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C - Case,
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D - Daft
Punk - Disclosure -
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H - Haden, Petra
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La Nena,
Dom - Loren Halie -
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Queens Of The Stone Age -
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Tegan and Sara -
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Vampire Weekend -
W -
West, Kanye
OTHER REVIEWS

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AlunaGeorge – Body Music
Singer Aluna Francis and producer
George Reid join forces to present this first album. The London
duo gives us electro-pop music with a strong R&B direction. They
first got success earlier this year with their collaboration with
Disclosure for "White Noise" and they take advantage of this
momentum to issue this record of high efficiency. The rather slight
electro music by Reid merges perfectly with the sweet voice of Aluna.
The result is both soothing and seductive, which carries us
beautifully throughout the record. Many of the pieces presented were
already released before, but the new compositions are assembling in
a beautiful way for an album of great consistency. In addition to
"You Know You Like It" and "Your Drums, Your Love", there is another
track that you certainly already know, the cover in bonus for
Montell Jordan’s hit "This Is How We Do It". (November
2013 Featured New Artist)
Music Videos:
« Just a Touch » -
« Your Drums, Your Love » -
« Attracting Flies » -
« You Know You Like It » -
« Best Be Beliving » |
Island
/
Universal
  ½
 |

Arcade Fire
– Reflektor (2 CD)

Here is the highly anticipated comeback of the
Montreal band Arcade Fire, after
The Suburbs three years ago. On
this fourth album, the group managed to lay some of its most catchy
songs to date, while remaining creative and musically rich. The
title track, with its inclusion of French lyrics (courtesy of
Régine Chassagne), is also the most successful of the band to
date. The group is inspired by different musical styles like
afrobeat, electro, disco and dub music to give us a very
contemporary sound. Nevertheless we find many references to classic
rock (Rolling
Stones, The Clash,
The Beatles,
U2). The
arrangements are beautiful with different sound effects that
accompany the special structures. As always, the group manages to
carry us into its own world, which varies not only from one album to
another, but from one song to another. Even if the group was at its
commercial peak in 2011 with a Grammy for album of the year, we must
face the facts that it has lost none of its creativity. Despite 13
tracks totalling 75 minutes, the album will certainly provide you
with great satisfaction. In fact, Reflector is likely to end
the year as the most satisfying rock album. A superb album by Arcade
Fire, again! (December 2013 Featured Review)
Music Video:
« Reflektor » |
Universal
   

|

Arctic Monkeys – AM
The English band already presents its fifth album in
seven years. They offer a great mix of heavy rock and catchy melodies,
perhaps the most successful merge since their first two albums.
Extremely catchy rhythms and fuzzy guitars add to the overall sound of
the album that has everything to satisfy both large audiences and
demanding fans. Franz Ferdinand fans may also recognize very
strongly through the dancing rock sound of Arctic Monkeys. Despite this
more pop direction, Alex Turner lyrics remain rather tormented,
but nothing to make the album less interesting. Therefore, AM is
definitely their best record since 2007. (October 2013)
Music Videos:
« R U Mine? » -
« Do I Wanna Know? » -
« Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? » |
  ½
 |

Bad
Religion – True North
In the case of the Californian punk band Bad
Religion, it is difficult after 30 years of career to still expect
albums as great as they were at the turn of the 1990s. The band tries
somehow to renew his style album after album, but we must say that they
are somehow trapped in a specific music genre that is hard to break.
Guys throw us a few solid punk tracks straight to our face like the
title track, "Fuck You" and "Vanity". You can also hear songs a little
slower but effective, with a wall of guitars: "Dharma and the Bomb",
"Hello Cruel World", and so on. Greg Graffin lyrics still
denunciate and it is in this sense that the group remains relevant after
so many years. The overall still unfortunately has many compositions
that are disposable. This is exactly what makes that Bad Religion is no
longer the band it was before.
(March 2013)
Music
Video:
« True North » |
Epitaph
  
 |

Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe
From
Louisiana and now based in Brooklyn, Julianna Barwick gives credit to a
church choir for her unique sound. In fact, she mostly uses her angelic
voice into loops with different layers, sometimes with a simple piano or
subtle guitar. She reached the peak of her art on her third album,
Nepenthe, while doing better than ever to play with her
voice.
Her ethereal experimental music quickly creates a unique relaxing
atmosphere. It’s so atmospheric, it is found almost on the border of new
age music. But it is damn well done! Julianna worked in Iceland with
Alex Somers, best known for his collaborations with Sigur Ros.
If you are looking for a soft album to create a relaxing atmosphere,
Julianna Barwick probably offers the best option of the year. (September
2013) |
Dead Oceans
  ½
 |

Boards
of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest
The Scottish
electronic duo is back with
its fifth album,
its first in eight
years. They
pick up exactly where they
left off, as if the last record
was yesterday. Otherwise,
the album is far from
sounding dated and we
feel that the two guys
were curious musically
in recent years,
an important fact in
electronic music. We
always recognize their
melancholic melodies and
atmospheric techno
sound. The group
even allows a little more pop
getaway with "Palace
Posy", but it is
certainly the only time
that can
be interesting for a wider
audience. Without offering
great moments of excitement,
Tomorrow's Harvest
has solid compositions
which will satisfy
a demanding public.
(August 2013) |
Warp
  ½
 |

Bombino – Nomad
Omara "Bombino" Moctar
is a Tuareg musician from Niger born on January 1, 1980. For his second
album, he went to Nashville to record with producer Dan Auerbach
(The Black Keys). He offers a sound merging the traditions of his
country and blues for a very good mix of cultures. Excellent guitarist,
Bombino takes inspiration from African guitarists as well as occidental
geniuses as Jimi Hendrix
and Mark Knopfler. Obviously, the style of blues garage of The
Black Keys is reflected in Nomad as well as some funk influences.
The whole remains very pleasant until the end and after a few listens,
you realize you may have one of the best albums of the year on hand. To
discover!
(May 2013)
Music
Video:
« Azamane Tiliade » |
Nonesuch
/
Warner
  ½
 |

