Review(s): Redneck Manifesto

Redneck Manifesto - I Am Brazil: As is the case with most post-rock it seems as though all of these songs are rough demos that need to be fleshed out with direction. Buy

News: Top 85 of '04 Coming Friday

I've finally finished listening to all of the albums I wanted to listen to from last year (at least for the purpose of this list) and will post a Top 85 of '04 on Friday. It will be missing entries (you will see a number, but no album) and that's because I have yet to post a review for that album. As I post the reviews of that album I will update the list.

Review(s): MC Lars

MC Lars - Radio Pet Fencing/Laptop EP: He's a total geek, he's white and he's rapping. Yet somehow, it manages to work, just don't ask me to explain it. (Props for the Piebald sample too) Download / Buy Laptop EP / Buy Radio Pet Fencing

Review(s): Mare

Mare - Mare: Doesn't match the instensity or the vision that City of Caterpillar had, but it certainly is brewing. Download / Buy

Review(s): Jens Lekman

Jens Lekman - When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog: I couldn't help but think of the Rocko's Modern Life epsiode when Philbert wanted to be a lounge singer while listening. You won't be able to get the songs out of your head. Stream / Download / Buy

Review(s): Fly Pan Am

Fly Pan Am - N'ecoutez Pas: By far the best Fly Pan Am album, but it's still not enough to be considered good. Stream / Buy

Review(s): Talib Kweli

Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle: I really hope that all the hype for his previous works holds up, because this is certainly not great. Stream / Buy

Review(s): Hot Water Music

Hot Water Music - The New What Next: Too polished, too slick, too much effort. Just break up already, before you really jump the shark. Stream / Download / Buy

Review(s): Ben Folds

Ben Folds - Super D: Worth it for the cover of Darkness' "Get Your Hands Off My Woman," but if you like Ben Folds, you'll also really like the rest of it. Stream / Buy

Review(s): Feist

Feist - Let It Die: I had no idea Leslie Feist had this in her. It's just so good on so many levels. I may never enjoy it like I do Broken Social Scene, but it may be just as good. Stream / Buy

Review(s): Converge

Converge - You Fail Me: I'm not even not a Converge fan, but even I realize that this outing is far insuperior to Jane Doe. Stream / Download / Buy

Review(s): Emperor X

Emperor X - Tectonic Membrane/Thin Strip On An Edgeless Platform: Somebody give this guy a producer and a recording budget. Download / Buy

Review(s): The Delays

The Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour: Better-than-average Brit-pop, even if the singer does sound like a girl. Stream / Download / Buy

Review(s): Blood for Blood, The Citizens, Leonard Cohen

Blood For Blood - Serenity: Owing more to side-project Sinners and Saints than to side-project Ramallah, it's just a bad album for Blood for Blood. Download / Buy

The Citizens - Are We There Yet?: If an awesome laid-back pop record with tons of Beatles influence is considered 'there', then yes. Download / Buy

Leonard Cohen - Dear Heather: One part gospel album, one part Creator Talking Over Music From A Barren Landscape is a little slow moving, but worth at least one listen. Stream / Buy

Review(s): Apostle of Hustle, Arcade Fire, Bjork

Apostle of Hustle - Apostle of Hustle: Too inconsistent, ranging from the terrible to the tolerable. Stream / Buy

Arcade Fire - Funeral: I have difficulty distinguishing the good from the bad when it comes to downtempo rock. This is no exception, but with so many people saying how good it is, I have no choice but to at least listen to it again. And again. Stream / Buy

Bjork - Medulla: My first ever Bjork album is decent, but not as revolutionary as Bjork-fanatics have led me to believe. Stream / Buy

News: I'm back

I'm back from skiing. Had the time of my life, can't wait to go again next year. Didn't get a chance to listen to as many albums as I had wanted to, but got a few done. Sick as a dog right now, so I won't be doing any listening today, but maybe tomorrow.

News: Vacation

Going skiing in Vermont. Site will not be updated until I get back around the first of the year. Hopefully, I will have finished listening to all the album released this year and will have a top 10 list for all of you.

Review(s): Plastic Constellations, Pleasant Grove, Andy Pratt

The Plastic Constellations - Mazatlan: It's good, but not nearly as good as the Futureheads or even the Unicorns. Stream / Download / Buy

Pleasant Grove - Auscultation of the Heart: It's good, just not something you're going to listen to repeatedly. Stream / Buy

Andy Pratt - Resolution: Too cheesy to take seriously. Stream

Review(s): Path Of Resistance, Piano Magic, Placebo

Path of Resistance - Who Dares Wins: Daring to sound like Hatebreed doesn't win. Stream / Download / Buy

Piano Magic - Low Birth Weight: Not as magical as advertised. Download / Buy

Placebo - Black Market Music: I tossed around a half dozen reviews in my head while listening to this (both strongly bad and good) only to come away more confused. It's good, I think, but you might hate it. Stream / Buy

Review(s): Palace Music, Panoply Academy Glee Club, Jaco Pastorius

Palace Music - Viva Last Blues: He's no Bob Dylan, but it's still awesome. Stream / Buy

Panoply Academy Glee Club - Rah!: Some people may use the word 'genius' for this band. Not me. Stream / Buy

Jaco Pastorius - PunkJazz: The Jaco Pastorius Anthology (2 Disc): Disc 1 has some under-developed songs, but Disc 2 is mind-blowingly amazing. Stream / Buy