The patron saint of heartbroken tweens returns with – comparatively – her most adult album yet, “Red”. Popblerd has the review!
Posts tagged "Album Reviews"
Spin Cycle: Cher Lloyd, Sticks + Stones
Cher Lloyd is the latest pop challenger from across the pond. Will her American debut, “Sticks & Stones,” catapult the “X-Factor” contestant to the top of the charts?
Spin Cycle: The Avett Brothers, The Carpenter
In the realm of swaying, stomping, harmonic pop-folk, The Avett Brothers stand only in the shadow of Mumford & Sons, a recent success story that, perhaps not-coincidentally, the long-running North Carolina brother-band is starting to bear more than a passing resemblance to. Comparing Mumford’s lone album to the Avett’s discography previously yielded only superficial comparisons: po-faced, earnest lyricism; the tell-tale lilt of a banjo here and there; shouty, fractured harmonies. But where the Mumfords use their Appalachian sensibilities […]
Spin Cycle: Julian Velard, Person of Interest
Singer/songwriter Julian Velard’s latest EP, “Person of Interest” is a melodic pop treat. Read our review and then get thee to buying!
Spin Cycle: Joss Stone, The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2
A decade or so ago, Joss Stone was a novelty of sorts. A young British woman with a deep knowledge of classic soul, she debuted with an album of somewhat obscure ’60s and ’70s R&B covers, recorded with the assistance and blessing of the likes of Latimore, Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, Little Beaver and Betty Wright.She (at least partially) opened the door for the commercial success of the Amy Winehouses and Adeles of the world. The album revealed a voice that […]
Spin Cycle: Maroon 5, Songs About Jane: 10th Anniversary Edition
Ten-ish years since Maroon 5’s debut album came out, it’s been reissued with a load of bonus content. Will this reissue be loved? Check out our review.
Spin Cycle: “Listen Whitey!: The Sounds of Black Power 1967-1974”
“Listen Whitey!” is a compilation that unearths gems from the Black Power era of the late Sixties and Seventies. Check out our review.
Spin Cycle: Madonna’s “MDNA”
The most successful female pop artist in history is back. Does “MDNA” rank among Madonna’s best albums?
Spin Cycle: The Ting Tings’ “Sounds From Nowheresville”
Regardless of one’s feelings about The Ting Tings – day-glo pop masterminds or mere dancefloor diversions – they’d doubtlessly be a surprising addition to the canon of 2000s artists granted pop longevity. Their debut record, We Started Nothing, was a dance-rock jackpot, spilling out a startling amount of durable singles like a generous Atlantic City slot machine; but it, as a record, never offered anything below the heavily stylized surface. Not that all music needs to, mind you – it’s just […]
Spin Cycle: Say Anything’s “Anarchy, My Dear”
You could fill years of academic journals with research about popular music and mental illness. The chemical balances that lend themselves to musical mastery will surely never be uncovered, nor will we ever understand the tendency of artistic geniuses to commit themselves to bizarre or self-destructive behaviors (or, in some cases, both). But what happens if things get better? What if you’re able to quell your demons and triumph over adversity – does the music get better, or does the […]
Spin Cycle: Every Time I Die’s “Ex Lives”
An arm is pinned under the hood of a pink Cadillac—it comes free, flops into the desert dirt and kicks a dust cloud into the air. He drops the gun and walks back to the vehicle. There are pink fluorescent lights taped inside the trunk, shining on a book of gnostic gospels with seaweed rot, a riot shield with the initials “H.L.” written into a strip of duct tape, a fire-axe with a broken neck and a grocery bag […]
Spin Cycle: The Robert Glasper Experiment’s “Black Radio”
Want an excellent album of jazz-inflected soul with some left-field stuff thrown in? Look no further. Robert Glasper’s “Black Radio” is your album and we’ve got the review.