Danny
Brown – Old
Although the city of Detroit was doing rather poorly
economically for some time, quality artists still come out. This is the
case among others for rapper Danny Brown. His new album takes him to
another level when he offers his best compositions to date. Brown
explores the past of rap getting inspiration in the vinyl era, while
presenting a modern production. This is a perfect transition between old
school rap and future-oriented rap. Several collaborators are supporting
Brown, including Freddie Gibbs, Purity Ring, as well as
Charli XCX on the excellent "Float On" to conclude the CD. With this
new album, Danny Brown settled permanently in the big leagues. (December
2013)
Music Video:
« Dip » |
Fool's Gold
  ½
 |

Neko Case
– The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I
Love You

After
a little more pop
turn on
Middle Cyclone, Neko
Case returns to
her alternative rock
sound to folk
inspirations on
her sixth album.
She still has solid
compositions beautifully
embedded in arrangements
of guitars, piano
and brass. The only
exception, "Nearly
Midnight, Honolulu" is a
magnificent a cappella song which
showcases the
beautiful voice of the
singer. Aside from
that track a little more
immediate and
stripped pieces
as "I'm From Nowhere"
and "Afraid" (a cover
of Nico), you need
repeated spins to really
discover all the subtleties
of the album of
great wealth. On this new
album, Neko
dares to explore a little
more than on her previous
record, which gives one of her
most inspired albums in
career. It thus adds a
major new work to her
repertoire that is already
well garnished. (September 2013) |
Domino
   
 |

Daft Punk
– Random Access Memories

After 20 years of
career, the
Parisian house
duo is back
after an absence of
eight years
on record. For the occasion,
Daft Punk
does not hesitate to refresh
its sound in
dipping into funk
and disco
influences of the 1970s.
Their electronic music
is sometimes progressive,
but also ambient
on some occasions. The group
pays homage to Giorgio
Moroder ("Giorgio
by Moroder"), in addition to
working with some well known
artists such as Julian
Casablancas (The
Strokes), Paul Williams, Nile
Rodgers (Chic),
and Panda Bear,
among others. We also find
Pharrell
Williams (N.E.R.D., The
Neptunes) on
two tracks, the danceable
"Lose Yourself To Dance"
and of course the hit of the
summer, "Get Lucky".
Other pieces
prove to be essential
as the excellent
opening track which will
certainly become a hit,
"Give Life
Back to Music".
On Random Access
Memories, the duo dives
head first into nostalgia
through varied and
always pleasant to listen
atmospheres. This is
an album
steeped in
creativity, their best
in a long time.
(August 2013) |
   
 |

Disclosure – Settle
Disclosure
is an English duo
formed in 2010 and
comprised of brothers
Guy and Howard
Lawrence. They play
dance house music
with elements of dubstep,
garage and also
pop through
the collaboration of various
singers. After making
a splash on the web
at their debut, they
signed a record deal, issued an EP
of their first
dubstep productions
and now release a
full-length album. "White Noise"
featuring AlunaGeorge
has been successful for
several months and several
tracks on the album have
the same kind of
potential, because of their dynamic beats
and their unforgettable
melodies. Other notable
collaborations of
interest include
Eliza Doolittle
on "You & Me",
Jessie Ware
on "Confess To Me"
and Sam Smith
on "Latch". Settle
is an electronic album of
great quality and entertaining
from beginning to end.
The house
purists may
find it a bit too
pop, but they will
still get surprised
to enjoy. (September 2013
Featured New Artist)
Music Videos:
« Latch » -
« White Noise » -
« When a Fire Starts to Burn » |
Cherrytree /
Universal
  ½
 |

Drake – Nothing Was the Same
After two albums that have propelled him on the
American rap scene, Toronto's Drake is back with a highly anticipated
third album. He resumes in his style of rap and R&B rather atmospheric
and introspective, but going a little farther, deeper. These are the
songs creating a very special intimate atmosphere that are the most
interesting ones of the record as "Own It" and "305 to My City".
But he also has other unique moments of great quality as the dark
"Wu-Tang Forever" and the pop/R&B "Hold On, We're Going Home" (one of
the few rhythmic songs of the CD). What remains exceptional in the case
of Drake, is that he always manages to stand out from the mass of the
rap/hip hop artists we can hear in 2013. (November 2013)
Music Videos:
« Started From the Bottom » -
« Hold On, We’re Going Home » |
Glassnote /
Universal
  ½
 |

The
Flaming Lips – The Terror
To celebrate
30 years of career,
most groups are issuing a
collection of hits, are
re-recording their old
hits or they leave on
the road for a monster
tour. In the case
of the Flaming Lips,
they do what they do best,
which means they give us a
still experimental and
difficult to understand
album. Psychedelic
guitars, hypnotic rhythms
and often repetitive
atmospheric keyboards form
the basis of the sound
of this new album.
Everything is dark
and hovering,
and it takes us
beyond the clouds,
where gravity is less
important. In fact,
The Terror could be
the new
Pink Floyd album
if the band had not
stopped recording 20 years
ago. It may be
difficult to appreciate, but if you
dare to put in the necessary
effort, it is greatly
rewarded. With The Terror
the Flaming Lips
add another great
album to their
impressive career, always
on the fringes of the music
industry.
(June 2013) |
Warner
  ½
 |

Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

After 4 years
of waiting, the Scottish
band is finally back
on CD. And it
is a
breath of fresh air that
offer us Franz
Ferdinand, as if they had
finally stopped
questioning themselves. The
opening song, "Right
Action" sets
the tone for the album
with an immediate
song in the same mold
as "Take Me Out"
and "Do You Want To". The
group operates between
energetic rock and
catchy pop throughout
this record with no
shortage of potential
hits. In addition,
with only 10 tracks
totaling 35 minutes, there will be
definitely a moment of
disappointment when the
album will end.
But the best way
to counter the
disappointment is to go back
immediately to
beginning for a
new spin that will be
even more satisfying.
Okay, we would have
taken some additional
tracks, but the whole is
so pleasant and
creative at the same time
we can only applaud.
Here is the
album awaited by
fans of the first hour!
It will bring together
music lovers from different backgrounds
and they will
stomp their feet all
together... (October 2013 Featured Review)
Music Videos:
« Right Action » -
« Evil Eye » |
   

