Vs (Other People’s Heartaches Pt III) – Bastille – Aka Dan Smith’s follow up to world conquering “Pompeii” and if the concept was to make them a little less uptight I guess it did the job. The Haim track is alright, I mean alright for second rate synth DJ bores – C
Greatest Hits: Decade # 1 – Carrie Underwood – I’ve heard very nice things about Carrie as a person, which is good because as a singer she is an overblown drag with awful awful songs, compiled here so you can remind yourself “All-American Girl” was a fluke – D+
36 Seasons – Ghostface Killah – The ridiculously prolific Wu Tang man throws in a cover of “It’s A Thin Line Between Love And Hate” just to keep us honest and we are honest but Killah spreads himself very thin himself over this to be honest and frankly I prefer him on stage where his rapping skills don’t blur in time – B-
Sharp On All Four Corners – E=40 – Here is another guy who should take a chill pill, this nearly two hour double album goes on and on well past the time you are looking for the nearest exit sign. A pity because I am sure there are other songs as good as the T Pain’d “Red Cup” but I can’t seem to find them – C
London – Frank Sinatra – In 1962 Frank went to the UK and recorded an album of songs by British songwriters. 50 odd years later, here it is, plus a handful of session takes, a live at the Royal Albert Hall Concert and Frank introducing the songs. This was the very height of Sinatra,the only thing better is the 1950s Capitol tracks – A
2014 Forest Hills Drive – J, Cole – I considered Cole a less irritating sex guy, a Trey Songz with less attitude and somewhat better songs, till I saw him live and realized how much better the songs were. Now I consider him a bantamweight Marvin Gaye and this fine album mixes post-Ferguson political takedowns with memories of his childhood and a clutch of sex songs. And no guest stars!- A-
200 Press EP – James Blake – Hand it to Blake, after crossing over to pop two years ago he has done his best not to go near to the mainstream. Electronic sound effects – B
Anybody Wanna Buy A Heart – K. Michelle – whenever I hear a musician is a reality star I check to to see if they are Kanye West and if they aren’t I ignore em. Let this Atlanta r&b singer be an exception to the rule – B
A Los Campesinos Christmas – Los Campesinos – The title says it all so don’t say you haven’t been warned. If warned is the right word, more than half of the songs hit home and “When Christmas Comes” is a fine Garth song whatever the season – B+
Molly Drake – Molly Drake – This is Nick Drake’s mom’s album, recorded in the 1950s in the family living room with just piano and absolutely lovely. Nick learnt a lot from he though not folk and more mood, this has a slightly Vera Lynn post WW II feel to it as well, Molly’s voice is a gentle soprano – A
The Music Of Nashville – Original Soundtrack Season Volume 1 – Never watched the show, don’t think much of the music – C+
Where The Nightmare Gets In – Nervous Nellie – Swedish rock band, talented with strong songs well constructed but a little on the bland side – B
PRhyme – Prhyme – This is Royce da 5’9″ and DJ Premier and a cast of thousand. Ab-Soul is pretty damn good on “Dat Sound Good” and the standard is maintained for a manageable 34 minutes of tough guy rap hooks – B+
Monuments To An Elegy – The Smashing Pumpkins – This is their best since… hell it is better than Adore. Somehow or the other, Billy Corgan has learnt from decades of ego trips, blind alleys, dead ends, and ego stressing and here it comes together with that anthemic sweet sound he used to write in the 1990s. Even cooler, with the years tightening both his singing and his arrangements he sounds smarter and kinder. By the way 32 minutes and done and not a wasted song, indeed not a wasted word . Added plus? Pitchfork gave it a 6.0 – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A
