The Outsiders – Eric Church – Best of a sorry lot, never signifies the way he claims and never ever reaches Springsteen heights, but for what it is, this country rock album delivers as promised – B
Love Death Immortality – The Glitch Mob – Or Justin Boreta, Ed Ma, and Josh Mayer, three LA DJs with a great tweak and bass sound for the ages. This is the Glitch Mob’s sophomore effort and it is even harder than the first. An unwavering mesh of synth sounds, doctored drums and bass bass bass and bigger then life. Giving the EDM audience what they want – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+
††† – Crosses – The two EPs plus, Deftones leader Chino Moreno is a talented fellow and his metallic croon is a thing of beauty that has bought him a career over the years. But his songs haven’t and the song lets down the moody hard rock sound, a less electronic Depeche Mode… one thing, never call a song “Bitches Brew” – B-
Dizzy Heights – Neil Finn – Well, maybe not heights, but this is better sung than usual mainstream modern pop rock with some strange sounds zonking in and out. No, we will never get Split Enz again but this is a fair to middling pop album that proves when the mood takes him, maybe four times, Finn can provide a melodic jolt – B-
Acoustic At The Ryman (Live) – Band Of Horses – Ah yes, classic rock. If you liked em electric, you’ll like em acoustic. Me? I didn’t much like em electric – C
Ledges – Noah Gundersen – Singer songwriter meets Americana, Noah’s debut album is a strong collection of slow tempo quasi-folk, reminds me of early Josh Rouse and in a good way. “Cigarettes” is a great song – B+
Days & Nights – Daley – This is a superb collection of modern r&b with just a beautifully voice and delicate strong songs from the guy who did Gorillaz best track, “Doncamatic”. I’m sure you’ve heard “Along Together”. Well, the rest of it is just as good – B+
I Was Going To Be An Astronaut – Gregg Laswell – Arty singer songwriterly guy from San Diego remakes her oldies which I didn’t know to begin with but the remakes are pretty good – B
Emmarr – Tinariwen – Not much like the Mali Music you heard on Mali Music, this rocks harder with a Western edge to it – B
Between The Bars EP – The Civil Wars – “Sour Times” is one of their best songs – B+
Hotel Valentine – Cibo Matto – Too twee for my tastes, still this entirely unique Japanese trio do this off center poppy ambient looped de loop very well – B
Animal -Heart – Nina Persson – Sounds an awful lot like the Cardigans, though she’s lost some of her accent. The songs have stuck on a first lesson – C+
Cheatahs – Cheatahs – Canadian wall of fuzz rockers via London with heavy buzz as well as fuzz and they deserve it, “Northern Exposure” is a great song and a couple more sounded credible on a first listen – B+