|

Garou – Rhythm and Blues
Pour son nouvel album,
Garou revient à ses premières amours, le rhythm and blues. C’est dans ce
style qu’il est le plus à l’aise et c’est comme si toute sa carrière de
chanteur pop n’avait été qu’une longue pause. Il s’est rendu aux
légendaires studios Sanctuary de Londres pour enregistrer cet album sur
lequel il reprend des grands classiques du genre, mais aussi des pièces
du répertoire francophone qu’il adapte à sa façon. Des classiques comme
« I Put a Spell on You » et « Hard to Handle » sont des naturels dans un
tel contexte. Par contre, Garou surprend beaucoup plus avec ses
relectures de « Quand tu danses » de Gilbert Bécaud, « Cash
City » de Luc De Larochellière et « Je voudrais voir New York »
de Daniel Lavoie. Aussi au menu, « If I Ain’t Got You » d’Alicia
Keys, un des grands succès de la dernière année, « Lonely Boy » des
Black Keys et « Bad Day » de Daniel Powter. Avec
Rhythm and Blues, Garou s’approprie des chansons bien variées pour
en faire un ensemble qui comporte par contre une certaine dichotomie.
Les variations sont parfois brusques et un peu bizarres, même si on
tente de créer une ligne directrice grâce au rhythm and blues. C’est
dommage, car prise séparément, chaque chanson démontre tout le talent de
Garou dans ce style musical.
(March 2013) |
Wolfgang
/ Mercury
  
 |

Petra Haden
– Petra Goes To the Movies
Petra
is one of the three daughters of jazz bassist Charlie Haden. She
uses her voice as an instrument and delivers the majority of her
performances a cappella. She has especially captured attention in 2005
by revisiting the album
The Who Sell Out by The Who in
its entirety. For her new album, these are classic pieces from cinema
that are recreated in an atmosphere that is personal. You can hear
selections from the movies Rebel Without a Cause, Taxi Driver,
Cinema Paradiso, Psycho, Goldfinger, Superman,
My Bodyguard and others. Also in the playlist, the excellent
"Calling You" from Bagdad Cafe. Petra immerses us in a unique
atmosphere that may remind many moviegoers’ memories, if of course you
recognize the pieces presented.
(March 2013) |
Anti-
/
Epitaph
  ½
 |

Julia Holter – Loud City Song
For her
third album,
Julia Holter
continues her
electronic experiments, but manages to
make her music
a little more accessible.
Parisian references of
another era mixed with the
contemporary life in
Los
Angeles trace the
framework of this very
conceptual record.
She always adds
beautifully strings and
brass to
her electronic sound and the
result is more efficient than ever.
We must say that for the
first time she recorded
in a real studio,
which adds a little
scale and professionalism
to the already impressive
music of her previous albums.
Of the 9 tracks of
Loud City
Song,
Julia proves
that it is possible to
produce both cerebral and
emotional music, that it is
possible avant-garde can
reach a slightly
wider audience, although some
efforts are needed to really
capture the essence of her
work. (September 2013)
Music Videos:
« World » -
« In the Green Wild » |
Domino
  ½
 |

Silvana
Kane – La Jardinera
Silvana
Kane is best known as
the lead singer of the pop group
Pacifika. With
La Jardinera, she
presents her first solo album.
We can mostly hear
covers of songs from her
favorite Latin American
female artists like
Chabuca Granda,
Mercedes Sosa and
Violeta Parra.
There are also two new
compositions: the
folk "Cruces"
and "Vida Llena" (written
for her grandmother). La
Jardinera appears
smoothly, with beautiful and very touching
ballads. It is an
intimate album
that will definitely
be a lot of fun for her to
play live in small venues.
(March 2013) |
Six Degrees
/
SIX
  ½
 |

Dom La
Nena – Ela
Produced by Piers Faccini, Ela is the
first album by the Brazilian-born cellist Dom La Nena. There are 13
original compositions sung in Spanish and Portuguese with her
sweet
voice. Simple arrangements leave any room for the power of the
compositions. After playing with many French stars as Jeanne Moreau,
Camille, Étienne Daho and Jane Birkin, Dom looked
at her own songs referring to personal experiences inspired much by
Lhasa de Sela. She addressed among others uprooting in several
countries, without a clear nationality, on a title like "No Meu País".
The coherent and intimate whole is rather endearing and gives us the
desire to discover her in a concert experience.
(March 2013)
Music
Video:
« No Meu Pais » |
Six Degrees
/
SIX
  ½
 |

Halie Loren
– Simply Love
On this new
album, the American
jazz singer
makes a real tribute to
love with great romantic
classics. It includes
standards by Carole
King ("I Feel
the Earth Move"),
Henry Mancini ("Moon
River"), plus a French track,
Francoise Hardy’s
"Le premier bonheur du jour".
In addition to the
10 covers
included on the album,
Halie signs
three songs:
"Cuando Bailamos",
"Bare Feet" and the title track to
conclude. With Simply
Love,
Halie Loren
gives us an album
full of warmth which promotes
couples closeness.
(October 2013) |
Justin Time
/
SIX
  ½
 |

Paul
McCartney – New
The legendary singer and former
Beatle seems far from
retirement, seeing the pace at which he aligns albums and tours.
Otherwise, with New, he issues his first album of original songs
in six years. After
Kisses on the Bottom last year, which
incorporated standards from the 1920s, 30s and 40s, he turns now to the
future. Sir Paul has a pop rock sound that is not devoid of creativity.
We must say he has contributed to the genre himself with the
Beatles, Wings and his solo
works for over 50 years. He is by the way having a nod to his past
achievements on several occasions, while maintaining a sound of the
2010s. For this new album, McCartney worked with four different
producers, saying he would make a choice on who would be more adapted to
the album. But finally, he enjoyed so much working with each of them he
eventually kept the work of the four of them. We thus find the
productions of Mark Ronson, Paul Epworth, Ethan Jones
and Giles Martin (the son of the fifth
Beatle George Martin).
Martin signs the production of half of the CD and they are the most
varied songs. He produces among others the highly effective "Appreciate"
an electro kind of experimental song. McCartney mixes genres throughout
the album, which is both exciting and daunting. Also, his 71-year old
voice seems fragile on several occasions. It is certain that it is
rather difficult for this living legend to reinvent himself at every
album, but he still manages to provide an interesting contemporary work.
(November 2013)
Music Video:
« Queenie Eye » |
MPL /
Concord
/
Universal
  ½
 |

