There was a time that Vampire Weekend perched, perilously, on the precipice of being one of the great one-album wonders of the ’00s. Like Cannibal Ox or At the Drive-In or Bloc Party before them, the Ivy League pop-rockers seemed poised to turn heads with one masterstroke of a record, and then retreat into either obscurity, oddity, or simple irrelevance. That album was 2008’s Vampire Weekend — the one with “Oxford Comma” and “A-Punk” and basically all the Vampire Weekend […]
Album Reviews
The National, Trouble Will Find Me: Album Review
Drama and Discovery – these are two essential tenets to my history as an audiophile. I admitted to my facebook friends and colleagues here at Popblerd that I’d missed the boat for the past 13 years on The National. My bad. I’m making up for lost time and have immersed myself in their discography over the past couple of weeks. My listening and journey can be summed up in this arc — U2’s The Joshua Tree (1987), The Cure’s Disintegration (1989), Depeche […]
k-os, BLack on BLonde: Album Review
A Dylan reference in a hip-hop album title? That should be your first sign that something’s a little different…
Mindless Self indulgence, How I Learned To Stop Giving A Shit And Love Mindless Self Indulgence: Album Review
Mindless Self Indulgence is definitely an acquired taste. If it’s a taste you’ve acquired, though, then their latest magnificent masterpiece How I Learned To Stop Giving A Shit And Love Mindless Self Indulgence is going to suit you just fine. On the Kickstarter funded fifth album (Although holding an album hostage until they get funds might not be why KS was started…) MSI is back to their old tricks once again with even sleeker production and even nastier content. How […]
Mikal Cronin, MCII: Album Review
Mikal Cronin is making music to get addicted to. The Ty Segall sideman and solo artist is far from a household name. Google searches and Rateyourmusic keywords seem to suggest that the singer-songwriter exists in the realm of “garage rock”, although that hardly seems like a fair shake for a guy responsible for some of the most addictive, giddy pop music of 2013 yet. Mind you, the multi-instrumental’s sophomore set, MCII, does occupy the same headspace as, say, Guided By […]
She & Him, Volume 3: Album Review
She & Him’s charm used to seem a little… Starbucks-y at times. You know what I mean: it’s fine for what you need, but both the band and the big-box coffee chain seem a bit like mainstream, inoffensive versions of their respective wares masquerading as hip versions of the same. (Also, She & Him sound like they probably get played at Starbucks a lot.) And yet, with three proper albums and a toe-tappin’ Christmas record under their belts, the Zooey […]
Natalie Maines, Mother: Album Review
A Dixie Chick goes solo…check out our review of Natalie Maines’ “Mother.”
Skinny Puppy, Weapon: Album Review
At times harkening back to the yesteryear of Skinny Puppy while at other times moving boldly into the future, Weapon is a visceral slab of electronic goodness that is hands down the best album they have released since “reforming”. Probably the most aggressive 21st Century offering from Skinny Puppy as well, Weapon is so in-your-face (And so surprising a release considering HanDover barely came out two years ago) that you’d be wise to invest in concealer to cover up the […]
Guided By Voices, English Little League: Album Review
If the year 2012 conditioned music fans to anything — other than the fact that “Call Me Maybe” is inescapable, and the only way to mount a true offense is to just give into its charms already — it’s the cultural inevitability that is the re-formed mid-’90s lineup of Guided By Voices, and the Pavlovian sense that, every four to six months, GBV will be releasing another record, so pull on your Bee Thousand t-shirt and prepare your mind for […]
Iggy and the Stooges, Ready to Die: Album Review
In their initial run, The Stooges crafted an unholy trinity of proto-punk rock. The raw energy of their self-titled debut (1969), Fun House (1970), and Raw Power (1973) are still highly regarded as being among the most influential rock albums of all time. Iggy of course went on to an acclaimed solo career that had its ups and downs throughout the ensuing decades. Following a long string of reunion shows that began in 2003, the original lineup (augmented by Mike […]