UponFirstListen

Stream Galang, Bucky Done Gun and Sunshowers

5.30.2005

Review: M.I.A. - Arular

M.I.A. - Arular: She rhymes Miami with Family.

Stream the whole things (if you register)

Download clips and stream various songs off the album

5.29.2005

Review: Blondie - Parallel Lines

Blondie - Parallel Lines: Nice collection of classic '80s pop songs and shoulda-woulda-coulda-been hits.

5.28.2005

Review: Linda Ronstadt - Greatest Hits, Vol. 1

Linda Ronstadt - Greatest Hits, Vol. 1: Should have been called "Covers the Greatest Hits of Other People."

5.27.2005

Review: Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual: Half this CD is '80s anthems you've come to know, enjoy and despise. There's a reason the other half wasn't.

5.26.2005

Review: Stephen Malkmus - Face The Truth

Stephen Malkmus - Face The Truth: Mediocre on a good day.

Download Baby C'mon

5.25.2005

Review: Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark

Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark: Some really good songs on here. Some really not so good songs on here.

Stream Song For Dennis Brown

5.24.2005

Review: The Mountain Goats - Sunset Tree

The Mountain Goats - Sunset Tree: Love the voice, love the vocal delivery, love the music, love the lyrics. I just love this record. Album of the year contender.

Stream This Year

Stream Dance Music

Stream Up The Wolves

5.23.2005

Review: Gillian Welch - Soul Journey

Gillian Welch - Soul Journey: The music doesn't seem to match the sentiment. Additionally, the vocal delivery just doesn't seem very emotional.

Stream clip of the entire album

5.22.2005

Review: Emmylou Harris - Luxury Liner

Emmylou Harris - Luxury Liner: Ranging from traditional country to a more contemporary ('77) singer/songwriter to foreshadowing the stereotypical "hollow '80s sound", makes for a very enjoyable album.

Stream The Hand That Feeds

5.21.2005

Review: Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth

Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth: Never listened to an album (or a full song) by Nine Inch Nails until now. It was intriguing enough for me to check out his 'masterpiece', but not enough that it warrants many more listens.

5.20.2005

Review: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Armed Forces (Deluxe Edition)

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Armed Forces (Deluxe Edition): Riding in a buddy's car, mix cd playing in the background. "What is this crap you're listening to?" I inquire. "It's Elvis Costello, you don't like Elvis Costello?" his reply. "Apparently not." Until I listened to the bonus disc that comes with Armed Forces. Didn't really care for the album itself, but loved all of the live stuff.

Download 2005: A Face Odyssey

5.19.2005

Review: Out Hud - Let Us Never Speak Of This Again

Out Hud - Let Us Never Speak Of This Again: I will never speak of this (techno) album.

Download It's For You

Download How Long

Download Dear Mr. Bush, There are over 1000 words for shit and only 1 for Music. Fuck You, Out Hud

Download Gonna Set My Soul On Fire

5.18.2005

Review: Some Girls - All My Friends Are Going Death

Some Girls - All My Friends Are Going Death: I miss American Nightmare. This doesn't ease that pain.

5.17.2005

Review: Bunky - Born To Be A Motorcycle

Bunky - Born To Be A Motorcycle: Calculated quirkiness fails to impress me.

Download BaBa

Download Chuy

Download Yes/No

5.16.2005

Review: Stars - Set Yourself On Fire

Stars - Set Yourself On Fire: Saw them live when they opened for Broken Social Scene. Mistakenly pegged them as a Pogues rip-off, but I was 100% wrong. A really, really good pop album.

Stream Ageless Beauty (Navigation > Album)

5.15.2005

Review: British Sea Power - Open Season

British Sea Power - Open Season: Their old (unique) sound isn't completely gone, they've just (for better or worse) learned how to coat it in sugar.

Download It Ended On An Oily Stage, North Hanging Rock, Oh Larsen B (Sorry, you've got to subscribe to their newsletter, but you should anyway)

Download God Bless Our Dead Marines

5.14.2005

Review: A Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band - Horses In The Sky

The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band - Horses In The Sky: They've come a long way, maturing from Godspeed clone to this, a virtual acapella album. As always, it takes some getting used to, but I found it much more rewarding that This Is Our Punk Rock upon first listen.

Download Everything Is Green

5.13.2005

Review: The Essex Green - Everything Is Green

The Essex Green - Everything Is Green: A little muddier and I'd think it was from the '60s instead of just imitating it (very well).

Download Mrs. Bean

5.12.2005

Review: Garbage - Garbage

Garbage - Garbage: I really don't like My Bloody Valentine, but I really like this obviously-influenced album.

5.11.2005

Review: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf

Bonnie "Prince" Blly & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf: I really like everything I have ever heard from (and about) Will Oldham, it's just that I don't think it survives on repeat listens.

Stream Measuring Cup and Tables And Chains

5.10.2005

Review: Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Produciton of Eggs

Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs: One of those albums that could be listened to over and over again without getting tired of it.

Download A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left

5.09.2005

Review: Brendan Benson - Alternative To Love

Brendan Benson - Alternative To Love: BENson could be the fourth Ben.

5.08.2005

Review: Alanis Morrisette - Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morrissette - Jagged Little Pill: It's taken me far too long to listen to the essential album in its entirety. If all pop music was this good, the world would be a better place.

5.07.2005

Review: The National - Alligator

The National - Alligator: They sound like (pretty good) modern rock, but the vocals are delivered in a manner that seems almost indifferent. It's an interesting mix, but not terribly spectacular.

5.06.2005

Review: Annie - Anniemal

Annie - Anniemal: Tracks 1-4: This is pretty good. Tracks 5-9: Didn't I just listen to these songs? Tracks 10-12: When will it end?

5.05.2005

Review: Brazilian Girls - Brazilian Girls

Brazilian Girls - Brazilian Girls: If this were in my iPod (like several other bloggers out there...), I'd probably fall asleep more often. Not to say it's bad, it just doesn't make me sit up and take notice.

Stream four tracks

5.04.2005

Review: U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb: It's no Joshua Tree, but I like it a lot. Wish I would have listened to it last year, so it would have had an impact on my Top 88 of '04 list.

5.03.2005

Review: M. Ward - Transistor Radio

M. Ward - Transistor Radio: So much more alive than Transfiguration.

Download clips of several tracks

5.02.2005

Review: Antony and the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now: Kinda (emphasis on kinda) sounds like Jens Lekman, but does it with more soul in his voice.