Doris – Earl Sweatshirt – The place where rap and roam becomes reality TV but a slow, weary, draggy one. The best Odd Future album since Goblin is still not as good as Goblin. It is all missing papas (Earl’s dad is the African poet Bra Willie), fame and mollies in the the L.A. sun. The antecedent here is Best Coasts wildly underrated The Only Place, another album where the L.A. sun soaks you into a quiet disturbed place. One more question: who on earth listens to either album for fun? ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-
Where You Stand – Travis – Remember when these guys were the harbinger of Brit Rock yet to come, you know, just after Oasis deadly third album? “All I Wanna Do Is Rock”? Yeah, I thought not. How can an album so sweet, melodic and unassuming be such a drag? – C
Three Kings – TFT – Same ol’ G, Tank and Tyrese together to play terrible bangers like, god help us, “Sex Never Felt Better” – D
Rebellious Soul – K. Michelle – This isn’t a terrible album mostly because in 2013. what’s the point in railing against the lack of song writing chops in modern soul. But it isn’t very good because unless Holland-Dozier-Holland is writing your songs, it is difficult to get away with stuff like “V.S.O.P.” , and that would be the best song on the album any way – C
Breach – The Kissaway Trail – The trio’s first album was a Joy Division darkness visible from Denmark, and this is lighter with a poppier dream like instead of nightmare like quality to it. The problem is that the Kissaway’s pop move “Norrebro” isn’t sticky enough and the one named after Springsteen has the dark disco thump of, them again, Joy Division. The good news is it also has “Love Will Tear Us About”‘s lick as well – B
Crimes Of Passion – Crocodiles – One trick ponies but a good one: Jesus And The Mary Chain meet Real Estate. Born to release EPs, if you released their albums in smaller doses they would go down easier.”I Like It In The Dark” and “Marquis De Sade” are thrillers but by the time you reach “Virgins” half an hour, a not appreciably worse song, you have stopped listening – B
1 Girl Nation – 1 Girl Nation – Wait a second here, “We’re gonna save ourselves the heartache, we’re not looking back on what we wished we’d done, we’re gonna risk it all for one thing, and live for Jesus while we’re young…” It’s actually a catchy song but really it is also the definition of propaganda at your service and a fun date, no doubt. The rest of the album is much worse – D+
Genuine And Counterfeit – William Beckett – I quite liked The Academy Is…, and the guy gave rock nyc an interview. So consider him a good guy. And “Hanging On A Honeymoon” makes up for the dreadful “Pick Up The Phone”. So I’ll give him a “B” when he deserves a “C+” – B
Make Up My Mind – Tedeschi Truck Band – terrible boogie with a chick singer, very popular in some red necks of the woods – C
Sway – Blue October – I’ve never liked Blue October but Helen used to love him. I wonder if she can find an excuse for this Middle of the rock and roll sound stuff. Is sincerity enough? – C
Paradise Valley – John Mayer – Mayer the pop singer songwriter I simply hate, the guitarist Mayer I kinda like. This is the latter – C
Trap Lord – A$AP Fergie – Sure “Shabba” is an excellent song, nearly as good as “2 Train”. But when did hip hop degenerate into a mad dash to see who could bore me most? The “mad dash” was a pun -geddit? – C