Janelle
Monae – The Electric Lady

In 2010,
a real breath of fresh air
came to us with the arrival
in the pop
landscape of the versatile
and eclectic Janelle
Monae. Although
The ArchAndroid was
rather difficult of
approach, it demonstrated
that it was possible to offer
creative soul / R&B
music. With The
Electric Lady,
Janelle continues her work
and presents suites
IV and
V for another
full-length album of nearly
68 minutes in two parts,
including interludes. Janelle
always merges in a
great way pop,
rock, soul, R&B and
funk, as well as often
integrating grandiose
orchestrations and a
choir. Again, you'll
need a little patience
to get to enjoy the
entire CD which can be
disorienting on several occasions.
Otherwise, the effort
will be greatly
rewarded. Among the
contributors to the album,
a few names stand out as
Prince, Erykah
Badu and
Esperanza Spalding.
(October 2013)
Music Videos:
« Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu) » -
« Dance Apocalyptic » |
Atlantic
/
Warner
   
 |

Paramore
– Paramore

For their
fourth studio album,
Paramore afford
many trials while introducing
high efficiency pop
songs. The melodies
are memorable, but it
does not mean their music is
simplistic. We find
electro and orchestration
at different times on
the album, which is paved
with subtleties that
we gradually discover at
each new
listening. The
mix between pop
and rock
is perfectly mastered
on this album which
has all the ingredients for
a great record, despite a
total of 64 minutes.
Producer Justin
Meldal-Johnsen
has made sure to get the best
from the group which
certainly has its best
record to date.
Finally, the big clean-up
that took place within the
group in recent years
has given the necessary electroshock
for this
trio to propel to
the top of its art.
(June 2013)
Music Videos:
« Now » -
« Still Into You » |
Fueled By Ramen
/
Warner
   
 |

Queens Of
The Stone Age – …Like Clockwork

After
six years of absence
on CD, the
alternative metal band is
back with a sixth
album, ...Like
Clockwork. Josh
Homme seems determined to
return to the winning
recipe of the turn
of the millennium when he
offers some openly
accessible songs as "I
Sat By the Ocean".
Even if he offers
a very
varied album,
Homme managed to
create a solid
guideline around
his guitar and
his voice. The result is
impressive in consistency
and creativity. One of
the main strengths of
QOTSA is to
push down to metal and
return right after
in restraint. The
unsettling side of the
band contributes to
always keep
our interest by forcing
us to remain alert.
To add a little spice to
the whole, Homme
is surrounded by renowned
collaborators: Mark
Lanegan, Alex
Turner (Arctic Monkeys),
Trent Reznor, Jake
Shears (Scissor
Sisters), Nick Oliveri, Dave
Grohl, and Elton
John. …Like
Clockwork is a
brilliant album, both
deep and catchy,
energetic and introspective.
A very nice surprise!
(July 2013 Featured Review)
Music Video:
« I Appear Missing » |
Matador
/
Beggars
   

|

Shaka
Ponk – The Geeks and the Jerkin’ Socks
Shaka
Ponk began
somewhat as
the French
version of Gorillaz
when their shows
were favoring
animations with the animated
character Mister GOZ.
Musically, they offer a mix
of punk, funk,
hip hop and electronic.
Released in 2011 in
France,
The Geeks and the
Jerkin' Socks presents
for the first time the new
Anglo-Egyptian singer
Samaha Sam.
Can still be found a very
good mix of rock and
electronic music, but these are the
moments of energetic
rock' n 'roll
that grab the most attention,
as with the excellent "Let's
Bang". Included is
collaboration with Bertrand
Cantat (Noir
Desir) for
the only song in
French, "Palabra
Mi Amor". We can also hear
the rapper Beat
Assailant on "Old
School Rocka". Other
tracks that will surely grab
your attention are the
highly effective "I'm
Picky" and "Sex
Ball". Here is a
particularly successful and
hugely entertaining album
that will not only please you
until the end, but
will require you to
play it in loops.
(July 2013)
Music Videos:
« Let’s Bang » -
« My Name is Stain » -
« Sex Ball » -
« I’m Picky » -
« Palabra Mi Amor » |
Tôt ou Tard
/
SIX
  ½
 |

Tegan
and Sara – Heartthrob
The twins Tegan and Sara Quin were already having a
career for fifteen years. While the Canadians had a folk rock sound at
their debut, they now take a resolutely electro pop direction with a
polished sound and many keyboards. They had tried this on
Sainthood in 2009, but with
Heartthrob, it is obvious that they have a desire to become popular.
We can now compare them to a cross between Robyn and Katy
Perry. The production of the record has been entrusted to Greg
Kurstin who has worked with the most popular female singers in
recent years, including Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha, Kylie
Minogue, Lily Allen and Natasha Bedingfield. The
result is a clean album of the 2010s, with no major excesses or
surprises. Heartthrob can be listened carefully until the end and
has everything needed in catchy melodies and dynamism to propel the
twins at the peaks of the charts. With this new album, Tegan and Sara
manage to bring some creative energy to pop. Good work!
(March 2013)
Music
Video:
« Closer » |
Warner
  ½
 |

Vampire Weekend – Modern
Vampires of the City
For its third
album, the New York
band dropped
the African
guitars, causing a drastic
break with the past.
But they succeeded to
still offer
good compositions,
with sophisticated
arrangements, although a little
less busy than before.
There is no doubt that
Vampire Weekend remain
masters in creating unique
atmospheres. Maybe they calm
things down, but they still come back
with some louder
moments. They certainly
matured on this album,
which may displease some of
their fans. However, they managed to
evolve nicely.
(July 2013) |
XL
/
Beggars
  ½
 |

