KR-51 – Clare And The Reason – You can be as pretentious and weird as you like as long as you keep the construction from falling apart. Fair enough? This married duo succumb to the complexity way too often. Grade: B-
Swing Lo Magellan – Dirty Projectors – Three top songs, maybe five really great ones and not a dog in the lot, well, except for "Gun Without A Trigger". If anything, better than Bitte Orca – Grade: A
Voyeur – Saint Motels – An album that needs to be heard live, because on record one of the most exciting rock bands don't catch fire. On "at Least I Have Nothing" the dynamic is all propulsion but it doesn't ignite. The first song "Feed Me Now" sets the tone, a song begging for a little stick and I can't see why it doesn't have it, shouldn't the horns have provided ignition. Is it the production job? The beats seem closer to disco than rock so… Anyway, you already own the two best songs and I assume the grade will improve once I hear it live. Or maybe I expected it to be easier – Grade: B
Confess – Twin Shadow – This guy has a wonderful voice, rigged for soul. And he sings against modern indie rubbing right against 80s synth pop. It works very well – Grade: B+
Suicide Pact – JJAMZ – Sounds like Rilo Kiley circa their last album. A poppy dance mediocrity. Maybe I should up Saint Motels grade – Grade: C
Harakiri – Serj Tankian – Nobody expects the System Of A down singer to be fun. But we don't expect him to be a bore – Grade: C-
Murdered Love – P.O.D. – One of the greatest hardcore bands in the world, very few people can sell hip hard any more. This is one great song after another and you know how hardcore can all same the sound, these "Youth Of The Nation" guys never ever do. And? Highly formulaic, yes, but "Beautiful" is an excellent ballad and while it is wrapped in hardcore, just wait for the acoustic version – Grade: A-
Uncaged – Zac Brown Band – Why did Zac become Jack Johnson? The grade? I don't hate the title track. – Grade: D+