Insterstellar – Frankie Rose – I don't particulalrly like where Frankie came from, the drone pop of bands like Vivian and Dum Dum Girls, and I haven't much cared for where she's gone. But that's as much a boredom inthe relentless amorphous melodies. It's like trying to hang on to butterfly wings, the songs are crushed out of your memory the harder you listen. Grade: B
Leaving Eden – Carolina Chocolate Drops – If you're gonna call an album Genuine Nego Jig, as CCD did an earlier one, you better be black and you better jig. They do both. Their current album, which moves around Southern black country, sometimes songs of freedom, sometimes bluegrass, sometimes, timeless nallads. Is pretty good for the most part. Grade: B+
Visions – Grimes – One woman band, she's got a Pro Tools and she is gonna use it all over these pretty damn good dance pop numbers A lovely falsetto.. Grade: B+
Release Me – Lyle Lovett – It's been a long time since "That's Right, You're Not From Texas", which still doesn't excuse his take on "Brown Eyed Man" on this relentlessly tastful bore. Grade: C+
Mr M – Lambchop – This is tasteful as well but for some reason it seems to be a perfer ensemble of orchestrated modern pop. It's like mainstream if mainstream was post-mainstream. Grade: A-
NCZA/Lines – NCZA/Lines – Arty take on 80s synth pop. Grade: B+