Kanye West – Yeezus
For his
sixth album,
Kanye West wanted to
maintain the utmost
discretion, thus avoiding any
song can be found on
the Internet before its
official release. Yeezus
is a strange record
filled with contradictions,
with an often aggressive
direction and rap music
including rock and
electronics. Difficult to
capture at first listen, the album
makes sense when given
time. Several
compositions are of high
quality and the
whole remains creative
to the end. Tracks like
"Black Skinhead"
and "New Slaves" will probably
become unavoidable
in Kanye West repertoire.
"Blood on the Leaves"
is also an instant
classic and it contains
a sample of "Strange
Fruit" by Nina
Simone. On
Yeezus, West seems determined to
let his anger
out without restraint,
resulting in an album
rather far from what
one would have expected by
a new dad, because
he saw his girlfriend
Kim Kardashian
give birth just days
before album release.
(August 2013 Featured Review)
Music Video:
« Black Skinhead » |
Def Jam
/
Universal
  ½

|
OTHER REVIEWS:
|

Beyoncé –
Beyoncé (2013)
A few days before Christmas, Beyoncé took
everyone by surprise with a new album that has not at all been
announced. This resulted in a commotion on social networks where we
have become accustomed to anticipate the news and not getting
doubled. The strategy paid off as the record has quickly risen to
the top of the charts. On this fifth album, Knowles co-wrote and
co-produced every song. Probably her best record since
B’day, she presents some of her best
songs, in addition to several sexually explicit tracks. The
collaborators include her husband Jay-Z, Drake,
Frank Ocean and Blue Ivy. For the production, she works
with some of the biggest names like Pharrell Williams,
Timbaland and The-Dream. This is an album of very high
quality that offers us Beyoncé Knowles with this self-titled album,
a great one in her career. (February 2014 Featured Review)
Music Videos:
« Drunk in Love » -
« XO » |
  ½

|

Céline
Dion – Loved Me Back to Life (2013)
For
her first English album in six years, the Quebec diva tries to
rejuvenate her audience with a tinge of R&B we did not know from her
before. She even did a duet with Ne-Yo for the mid-tempo song
"Incredible". Céline is still back with her team of songwriters and
renowned collaborators as Stevie Wonder (who sings with her on
the cover of "Overjoyed") and Diane Warren (who offers her
"Unfinished Songs"). She also retakes a 1975 hit by Janis Ian,
"At Seventeen". Despite some tendencies to modernity, the whole album
remains faithful to the adult pop style of the singer. With this new
well produced album, she surely manages to meet with her audience again.
(December 2013) |
  

 |

Icona Pop
– This is… Icona Pop (2013)
The Swedish electro-pop duo finally presents its
first album after the huge success of the hit single "I Love It"
(featuring Charli XCX). That hit set the stage for a record on
which danceable beats are equally linked wonderfully for only 33
minutes. All the songs have an interesting potential for both radios and
the dance floors. We can compare the female duo in part to Katy Perry
or Ke$ha, but the Russian duo T.A.T.U. also comes to mind
in the way they sing in harmony. Certainly, it is a highly entertaining
album that offer these two young Swedish ladies who obviously have an
important desire to party. Here is a good pop music record. (November
2013)
Music Videos:
« I Love It » -
« We Got the World » -
« Girlfriend » -
« All Night » |
Big Beat /
Ten /
Atlantic
/
Warner
  ½

 |

Avril
Lavigne – Avril Lavigne (2013)
More than 10
years after her debut and
on the eve of her 30th
anniversary, Avril Lavigne
presents her fifth
album, an eponymous
album. The wife of
Chad Kroeger
(Nickelback) relies
on her husband for
writing more than half
of the tracks on this
new album, in addition to singing
with her on "Let Me
Go". Avril allows
another duet, with
Marilyn Manson
this time for the
energetic "Bad Girl". This new
record has good
songs, but the
Ontario
singer still
lacks consistency,
perhaps because there are too
many compositions by
Kroeger? Her fans
should still find something interesting.
(January 2014)
Music Videos:
« Here’s to Never Growing Up » -
« Rock ‘n’ Roll » -
« Let Me Go » |
  

 |

Sky Ferreira – Night Time,
My Time (2013)
Even if she is only 21 years old, the pop singer
from Los Angeles is firmly established in the music industry, first
with her past friendship with Michael Jackson, and through
her contacts with Britney Spears’ producers. A little
provocative, Sky Ferreira does not hesitate to strip naked for the
cover of her first album, which will make jealous the one who feels
a deep need of media attention these days, Miley Cyrus. On
Night Time, My Time, Sky has an excellent blend of light pop,
electronic and rock. Some songs lean towards a new wave style ("Love
in Stereo"), while fairly aggressive guitars are added in a
beautiful way on other occasions ("You're Not the One", "I Will").
This mixture of lightness and aggression remains perfectly relevant
throughout the CD that ultimately provides a nice consistency. Here
is a very good first test for this talented singer which will surely
be heard for a long time. (December 2013 Featured New Artist)
Music Video:
« You’re Not the One » |
Capitol
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Haim
– Days Are Gone (2013)
The three
Haim sisters are from
California
and have their first
album after many years to
cover other songs
in concert.
They give us a
pop rock sound
heavily influenced by
Fleetwood Mac and
electronic pop
music of the 1980s.
Unpretentious, their music
is highly accessible and
very pleasant to listen to.
It will certainly
bring you back into
an atmosphere of 30-35
years ago with names like
Stevie Nicks
and Phil
Collins readily
coming to mind. Their
compositions are perhaps
not the most original,
but they are extremely
refreshing. In addition, they
are beautifully
interpreted by those sisters
whose vocal harmonies
are perfect. (January 2014 Featured New Artist)
Music Videos:
« Forever » -
« Don’t Save Me » -
« Falling » -
« The Wire » |
Columbia /
Sony
  ½

 |

Lissie
– Back to Forever (2013)
Lissie
Maurus was raised in
Illinois
before moving to
California.
After a first quality album
in 2010, she returns with
Back to Forever.
Produced by Jack
Knife Lee
(R.E.M., Weezer, Snow Patrol),
this new album borrows in pop rock
influences of the 1980s.
Apart from a few sounds,
the record has less country
influences than the first
one by the singer.
A powerful sound makes
an energetic album, despite
the presence of some ballads
a little boring.
It is therefore a successful
second album
that is offered by this very
talented artist. (December 2013)
Music
Videos:
« Shameless » -
« Further Away (Romance Police) » -
« Sleepwalking » |
Columbia /
Sony
  ½

