of the first two records like "I Think I'm Going to Hell" and the stunning "The Way That He Sings," then lining them up with the more contemporary "Gideon" and "What a Wonderful Man," MMJ never take their foot off the gas. In fact, rather than getting bogged down in concert-album fashion, Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (7)

One of the greatest live albums of all-time ****1/2
My Morning Jacket is an incredible band.I knew I could always count on them to release a solid psychedelic, southern rock record.But when "Z" came out in 2005, I was absolutely speechless; there was finally a band in the United States to compete with Radiohead, and incidentally, "Z" is probably the best album released since "Ok Computer."It took the band to a whole new level.They went from being solid to superstars; from doing obscure music magazine interviews to releasing a concert in indie theaters across the country.
The ultimate live album from the best live act these days
My Morning Jacket has steadily been climbing the commercial and critical recongition in the last 6 years, with 2005's "Z" album ranking easily as one of the best albums of last year. MMJ has built its reputation as a tireless live act, and finally MMJ releases a live album, and what a joy it is.
JamBase CD Review
The whole idea of a live album can be a bit tricky for all bands, especially for a great band like the Kentucky boys of My Morning Jacket. Let's face it - out of all the groundbreaking artists of the past 40 years who've cut a live one, about 90 percent of them seem to be sub-par. And no, the live downloaded Phish and .moe bootlegs that you listened to in your college dorm while sucking on a glass Jerome Baker piece don't count. Sure, the concerts at which they were recorded must've been enjoyable for the fans, but it can be very taxing when attempting to capture the essence of what it's like being there as a concertgoer in that exact moment. A double-disc album, Okonokos was recorded last November during a two-night stint at The Fillmore in San Francisco, while touring in support of their latest release Z, which was on many critics' year-end top ten lists. Okonokos exhibits the majestic semblance of MMJ's live shows and proves that they are not a jam band but instead a band that just knows how to jam.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Indie Pop    3. Neo-Psychedelia    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

The warm melancholy of Gary Lightbody's voice makes for a versatile instrument on Snow Patrol's Read more

Reviews (177)

Once again fooled by the wannabee critics!
I got burned again. I thought Snow Patrol's "Final Straw" would be a 4 star rating, which meant it would be a good buy. Instead, I get a CD that does not have what it takes to be seriously impressed. I read one review that claimed it was perfect in every way (really!) and the emotion and enthusiasm of such and others that follow made me buy this CD. One or two songs perhaps but not the CD I expected. They are an average band but certainly lacking the genius that some of the better groups have. From now on I will try to read between the lines when using people's review to make my purchasing of music decisions. Yes, I sound like a whiner and probably I am when it comes to being let down. Do not get me wrong, I usually value the good advice of individuals such as myself that share their opinions. Some of these opinions are awesome, right on the money! Then again, I do understand that for one listener it might be the most beatiful thing to hit the airwaves and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Where I get confused is when I read the average stars of the reviewers and they say 4 or more stars. Then I like to believe this is something special, perhaps to be bought immediately. Sadly, this is not the case of Snow Patrol's "Final Straw". Adjectives like boring, uneventful, average come to mind, nothing to write home about it, that is for sure! Just telling it like I feel them, I love music, can't live without it and I am forever on the look for originality, talent and awesome performers. There are far and few, but Snow Patrol does not fit the bill. 3* at the most.

Very Nice
Why isn't this band more popular?They remind me of Keane, Reindeer Section (they share members), Pete Yorn (I'd swear the second track is by him), and early Radiohead.The whole album is good but tracks one and two are standouts.Someone already said this in their review but I'll say it again; it's beautiful and melodic.The album zips by and you're left saying, "wow".

this is a great band.
i have to say i'm not quite up with alot of new bands. i have my own personal favorites that i stick with. every once in awhile you stumble across a new band you hear of. this band "SNOW PATROL" i found out quite by accident.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Twee Pop   

Editorial Review

Writer and director Zach Braff does a masterful job matching the charming, heartfelt tone of films like Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (297)

Zach Braff REALLY knows what rocks.
The soundtrack CD to Zach Braff's "Garden State" pulls an impressive double coup: simultaneously it's one of the best movie soundtrack CDs of recent years and also one of the best rock music compilations. There isn't a single dud song on this disc, and several of them--such as "In the Waiting Line" (Zero 7), "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" (Colin Hay), "Blue Eyes" (Cary Brothers), "One of These Things First" (Nick Drake), "Such Great Heights" (Iron and Wine), and "Let Go" (Frou Frou) have become favorites of mine. Braff also does music listeners everywhere a vital service by reviving "The Only Living Boy in New York," probably the least known of the truly great Simon & Garfunkel songs. The soundtrack to "Garden State" is not only great listening on its own, but it succeeds spectacularly in doing what every soundtrack CD ought to do: it makes me want to see the movie again.

