A State Of Trance At Ibiza, 2015 – Armin Van Buuren – When I first went to a State Of Trance gig, maybe five years ago, Armin seemed like a more mainstream alternative to EDM. In 2015, he sounds like the last man standing for house with melody that doesn’t sop to pop – B+
Burning Bridges – Bon Jovi – An odds and sods collections “It’s songs that weren’t finished, that were finished, a couple of new ones” according to Jon, though you might consider it the first post Richie Sambora era. But then again you might not since the only half way decent on this 21st century sounding Bon Jovi hard rock with country fringes album is the one written with Richie “Saturday Night Give Me Sunday Morning”” – C-
Rock N Roll – Buckcherry – Todd Leibowitz will be happy, the hard rockers who are like a glam AC/DC are back and if you’ve been waiting all your life for a song called “Tight Pants”, here ya go – B-
Emotion – Carly Rae Jepsen – After whining the record company made Carly Rae rush her sophomore album, here she collaborates with the likes of Rostam Batmanglij, Sia Furler, and Dev Hynes, hell Shellac is on the first track, so I went in search of the “Call Me Maybe” singers breakthrough songs. I found “All That, where she has all the depth of a washing machine. I think it is the voice, myself – C
Hermits On Holiday – Drinks – The Cate Le Bon – Tim Presley (of White Fence) is very DIY bedsit songs with a great singer, a not great singer, and a meeting of worlds urban low key experimental too clever little vibe: all very 1979 the Fall meets Y Pants. Could have done without “Time, Do I Like The Dog”. Des the word self-indulgent mean anything? – B
Immortalized – Disturbed – Give em this, the David Drayman can actually sing, , he has the bowels of hell edge to his voice which he restrains and instead reaches for a prog operatic tone, the sound coalesces into an intense metal meets nu thing and their four years hiatus hasn’t harmed it – C+
Meliora – Ghost BC – hey, I’ll support the devil if the price is right, but if all he has is these Swedish mid-tempo metal guys I think I’ll pass – C+
Live In Cuba – Jazz From The Lincoln Center orchestra With Wynton Marsalis – Three sold out nights at Mella Theater in Havana, redux – B+
Right Here Right Now – Jordin Sparks – The American Idol finalist first solo album in five years is a mix of new and old r&b and none the better for it. When 2Chainz is your featured artist and you can a track “Boyz In The Hood” you should really mean it a little – C
Wild Ones – Kip Moore – While the bar couldn’t be much lower, as far as low bars go this sophomore set is pretty good middlebrow country rockers. “Come And Get It” is a good song – B
Greatest Hits – Linda Ronstadt – remastered but any excuse works for me. 17 songs, 15 of which are great – A
#392: The EP Collection – Marshall Crenshaw – a nmust hear compilation of his EPs , 13 songs that are absolutely exquisite plus the Carpenters cover of your dreams – A
The Meth Lab – Method Lab – He would be a legend if only for “The What” but nine years later what I wanna hear is Method Man, not his friends and posse. Nearly two hours in length and a real disappointment. We have been promised a proper album soon – C+.
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats -Soul and r&b retro rockers who have all the sincerity in the world and the lead singer to push em through – B+
Carry The Ghost – Noah Gundersen – Lo-fi singer songwriter stuff but if you’re gonna be this quiet you have to write indelible tunes like Sufjan Stevens does, though the album repays attention, it asks too much and it takes too long – C+
Crosswords EP – Panda Bear – A remix, an oldie reprogrammed, an experimental track, and two killer newbies – B+
On Love – Pillars – Christian rockers, please God make them stop – D+
The Awakening – P.O.D. – P. O.D. – are the “Youth Of The Nation” Christiancore standard bearers, well and above the best of the lot, this isn’t for everyone, but if you want well thought out story albums here it is. Not a dud in the lot, you might not agree with its faith but even if you don’t this is very strong, melodic and intelligent stuff. Try “This Goes Out To You”: in a week with so much dreadful CCM, God save P.O.D. – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+
As Family We Go – Rend Collective – Irish Christians, songs of praise for the hard of hearing, the only way this doesn’t suck hard is in comparison to Hillsong Collective. I guess the opening “Celebrate” isn’t the worse thing I’ve ever heard but both Jesus and you deserve a lot better – C-
The Great Immortal – Rob Thomas – Rob’s excuse for his soulless pop soul was success: when you are moving your little album equivalent units many a sin is forgiven. But a listen to “Trust You”, co-written by one Ryan Tedder, is not untypical of an album that sounds eager and dated. Up a grade if it sells, and up a lot if it sells well – C
Songs In The Key Of Price – Sean Price – The Heltah Skeltah rapper died in his sleep last week at the age of 42. This reminds you why it is such a loss, dark smart and serious, you can hear him breath – B+
Routine Breathing – Slaves – Typical mainstream rock album, a little harder maybe, and the rhythm is crunchy but I can’t take the singing – C
One Place Live – Tasha Cobbs – “Singer, songwriter, minister and palmist” according to ROVI. Come back Satan, all is forgiven – D
The Making Of – The Bohicas – Catchy UK rockers, in that UK rock middleground between fast and plod – B-
High Country – The Swords – This is old time Led Zeppy (without as much blues) heavy metal and a timely reminder of what this stuff can sound like – B+
Space EP – The Devil Wears Prada – Five years after the Christiancore metal bands Zombie EP, the band returns to the form with a 20 minute EP about a Zombie Apocalypse. I am sure Jesus is proud – B-
Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied – The Fratellis – Eight years after Costello Music, I still like these confident, good natured indie rockers. Just not enough to actually listen to them very often. When a new album is released, I give it a spin, nothing offends me, some of it is pretty good, and then I move on with my life – B-
KALA – Trevor Hall – Jack Johnson wannabe… what? JACK JOHNSON WANNABE???? – D
Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: Disneyland – Various Artists – This keeps a lot of the old Disneyland (the one I remember from 1975) in place. Can’t say I plan to listen much but hey it is there if I do – C+
We Are Your friends Soundtrack – Various Artists – DJ movie with Zak Efron as Avcii no doubt, pretty good, especially Will Sparks “Ah Yeah So What”, which I missed last year – B+
Shadow World – Wolfheart – Very dramatic Danish Goth metal with a classical twist. A pleasant (if that’s the word) surprise) – B