 |

Ladies of the Canyon – Diamond Heart (2013)
The four
Montrealers of Ladies of the Canyon are back with a second album, again
rooted in California country rock. Otherwise, the female quartet seems
more than ever to get inspiration from classic rock, from
Led Zeppelin
to Fleetwood Mac including Jefferson Airplane. They even
do a cover version of
Led Zeppelin’s classic "Babe I'm Gonna Leave
You". However, they had expressed a desire to produce an album of pure
country and had even installed temporarily in Nashville. The project has
aborted so they are back in the style they do best, this excellent blend
of country guitars and harmonies, with a more rock energy. The
production of Mark Howard (Tragically Hip, Lucinda
Williams, Vic Chesnutt) has certainly helped to shape this
ensemble. Despite very strong influences of the past, the group manages
to present a very interesting album. (November 2013) |
Warner
  ½

 |

Agnes
Obel – Aventine (2013)
The
Danish songwriter, singer and pianist presents her second album with
Aventine. She
offers again an adult alternative pop sound with an atmospheric trend.
The piano still dominates, but the addition of violin and cello by
German Anne Müller, as well as the presence of Mika Posen
(Timber Timbre) just add richness to her work. Her very cinematic
music can be compared to the music of PJ Harvey, Tori Amos
or Joanna Newsom, but Agnes is also inspired by classical music
on different occasions. It is a mesmerizing album that is offered to us
by Agnes Obel with Aventine.
(December 2013) |
PIAS /
SIX
  ½

 |

Lindi
Ortega – Tin Star (2013)
Ontarian Lindi Ortega has a voice that reminds those of Dolly Parton
and Emmylou Harris. Musically, she offers contemporary country
music. She also has some folk influences, although several songs
generally remain energetic with a nice touch of alternative rock. She
has some very strong compositions and she managed to seduce us to the
end. In fact, it is a very good third album that is offered by the
talented singer and songwriter. (December 2013) |
Last Gang
  ½

 |

Dom La
Nena – Golondrina (2013)
Following the success of her debut album,
Ela, the Brazilian cellist and singer
decided to produce an EP of 4 tracks around the new song "Golondrina".
The other three tracks are covers: "Start a War" (The National),
"Djian's Waltz" (Stephan Eicher) and "Con Toda Palabra" (Lhasa).
Dom gives these songs a whole new color when she interprets them only on
cello. She sings in English for the first time on "Start a War", but she
also sings in French for the first time on "Djian's Waltz", because she
was finding it too difficult to sing in that language before. Pending an
upcoming album from Dom La Nena, here are four songs to make you wait.
(January 2014) |
Six Degrees
/
SIX
  ½
 |

Stacey
Kent – The Changing Lights (2013)
The jazz
singer from New Jersey once again presents an attractive album that
manages to create a very special atmosphere. It's probably largely due
to Jim Tomlinson’s production (her saxophonist and her husband)
who is able to clearly highlight the talents of Stacey of passing
emotion through her soft and warm voice. On this album, Stacey is
letting out her love for Brazilian music. She worked among others with
Portuguese poet Antonio Ladeira and French author Bernie
Beaupère. The Changing Lights is a great jazz record
incorporating world music. (November 2013) |
Parlophone
/
Warner
  ½

 |

Christine Jensen Jazz
Orchestra – Habitat (2013)
In front of
Habitat 67 in
Montreal
posed soprano
saxophonist Christine
Jensen for
the cover of her second
album with
a full orchestra. Habitat
includes 6 pieces, most of them
around 10 minutes
with a peak at 15 minutes for
"Nishiyuu",
a piece inspired by the
walk of more than
1,500 kilometres by
six young Cree
in January 2013. All composed
and arranged by Jensen,
they are linked by
places that have inspired her:
Canadian Prairies,
Brooklyn,
Peru, Port-au-Prince,
without forgetting
Montreal.
She is surrounded by
the same musicians as on
Treelines, including
pianist John Roney.
There are also soloist
collaborators like her sister
Ingrid Jensen
on trumpet, Chet
Doxas on tenor saxophone
on "Nishiyuu" and
Joel Miller
also on tenor saxophone on
"Tumbledown". Here is a
superb album of
instrumental jazz
for a dinner with friends
or a relaxing moment
in the late evening. (December 2013) |
Justin Time
/
SIX
  ½

 |

Gino
Quilico – Serata d’amore (2013)
Accompanied by
Ensemble TrioSphère,
accordionist Alexander
Sevastian and guitarist
Glenn Lévesque,
lyric baritone Gino
Quilico offers 14
of the most famous Italian
love songs.
The arrangements by
Dominic Bouliane
help to discover
the environment in which the
singer grew up. You
can hear classical pieces
by Rossini, Chopin
and Mozart,
but also more recent
works such as "Lei"
by Charles Aznavour.
Among the unforgettable
Italian songs, there are
"Caruso" opening
the CD and "O Sole
Mio" in
conclusion. (December 2013) |
Analekta
  ½
 |

St.
Lucia – When the Night (2013)
St. Lucia is essentially Jean-Philip Grobler’s
band, a musician born in South Africa who studied in London before
moving to Brooklyn, New York. When the Night is the debut
album by St. Lucia and it has a pop indie sound in which
synthesizers dominate. The influences of the 1980s are obvious, but
their music is perfectly suited to the 2010s. It is a catchy and
romantic album, but also creative and sophisticated. Nostalgic of
the overproduced pop music of the 1980s will be pleased with this
contemporary band that does not hesitate to look at the past. They
are so smart so you cannot blame them, especially when we're tapping
our foot on one of the many effective beats of this great record.
(February 2014 Featured New Artist)
Music Videos:
« September » -
« Elevate » |
Columbia /
Sony
  ½

 |

Britney Spears – Britney Jean (2013)
Britney talks about her 8th album as her most
personal to date. The problem is that with only 10 tracks totaling 36
minutes, she does not seem to have much to say... Dr. Luke, who
produced the biggest hits of her previous album, as well as her faithful
collaborator Max Martin are now absent. Two large spots that
cannot fill a will.i.am increasingly annoying, which produces 7
of the 10 songs and is shaping a new personality to the easy to
manipulate Britney. His participation to "It Should Be Easy" is more
like a performance by will.i.am featuring also Britney Spears. The
energetic "Work Bitch" is one of the most entertaining tracks of the
record, even if the techno sound seems straight out of the 1990s. In
fact, the most successful song is unquestionably the pure pop piece
"Passenger", co-written with Katy Perry and produced by Diplo.
This is one of the few moments of this short CD we feel that Britney is
comfortable and in control. Please note she sings for the first time on
CD with her sister Jamie Lynn on "Chillin ' With You", but these
3 minutes and 40 seconds will certainly not go down in history.
Unfortunately for Britney, she still seems to serve as a puppet on this
album that might not be as personal as she says, despite some catchy pop
songs. Britney Jean is perhaps her worst album to date!
(February 2014)
Music Videos:
« Work Bitch » -
« Perfume » |
 