Greatest sound track ever
So, my girlfriend and I saw this movie some time ago and fell in love instantly. Half way through the movie we knew that we had to buy this sound track. I mean seriously, Ive never heard one better. If this is your kind of music, you will love almost every song on this CD. There is only 1 we seem to agree not to like, but that should in no way stop you from getting all the other great tracks from this album. Now when we watch the movie, every song that comes on we have to jump up and say "that's my favorite" from the opening scene to the end credits. Listening to this sound track will truely make this movie one of your favorites, if it wasnt already. A+ in my book!

Fine collection!
Selected by the actor/director and writer himself - Zach Bach, he did an impressive job of hand picking songs that embodied the emotional fine points of the movie. Not only do these tracks magnificently harmonize the movie, the songs complement each other seamlessly, and when put together, it created something fantastic as if the tracks should have never been apart to begin with.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. British Folk    3. Indie Pop    4. Indie Rock    5. Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. Soundtrack    8. Soundtracks    9. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

Reviews (2)

Strange, twisted, and funny
The second I heard the song, "Crows," I knew I had to own this album.I know nothing of Lemony Snicket books, but I've a been a Magnetic Fields fan for awhile.So, after very awkwardly browsing the childrens' section at the bookstore, I was able to find a copy of this really great album.I was very happily surprised to find that this CD is more in line with Merritt's great early nineties albums (like Holiday, Wasps' Nests, and The New Despair) rather than i or (shudder) Showtunes.This is a great mix of synths and traditional instruments (if you consider an electric sitar "traditional").The lyrics are very depressing/weird/funny/moving depending on the song, though some are all four.
The Gothic Archies' strongest outing yet...
...and one of Stephin Merritt's most memorable, and by far the funniest.On this album he is doing what he does best: being a glum old curmudgeon-popster with tongue wedged squarely in cheek.No knowledge of the Lemony Snicket books is needed.There are a number of direct references in several of the songs, but the lyrics stand on their own quite well, particular in numbers such as Freakshow, Shipwrecked, How Do You Slow This Thing Down?, and A Million Mushrooms.Expect an expertly crafted mixture of glum yet surprisingly catchy arrangements coupled with more of Merritt's hilariously morose lyrics.Highly recommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Lo-Fi    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (56)

To Expand Your Musical Horizons (Or At Least To Expand Mine)
I adored this CD. Being a huge Gilmore Girls fan I asked for this for my birthday as I had no money, and have not regretted it. I can listen to it over and over without getting sick of it, and I never want to skip a track, though I have my preferences (Clear Spot, One Line, I'm The Man Who Murdered Love, Human Behaviour, Where You Lead I Will Follow, I Don't Mind, It's Alright, Baby, God Only Knows). I was pleased to hear that I agreed with Rory on Child Psychology - I liked it because it made me 'gloomy'. I also love Sam Phillips and the 'la-la' music from the show, and the cues make great transitions on this CD, just as they do in between scenes. I'm ashamed to say I hardly knew any of this music before watching Gilmore Girls, but this CD has made me want albums by every artist on here, so that's probably what my next birthday list will consist of.

Our Little Corner of the World: Music From Gilmore Girls
The CD provides the themes heard on Gilmore Girls and that is interesting. However, I was looking for something more such as music referred to by Lorelai, Rory and Lane. As an example, it might have had "Shadow Dancing". It is not a CD I would RIP to a hard drive for inclusion with an evening of music. I would have a hard time playing the CD more than the three times I have played it.
Gilmore Girls Rock
I loved the CD. The main reason I bought the CD is that my 8 month old daughter loves the music during the episodes. I own the 1st 4 seasons on DVD and we are just about out of shows to watch. She loves the opening song and the closing credits. The only thing I was upset over was that the closing credits were not on the CD. Otherwise, it is a CD that will rock in our household for years to come. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Pop    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop Underground    6. Pop/Rock    7. Power Pop    8. Soundtrack    9. Soundtracks & Film Scores    10. TV Soundtracks    11. Television Soundtrack   

Editorial Review

Radiohead's third album got compared to Pink Floyd a lot when it came out, and its slow drama and conceptual sweep certainly put it in that category. Read more

Reviews (1969)

