Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif Mo’ Mega [4/5] In a world where rappers make songs about their “grillz,” Boston MC Mr. Lif is a revolutionary: He’s always on the conscious tip, and his social commentaries and political rhymes have drawn comparisons to greats such as Chuck D, KRS-One and X-Clan. And while he still touches on those subjects,...
Hot Chip
Hot Chip The Warning [5/5] Hot Chip play pristinely recorded electro-soul that’s both smart and punk enough to confuse mindless clubbers, but that comes loaded with enough ironic distance to alienate anyone paying attention to the frequent absurdity of the group’s lyrics (sample: “Hot Chip will break your legs, snap off your head”). Fortunately, the...
The Golding Institute
The Golding Institute Final Relaxation [5/5] Goodbye, Deepak Chopra. Farewell, Andrew Weil, M.D. Cheerio, Swami Rama. Take care, Wayne W. Dyer. Happy trails, Martha Davis. Au revoir, Harold S. Kushner. Nice knowing you, Thomas Harris. Sayonara, Melody Beattie. Dream big, Tony Robbins. Later days, James Redfield. Keep your good habits, Stephen R. Covey. Begone, Elaine...
Arrington de Dionyso
Arrington de Dionyso Breath Of Fire [1/5] It’s rare to stumble across an album that can be labeled as genuinely, inarguably pointless. That’s partly because standards in the indie music world are at an extraordinarily low ebb, and partly because everybody likes something and will be happy to blog ecstatically about whatever that something is;...
Cloudland Canyon
Cloudland Canyon Requiems Der Natur 2002-2004 [4/5] If you’re among those who (rightfully) think Tee Pee Records is purely a hard-chuggin’ stoner-rock factory, Cloudland Canyon will shatter your assumptions. The group’s debut album, Requiems Der Natur 2002-2004, is a starry-eyed psych-rock opus with mystical aspirations and a Ph.D. in minimalist-drone composition. It’s as if CC...
Cex
Cex Actual Fucking [3/5] At one point early on, Rjyan Kidwell-a.k.a. Cex-could have played up his sex-obsessed nerd novelty, played the great-white-hope rapper card and just cashed in. He’s chosen a more difficult path, one that has led to the eight travelogues (each named for a different city) of Actual Fucking, an album that-cover art...
Rise Against - The Sufferer & The Witness
Rise Against The Sufferer & The Witness At this point in their career, Chicago quartet Rise Against are, by all accounts, a well-oiled punk-rock machine. So when you put on The Sufferer & The Witness and hear galloping drumbeats, the powerful tenor of frontman Tim McIlrath, a sprinkling of gang vocals and a severe case...
Mission Of Burma
Mission Of Burma The Obliterati [4/5] Mission Of Burma continue as the world’s most impossible band. After using their punk foundation to engineer the sound of indie rock, breaking up, and then reforming 20 years later, the band are back with their second post-reunion recording. And that’s where the “impossible” part comes in: 2004’s OnOffOn...
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake In With The Out Crowd [3/5] Less Than Jake have an excuse to veer away from their traditional sound. It was bound to happen: With more than 14 years of music under their PEZ dispensers, recollecting teenage angst and staying chock-full of crowd-pleasing anthems, LTJ are among the last of the dying...