 |

One Direction – Midnight Memories (2013)
The band of teenagers from London already has a third
album in as many years. Their challenge is to continue to produce hits
as they have done with regularity since 2011. Midnight Memories
contains enough potential hits to enable them to achieve their goal.
Energetic acoustic pieces fit well in the context of 2013 and bring a
new musical direction to the band with a name predestined to remain
predictable from one record to another. In that sense, it is already
more than interesting to see an evolution in their young career. There
are also some songs tending more to rock, but those take us back
especially in an atmosphere of the 1980s that may seem dated. This is
the case among others for the title song which could have been performed
by Def Leppard in
1987. The group will certainly succeed in rallying its fans once again,
despite some shortcomings of creativity.
(February 2014)
Music Videos:
« Best Song Ever » -
« Story of My Life » -
« Happily » |
  

 |

Simple
Plan – Get Your Heart On – The Second Coming! (2013)
Two
and a half years after the release of their latest album,
Get Your Heart On!, the popular pop
punk band from Montreal returns with a 7-track EP, issued to make their
fans wait for a new full-length album. The logical continuation of the
album, The Second Coming is not really going beyond that record
with greatly catchy and effective pop songs, but that do not really
stand out by their creativity. They well be using some keyboards and
electronics on some occasions that create a differentiation with the
bulk of their work, but nothing to talk about a radical change. So this
is truly a record to make us wait for something a little more
interesting.
(February 2014) |
Atlantic
/
Warner
  

 |

B.o.B –
Underground Luxury (2013)
The Georgia rapper comes to us with a third album,
Underground Luxury. It's almost a concept album while most of the
lyrics are dealing with consumer and luxury. The 15-track album starts
slowly with "All I Want" and "One Day" (including a lengthy discussion
at the end). It takes a bit of beat with "Paper Route", but it’s when he
is accompanied by collaborators that B.o.B really manages to stand out.
This is the case with Future on "Ready", Priscilla on
"John Doe" and Chris Brown's "Throwback". There are also good
times with TI and Juicy J on "We Still in this Bitch" and
2 Chainz on the ideal anthem for strip clubs, "Headband". We find
good moments on this B.o.B. album, but it unfortunately has many
inequalities.
(February 2014)
Music Videos:
« We Still in this Bitch » -
« Headband » -
« Ready » -
« Paper Route » -
« John Doe » |
Atlantic
/
Warner
  

 |

Billie Joe + Norah – Foreverly (2013)
The
leader of Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong joins Norah Jones to
record this album inspired of
Songs Our Daddy Taught Us by the
Everly Brothers. Recorded in 1958, it was an album of traditional
American songs reinterpreted in their own way. Billie Joe and Norah took
only 9 days to record this well felt tribute to the Everly Brothers by
the quality of vocal harmonies. It must be said that the association
between the punk and the jazz vocalist is not an automatic perfect match
for these folk and country songs from another era. However, the result
is quite successful, although we would have liked them to take ownership
a little more rather than simply imitate the Everly Brothers.
(February 2014) |
Reprise
/
Warner
  

 |

White Ash Falls – Over the Night (2013)
White
Ash Falls is a country rock band from Vancouver led by Andy Bishop.
With many collaborators, he is able to present a rich second album with
among others a pedal steel guitar and an organ. The people who surround
him include Louise Burns, James Younger, Erin Passmore
(Rah Rah) and members of Yukon Blonde: Brandon Scott,
Graham Jones and Jeff Innes. The album has good country
rock songs with a few moments into blues. Not revolutionary, Over the
Night is an honest album that has potential to bring the band a
little further. (January 2014) |
Light Organ /
Universal
  
 |

Neomythics – Projectiles (2013)
American alternative
rock band Neomythics
is back with a new album,
less than 2 years after
New Corporate Resistance.
Again, the group
managed to merge a
post-rock sound with
rhythmic alternative rock
and pop
melodies in the
U2
style. This
is an excellent mix
they offer us,
always maintaining a
certain level of creativity.
Otherwise, the names that
come to mind as The
Strokes and
Television may
unfortunately remain a
little too much in
mind, just as if they
had failed to
really impose their own
personality. The
duo of
Gregory Howe
and Matt
Montgomery is once again
accompanied by guitarist
Harvey Mandel
for four tracks, as well as
several other musicians.
They offer us
a record that listens
well, but not yet
able to stand out.
(January 2014) |
Ex-Fed
  

 |

Bombay
Dub Orchestra – Tales From the Grand Bazaar (2013)
Bombay Dub Orchestra was formed 10 years ago by the duo of composers of
Garry Hughes and Andrew T. Mackay after a trip to Mumbai,
India. This is a project that combines electro-orchestral world music,
electronic and dub. Recorded in several major cities, this third album
includes renowned collaborators like the duo Sly & Robbie,
Asad Khan, Soumik Datta and Tanja Tzar, in addition to
a variety of Turkish soloists. Tales From the Grand Bazaar
catches its influences not only in India but also in the city of
Istanbul, Turkey where was completed a huge bazaar of 5,000 stores on 60
streets in 1461. The duo managed to merge these two influences into a
very coherent sound, mainly due to the use of strings to solidify
everything.
(January 2014) |
Six Degrees
/
SIX
  ½

 |

Kodaline
– In a Perfect World (2013)
Kodaline is an Irish quartet presenting an accessible
rock sound in the style of Coldplay, Keane and
U2. They released their first EP in
2012 before giving us this first full-length album. If one can easily
understand the influence of U2, Coldplay
is especially coming to mind throughout the CD, which is sometimes
atmospheric and often tearful. The most ardent fans of this genre will
happily welcome a new player in the industry, which has great qualities
anyway. Otherwise, creativity is far from being there and it seems like
we hear a new album by Coldplay.
(January 2014)
Music Videos:
« High Hopes » -
« Love Like This » |
RCA Victor
/
Sony
  

