Retrohash – Asher Roth – Asher’s problem is after “I Love College” everybody thought he was the white Eminem, when in fact, he was just another guy with weed on his mind and now everybody feels betrayed – C+
Young Blood EP – Bea Miller – Placed ninth on the X Factor. NINTH??? – C
American Beauty – Bruce Springsteen – An adjunct to the High Hopes LP, this time four originals, all pretty good and especially the title track. I would like it a lot more if Bruce didn’t say stuff like this about the pretty but slight “Mary Mary” : ” a lovely mystery, a small piece of heartbreak poetry that sneaks up on you with its slippery grove, punctuated string section and spectral lyrics.” He writes em plays em records em and reviews and they are all great apparently – B
The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett – More songs about lost girls and existential despair and a bit of a snooze getting there – B
Loom – Fear Of Men – Indie pop always sounds like this: like it is melodic and catchy but it doesn’t have enough to keep your interest .It is too thin – C+
Honest – Future – Like Rick Ross, when you stick Future on a track you know you’re getting that grasping rasping voice. But what happens when you put Drake, Kanye, Pharrell, Pusha T and more on a Future album? A better than Pluto sophomore album with lots of drugs, a coupla bangers and some sick ballads – B+
Sugar – G. Love And Special Sauce – More lousy rock and soul, didn’t these guys break up? – C-
The New Classic – Iggy Azalea – Aussie chick rapper? She has the flow, not the flavor. Catchy rap pop might do well but I bet Chanel West Coast will be seething with anger if it does – C+
From Here To Now To You 2 – Jack Johnson – This is why people turn to Satan. They hear him whistling and want to destroy all the finer feelings in the world – D-
Farewell Transmission: The Music of Jason Molina – Various Artists – Jason Molina, the late singer songwriter, completely passed me by at the time, but he was something special if this sprawling somewhat epic album is a standard bearer. A benefit covers album by alt and indie bands headed by Jim James, whose two tracks are outstanding. The title track and the other, with Bro. Stephen, the breathtaking “Almost Was Good Enough”. But there is a lot more as well, not least the other members of Molina’s band, Memorial Electric Co. ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-
Love Apparatus – Jesse Boykin II – Alt soul and R&B misses the actual song once too often – B-
Food – Kelis – It’s been a long long time since “Caught Out There” and this is a minor disappointment with a stupid theme (it’s not really a theme any way) – C+
Pop Psychology – Neon Trees – There is no reason why these tuneful electronic pop rock tracks shouldn’t do well. Just the right song in the right place and it could happen. Unfortunately, there is no reason why it should do well, either. Too nondescript, too ordinary- B-
Better Than Expected – Peter Stampfel And The Brooklyn And Lower Manhattan Banjo Squadron – I was hoping for an album of “NSA Man” and got an album of banjo instrumentals and lovely weirdness. Which I appreciate, especially on stuff like “Theme For The Exodus From Bushwick To Ridgewood” but it still isn’t what I wanted – B+
Long Time – Seldom Scene – The Seldom Scene – On Smithsonian Folkways Label and for good reason, this is first rate deeply felt timeless bluegrass. Plus? Their “Hickory Wind” features Emmylou Harris; Gram Parsons would approve – B+
Aviation – Semi-Precious Weapons – Justin Tranter is alreadyy 33, what’s he gonna do when he’s 40? More of this average to good dance pop? – B-
The Way And Color – Teen – Indie r&B? “Sticky” is a great song, “Breathe Low And Deep” a good song and every thing else somewhere in between except for the experimental ones which suck – B