One of my favorite albums ...
I dont pretend Yorke is God but i like Radiohead.I loved OK Computer, I liked The Bends and Hail To The Theif, I could tolerate Kid A, and I despised Amnesiac and Pablo Honey.
pure music from the inner soul
i remember when this came out. i think i was in 6th or 7th grade. radiohead was known to me by the two songs "high and dry" and "fake plastic trees" from their bends album, so the name wasn't totally lost in my memory.
Not for everyone...
My college roommate played this cd relentlessly when it first came out & it won me over. More than one listen is probably a requirement in order to fall for this album. Its definitley out there. Apparently the lyrics are about the way machines dehumanize people but I loved to listen to the music even before I could understand what the heck the lyrics were saying.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Britpop    3. England    4. Indie Electronic    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (412)

Three Years Later...
I didn't quite understand the importance of "Give Up" three years ago. I was 18, fresh out of high school, and Such Great Heights was on some commercial for a car or something.
Awesome 80s throwback
I bought this for my husband, a huge Duran Duran and The Cure fan. He absolutely loves it. You can tell who these guys were inspired by. If you like synthesisers, this one's for you.

Amazing lyrics!
I can't believe I had never heard The Postal Service before now!This album is amazing, to say the least.The lyrics are very clever, and actually make you think, and the music is odd, but very creative. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. IDM    2. Indie Electronic    3. Indie Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

With songs equal to those on Read more

Reviews (205)

Deathcab for Snoozie - whining set to music
I'm an indie rock fan but I guess I'm just not at all an "emo" fan.Every time I hear emo I think of whining set to music.This disc has a few catchy songs ("Title and Registration", "The Sound of Settling" stand out) but the rest of it is just so slow as to put me into a coma.If that's the desired effect then OK, but just not for me.I don't mind slow songs and think most good discs have a mix of uptempo and downtempo songs but the downtempo is just too heavy here.It doesn't suck by any means, just not my sort of stuff.The lyrics are good, but it doesn't overcome the overall mood.I worry about this generation if this sort of music represents their overall mood - things aren't that bad - wait til you get older and you'll see.Go listen to punk rock or something...

meh
Pure magic my a%!.This CD like the other Death Cab has a couple fantastic songs but it doesn't make the album 5 stars.Get the singles from the apple store and you're set.Don't waste your money on the full album unless it's 50% off.

The crossing to Atlantic
Does anyone else find it ironic that DCfC's album before they switched to Atlantic Records is called Transatlanticism?Oh well....
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Dream Pop    4. Indie Pop    5. Indie Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Shoegaze    10. Twee Pop   

Editorial Review

Hot on the heels of their shock UK No. 1 single "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", Read more

Reviews (152)

Good Stuff
I just bought this on itunes mainly because I saw them play "a certain romance" on saturday night live and it inspired me to play my guitar along with the recording. the rest of the album is good but i still think "a certain romance" is well beyond anything else on the album. i actually find the single "i bet you look good on the dancefloor" kind of annoying but some of the other tracks are great!

great sound, should be getting more cred
arctic monkeys rock. litteraly. they are a great alternative rock group that cant help but make you want to turn up the volume and just start jamming. these guys are much better compared to many other upbeat rock groups that are trying to make it out there. these guys are definately legit. songs that i have enjoyed on this cd include fake tales of san francisco, a certain romance, and i bet you look good on the dance floor. like i said these guys are great and are bound to make you feel happier and more energetic when you listen to them. definately a good cd.

A Lesser Imitation...
...of much better bands. The Arctic Monkeys have been quickly labeled as a brilliant, breakthrough band by their fans and a great deal of the British media. The NME has hailed "Whatever People Say I Am, I'm Not" as one of the best British albums ever, ranking it at #5, just below The Beatles, The Smiths, Oasis, and The Sex Pistols and ranking higher than Blur, Pulp, The Clash, and The Libertines!The NME has earned quite a reputation for seizing upon certain new bands and shoving them in everyone's face; they did this with The Libertines. The difference is, however, that The Libertines were worthy of this recognition because they were actually a fantastic band and have been a major influence for newer bands. Some people, obviously, may disagree because musical genius is up to personal interpretation...but, to me, the Arctic Monkeys merely sound like the leftover scraps, bits, and pieces of their contemporaries. I thought "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" was rather catchy, so I bought the whole CD. I can't say I was disappointed, because it was exactly what I was expecting; more of the same! Though that particular song is a highlight (as well as "The View from the Afternoon", "Riot Van, and "When the Sun Goes Down"), the rest of the album is VERY forgettable. I've listened to it several times now, but I really don't recall most of the other songs off-hand until I hear them again. This album got to #24 at it's peak in the US and #1 in the UK (where it had the fastest first week sales of an album in UK history). It's not a particularly unfortunate thing that they're popular; they are, at least, a decent band. The problem that I have is that they're kind of stealing the thunder from some bands (like the Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party) that are far more polished and memorable than the Arctic Monkeys. It's also easy to pick up the hint of influence of The Strokes and The Libertines lurking within many of the songs. Perhaps this band's originality will finally come through in their second album. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Music doesn't come more touching than this. With their debut single alone, the emotion-fortified "Shiver," Coldplay prove they can shift between elated and crushed in a breath, as singer Chris Martin pours out music's oldest chestnut (unconditional yet unrequited love) with the shakiest of voices and a backdrop of epic guitars. For 10 tracks on Read more

