Review: King Crimson - Sleepless (The Concise King Crimson)

King Crimson - Sleepless (The Concise King Crimson): Forewarning me to stick to the earlier King Crimson albums, because it seems as though their later stuff sucked.

Stream clips of the entire album

Buy

Review: Kaiser Chiefs - Employment

Kaiser Chiefs - Employment: If cheesy rock is your thing (and you're enjoying the current trend of ripping off the '80s), then this disc is for you. Even if it isn't, there are a few catchy tunes, but the album as a whole can be a bit trying.

Stream clips of the entire album

Buy

Review: Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine: What it lacks in the guise of a single, it makes up for by the fact that it's a really, really good album. The order doesn't lend itself to flow in all parts, but that's more than likely due to the fact that they're not in the right order.

Download the entire album (you'd better hurry, that links not liable to stay active)

Review: Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start - And Nothing Is #1

Up Up Down Down Left Righ Left Right B A Start - And Nothing Is #1: Most of the press you read about these guys is about how cool the name is. While it a fabulous name, they should also mention what an unbelievably solid pop-rock (dare I say, emo) record.

Download See You In A Month
Download By Suprise
Buy

Review: Tindersticks - Tindersticks II

Tindersticks - Tindersticks II: If liesure-pop wasn't a genre before Tindersticks, it certainly was after.

Stream clips of the entire album

Buy

Review: Comeback Kid - Wake The Dead

Comeback Kid - Wake The Dead: It's too perfect. Mosh here, sing-along there, we're all brothers, unity, yadda, yadda, yadda. Victory Records is no better than Jive. They just pump out what the kids want to hear.

Download Wake The Dead

Download Lorelei

Buy

Review: Hollywood - Demo

Hollywood - Demo: There's something unique about this band, I just hope it pans out better on a full length than it did on their demo. Buy

Review: The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead: Too many bands have ripped off the Smiths, making it impossible to give it a fair chance. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy

Review: The Shins - Oh, Inverted World

The Shins - Oh, Inverted World: Not as catchy or poppy as Chutes, but still very solid. Stream a couple of videos / Stream a few songs / Download Know You're Onion / Buy

Review: The Bravery - Bravery

The Bravery - Bravery: Putting the 'bad' in 'terrible'. Stream several songs / Just Don't Buy It

Reviews: Sweep The Leg Johnny x2

Sweep The Leg Johnny - Tomorrow, We Will Run Faster: It won't make you forget about Slint, but it may ease the pain. Stream Please Give Me Roses Before I Am Dead / Buy

Sweep The Leg Johnny - Going Down Swingin': A bit jazzier, a bit punkier, but similar enough to their first album to make me like it. Download Only In A Rerun / Buy

Review: Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends

Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends: I'm ashamed that I like it. They're not worth all of the hype heaped upon them, but some of it is legitimate. Stream You're So Last Summer / Buy

Review and Story Time: Coldplay - Speed Of Sound

I make no secret concerning my admiration for Coldplay. It all began on a fateful evening in which I was battling my insomnia. Flipping through station after station landed me on the ever-dreadful MTV. Bored, I began watching, only to find it bland and insipid, as usual. Still, with nothing else on in the early morning hours, I affixed my eyes to the screen. There it was, the best thing MTV had let grace its screen in what I could only figure was 10 years, and it was Yellow. Genius I thought. This was not normal fare for me either. I was decidely into heavy music (punk, hardcore, whatever you want to call it), and did not stray very far from the formula (save the oldies). But, here I was, listening to a band that would late become the kings of Glum-Rock. Napster was huge at the time (but still in its infancy as far as p2p was concerned), so I downloaded a few tracks. I liked them, but Yellow was absolutely fabulous. I had the get the album. I searched high and low for it at Wal-Mart and Media Play, but, alas could not locate a single copy. Only later did I find out it was yet to be released. So, later I bought it. No regrets whatsoever. For very little stretches of time did it leave my CD player. Eventually, as all music does, it faded from rotation (though I never left home without it). Soon, news came about their next album, and I anxiously waited. Bam, In My Place hits. I thought it was 'eh' and was very disappointed. Not as disappointed as I was when I heard the album in its entirety. This was, of course, in bootlegged form, and I was listening to it in the state-of-the-art audio system that occupied my '73 VW Beetle. When the actual album dropped, I obliged, and picked up a copy, only to be blown away. I suddenly 'got' it, and once again, the album took a long time to fade from rotation, perhaps even longer than Parachutes had. What I came to realize later was that the single In My Place was the most Parachutes-esque and thus, the perfect single for fans who liked the first album and a good introduction to new fans (side story: It doesn't fit on the album very well, which was discovered by my good friend Adam and cemented in fact when we saw Coldplay live and they played Politik straight into God Put A Smile Upon Your Face). Now, 2 years of anticipation has led me to Speed of Sound. I refuse to bootleg the album (or any of the shows), so as not to taint my opinions, but coldplay.com was playing the song, so I felt it my duty to listen. It is, as expected, X&Y's In My Place. It sounds like it would be a great song on A Rush Of Blood To The Head, but I have a feeling it won't fit in perfectly with the rest of the album. Don't get me wrong, the song is FANTASTIC (like a faster version of The Scientist, mixed with a little a little Clocks) and will be a wonderful single, I just hope the album brings a bit more progression (if that's the right word) to their sound. Here's hoping.

