Now, Then And Forever – Earth, Wind And Fire – The first album since 2005 is their best since the 1980s, one slice of smooth and sexy disco after another with the horns leading the ways and the songwriting by committee, an enormous return to form from a classic band – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A
Dynamics – Holy Ghost! – One of the best modern disco bands around solve the problems that caused their debut album to be a disappointment, by which I mean the leap in songwriting first seen in “Teenagers In Heat” (not here for some reason) continues and the beats and synth, never a problem are just as good as ever – A
The Electric Lady – Janelle Monae – Yeah, yeah, all the usuall 80s icons are soundchecked on this many genre black dance album, hell that’s Prince on the first track. But Janelle could sure use a Big Boi or a Nate Reuss here and there. Still, the song with Esperanza Spaldding is killer – B
A.M. – Arctic Turner – Too mechanical and self involved to be sexy, it is a hard rocking album that comes damned close to sexy and tdamned closed to solving the former working class danceflooring walk home boys problem: how do you stop being what you are, a good English rock band, and become something else, a good L.A. alt rock band – B-
Love And War – Tamar Braxton – This one goes right down the middle from Toni’s kid (? -she’s 36 years old) sister. The fast numbers are great and the slow numbers aren’t close to good – C
Appreciation – Jaheim – 40 something black women might get off on these slow jams sexy songs, 50 something white men can’t stomach em. PS The voice is pretty good – C-
Coming Apart – Body/Head – Long arty mood songs by long arty mooder Kim Gordon, who once snubbed me at a party and I am pleased to return the favor – C-
Still Within The Sound Of My Voice – Jimmy Webb – Can’t say I was always much of a fan of this “Macarthur Park” songwriter and anyway “Wichita Lineman ” isn’t here!and I can’t say that these revisions with help from the rich and self-satisfied, does much to change my mind. I can say, I see why people admire him so much, he is a good lyricist and writes memorable and strange song constructions. At his best he is one of the best, but when is he at his best? – C+
Kiss Land – The Weeknd – Headlining Radio City next moth so I guess people are buying into this down beat r&b. Me, I am coming round as well especially on the one with Drake – B
Privateering – Mark Knopfler – If there was less of this 25 track slow folk guitar heroes return, I am sure I wouldn’t be alone in letting him back in. But who has an hour to search out “Miss You Blues”? – C-
MDNA World Tour/2012 – Madonna – I was going to wait a week before reviewing this, the way she made me wait four hours before honoring me with the appearance I’d paid $250 for. And then performed a smug, arty draggy shitty concert – F
Sound System – The Clash – Ha, you think it’s funny? Turning rebellion into money – C-
Atmosphere – Kaskade – Smooth and silky dance with the BPM way down and the atmosphere a soaring transcendence. Certainly better than we are used to from the popular DJ – C-
Feels Like Home – Sheryl Crow – Atrociously bland and poorly written MOR country – D
Fuse – Keith Urban – This is his country plus album? What does it mean? That he has heavier beats than usual on “Red Camaro” – C-
B.O.A.T.S. II #Metimes – 2 Chainz – Thank God this sucks, I couldn’t write that title time after time. An exception, nice to hear from T-Pain on “So We Can Live” – D+