Reviews (631)

Classic
I'm really late on this review.Parachutes is a classic album and my personal favorite from Coldplay.

Nice debut
I really am shocked by some of the things said by metalheads against this album... And then they go as far to say things such as "Try [insert bad metal band here], they're so much better than this pussy band... Chris Martin has no testicles!"
SCHUBERT NOSTALGIA
Lyrics and Mood are extremely important when considering songs! This is perhaps the best showcase of song writing since... When I hear this album I am saved-I realate it to the intensity of Schubert and the wit of Wolf. This is darn intelligent, thought provoking and praise worthy song literature! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Britpop    3. Dream Pop    4. Indie Pop    5. Indie Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (3)

Brilliant
This CD is brilliant! Six stars! It perfectly melds classical music with rock. I can't recommend it highly enough. Shara Worden's lyrics and vocals are gorgeous.

Original, and bright
While driving recently, I was lucky enough to hear a large part of Shara Worden's new CD, Bring me the Workhorse. I don't often listen to rock music--these days, classical is my preference when I'm not stuck in the car, glued to my kids' rap and hip hop--and I can't remember the last time I bought any. But this is one CD I'd consider. It's so original, and, well, musical.
A Surprising Debut!
My first impression of Shara Worden came when she was syncopating "I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S" to Sufjan Stevens' "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the dead!! Ahh!!" It should come as no surprise, then, that I envisioned Shara's voice to be cutesy and poppy. Add in the fact that my first time to actually lay eyes on her was in a cheerleading uniform, performing as an Illinoisemaker, and it really just seemed to fit. My Brightest Diamond is Shara Worden; a very different girl than I imagined.
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Subjects:  1. Dream Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

This Seattle-based band was formed from the ashes of the incredibly talented Carissa's Wierd [sic], whose mopey and self-deprecating songs were like some magical and baroque combination of the Magnetic Fields, Cat Power, and Leonard Cohen. Longtime friends of Iron and Wine, few fans in their native Pacific Northwest could understand why Carissa's weren't huge. But they weren't, and after three albums and few folks really caring, they naturally broke up. Band of Horses, led by ultra-charming CW bassist Ben Bridwell, is a remarkably different, though just as radically excellent, brand of indie-pop sulk. These songs are anthems to ambivalence, and Bridwell's lovely high-pitched trill will please any fan of Built to Spill, the Shins, and Modest Mouse. It takes a few listens to sink in, but Read more

Reviews (31)

Yawn
This is boring faceless alt country indie rock. These guys have less outlaw cred than John Kerry at a 1000 dollar a plate dinner. Normally I don't knock bands for doing their own thing, but here the affectation is too much."when we leave this place and drive back to carolinaand down to savannah and
Dreamy, Sad, Happy and Smart
I would hear a fantastic song on our local station KEXP (truly the greatest music station to ever exist) and after a couple more songs played, they would say that fantastic song was Band of Horses. This happened several times, then I saw them on Letterman and realized how incredible this band actually is. The vocals and echoey quality does sound a bit like My Morning Jacket. People have compared them to Neil Young (I don't really see it). Maybe a little of Flaming Lips thrown in. Possibly Arcade Fire. But they stand on their own. I can't listen to the CD enough. If you like dreamy, beautiful, well-crafted indie pop, or are just an open-minded music lover looking for something new and different, then buy the CD. I cannot imagine you'd be disappointed.

**1/2
Despite all the other opinions, I find that they sound much more like Porno for Pyros (Perry Farrell's post-Jane's Addiction band) than My Morning Jacket.They are much poppier and, IMHO, more boring than MMJ.This is very run-of-the-mill stuff that doesn't stand up to repeated listenings.I liked it most after a single spin, and my enthusiasm has shrank with each repeat to the point that I can't imagine a mood that would warrant another listen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Now that Beck has effectively exorcised his personal demons with 2002's hyperconfessional Read more

Reviews (253)

Uninspired .......... and boring
I just can't figure Beck out -- This album offers very little entertainment. You could always count