Review: Suede - Suede

Suede - Suede: It's really good when put into a context (post-Madchester pre-Oasis brit-pop), but I doubt I'll listen to it regularly. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy

Review: Suede - Suede

Suede - Suede: It's really good when put into a context (post-Madchester pre-Oasis brit-pop), but I doubt I'll listen to it regularly. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy

Review: Switchblade - Switchblade

Switchblade - Switchblade: For all of their musical prowess, they lack conceptualization. Stream a clip of Track 2 / Download several tracks, including 5:12 / Buy

Review: Styx - Greatest Hits

Styx - Greatest Hits: How come when rock is cheesy it's endearing, but when pop is cheesy it's downright putrid. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy

Review: Stand And Fight - Stand And Fight

Stand And Fight - Stand And Fight: I wanted this to be better, but I was disappointed. Download End Of The Line / Buy

Review: Stand Accused - Demonstration

Stand Accused - Demonstration: A bit harder than expected, but more of the same. Download Suspended for the Emergency and 21st Centure Patriot / Buy

Review: Smoosh - She Like Electric

Smoosh - She Like Electric: A fine indie album for a 13 and 10 year old duo anyone. Download Massive Cure / Buy

Review: Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream: Holy shit this is good, missed the boat on this one. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy

Review: Saves The Day - In Reverie

Saves The Day - In Reverie: I'm a fan, forgetting for a moment that this is the same band that did Can't Slow Down and Through Being Cool. Stream Anywhere With You / Buy

Review: Ben Folds - Speed Graphic/Sunny 16

Ben Folds - Super Graphic/Sunny 16: Not essential (unless you're a hardcore fan), but every artist should release a set of 3 EPs between full lengths.

Stream clips from Speed Graphic

Stream clips from Sunny 16

Buy both

Review: Silkworm - Firewater

Silkworm - Firewater: An album from '96 that belongs in '91. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy

Review: Shalabi Wffect - Shalabi Effect

Shalabi Effect - Shalabi Effect: Kill me. Kill me now. Stream / Download clips of six tracks / Buy

Reviews: Set Fire To Flames x2

Set Fire To Flames - Sings Reign Rebuilder: WWGY!BEMAR? (When Will Godspeed You! Black Emperor Make Another Record?) Download one track / Buy

Set Fire To Flames - Telegraphs In Negative/Mouths Trapped In Static: A chore to listen to. Download two tracks / Buy

Review: The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute

Mars Volta - Frances The Mute: One small step forward, four giant leaps backward. Stream clips from the entire album / Stream The Widow / Buy

UponFurtherConsideration: I love this album. The highs are so high and the lows just make me anticipate the highs. And you know what they say about anticipation, right? It's better than the actual event.

Review: Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters

Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters: I refuse to admit that I like this. Stream a bunch of tracks / Buy

Review: Rogue Wave - Out Of The Shadow

Rogue Wave - Out Of The Shadow: Perhaps staying in the shadow a bit longer would be beneficial. Stream four tracks / Buy

Review: Roger Waters - Amused To Death

Roger Waters - Amused To Death: If Pink Floyd had survived into the '80s (No, the real Pink Floyd), I have doubt that it would sound similar to this. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy

Review: Razorlight - Up All Night

Razorlight - Up All Night: Allmusic lists the following bands as similar: Muse, Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, Supergrass, The Libertines, The Strokes, Pink Grease. While I don't agree with all of those, you get the idea. Stream a bunch of tracks / Buy

Review: The Pretty Things - Get The Picture?

The Pretty Things - Get The Picture?: Dick Taylor (Guitarist) decided to leave the Rolling Stones instead of switching to bass. Betcha he kicked himself after that decision. Stream clips of the entire album / Buy