 |

Halestorm – Reanimate 2.0: The Covers EP (2013)
The
hard rock quartet from Pennsylvania was formed in 1997 by Elizabeth
Hale (vocals, keyboards, guitar) and her brother Arejay
(drums). Despite a debut album in 2000, it took them until 2009 to
finally get an interesting record deal with Atlantic Records. After two
albums for Atlantic and an EP of covers, they are back with a second EP
that allows us to discover the versatility of Lzzy and her band.
The 6 tracks offered are indeed quite varied with covers of Judas
Priest ("Dissident Aggressor"), Daft Punk ("Get Lucky"),
AC/DC ("Shoot to Thrill"), Pat
Benatar ("Hell is for Children"), Fleetwood Mac ("Gold Dust
Woman") and Marilyn Manson ("1996").
(January 2014) |
Atlantic
/
Warner
  ½

 |

Gavin
DeGraw – Make a Move (2013)
New York pop rock singer offers a fifth album in his
seven-year career. Again, it features songs with a huge commercial
potential, but they fail to truly stay in mind. We can find some kind of
a soul turn on a few tracks, but he remains more comfortable when he is
close to the style that made him popular. DeGraw remains a mix between
Jason Mraz and Maroon 5, this time with some similarities
with Bruno Mars. Unfortunately, he does not manage to stand out
from any of these artists.
(January 2014)
Music Video:
« Best I Ever Had » |
RCA /
Sony
 ½

 |

Kenny
Rogers – You Can’t Make Old Friends (2013)
The
Texas country singer has been active for over 50 years and he comes back
again with a new album despite his 75 years of age. In addition, he has
received substantial budget, which was not the case for a long time for
this living legend. So he took the opportunity to try to reach the
widest possible audience with his country pop that has all the qualities
to reach its target. The album actually begins with a sentimental duet
(the title track) with his long-time collaborator Dolly Parton.
Unfortunately, many songs fall flat and will fail to attract the wide
audience wanted by Rogers. Otherwise, the record has the opportunity to
make its way through the adult contemporary albums.
(January 2014) |
Warner
 ½

 |

Cats on
Trees – Cats on Trees (2013)
Cats
on Trees is a Montreal duo formed of Nina Goern (piano, vocals)
and Yohan Hennequin (drums). They offer us accessible pop rock,
based on sounds and rhythm, quickly grabbing our attention. Among
others, the strings add richness to the album, which could easily have
been completely stripped. The beautiful voice of Nina is ideal for
delivering the catchy melodies, and it makes us want to sing out loud.
The inventive rhythm and the warmth of their music make them simply
irresistible. We cannot help but listen to the album in loops. Here is a
very nice discovery on the Montreal music scene.
(January 2014) |
Tôt ou Tard
/
SIX
  ½

 |

Lady Gaga
– ARTPOP (2013)
The new queen of pop tries to become more
artistic with ARTPOP, a shift that unfortunately fails to
convince by its depth. The songs remain pop without major
innovations, but also without the catchy choruses that made her fame
for 5 years. There are only "Sexxx Dreams", "Do What U Want" (a duet
with R. Kelly) and the first single, "Applause", which
managed to somewhat stand out and stay in our heads. For the topics
covered, it is sexuality that is winning with a majority of lyrics
in this direction. The emphasis has certainly been on production
which does not lack punch, with strong rhythms and a good
integration of electro. Otherwise, the diva is unable to maintain
the level of quality that she had managed to achieve so far with pop
music that is both accessible and intelligent. Instead we feel some
kind of a void in this ARTPOP for which we keep very little
at the end of the day. (January 2014 Featured Review)
Music Video:
« Applause » |
Universal
  


|

Eminem
– The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013)
Thirteen years after the excellent
The Marshall Mathers LP, the
Detroit rapper comes back with volume 2. Eminem returns to the formula
that made him famous with a good dose of sampling, rhythms and
memorable choruses. Otherwise, many filler pieces can be found among the
16 that contains the 78-minute CD, as well as annoying pieces that
unnecessarily stretch like the Zombies cover, "Rhyme of Reason".
Mathers seems to be somewhat in peace with his past, even if the album
still contains a good dose of anger. He once more surrounds himself by
collaborators, including Rihanna on the excellent "The Monster",
Skylar Grey and Kendrick Lamar. Despite the obvious
weaknesses on the album, Eminem has some of his best compositions in a
long time. He offers us a quality album that must unfortunately been
listened to the piece to fully appreciate.
(January 2014)
Music Videos:
« Berzerk » -
« Survival » -
« Rap God » -
« The Monster » |
Aftermath
/
Interscope
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Hedley – Wild Life (2013)
Jacob Hoggard and
his band are back with their fifth studio album, Wild Life. More
pop than ever, the Canadian group has several instant hits as the first
single, "Anything", "Crazy For You" and "I'll Be With You". Energetic
beats and powerful choruses remain the recipe for Hedley that will not
disappoint any of its fans at this level. Obviously, the charismatic
singer can not help but throw a few ballads, but at least he has the
voice to make it interesting enough. Hoggard produces himself the album
with Brian Howes, who worked regularly with the band in the past.
Long time fans may regret the lack of electric guitars, but Wild Life
has all the pop potential to finally attract the Americans. Check it
out!
(January 2014)
Music Video:
« Anything » |
Universal
  

 |

Pearl Jam
– Lightning Bolt (2013)
Lightning Bolt is the 10th studio album by
the grunge band from Seattle, even if you feel they were present for
many years. 22 years have passed since the inevitable Ten and the
group managed to retain its place under the sun, despite the passage of
currents. Eddie Vedder and his band have a few frankly energetic
pieces on this record nobody really seemed to expect. Vedder's voice is
very well highlighted, but perhaps at the expense of the guitar.
Obviously, the group still feels the need to provide us with ballads,
but they are usually successful. The members of Pearl Jam seem very
comfortable in their skin and they assume completely their music,
regardless of any trend.
(January 2014) |
Universal
  ½

 |

AFI
– Burials (2013)
After
tracks more pop on Crash
Love,
the emo band returns to
darker themes and music
on Burials.
The album opens in
a cinematic atmosphere
with "The Sinking
Night" before a slow but
highly effective song with
"I Hope You Suffer".
The group still
reminds us of the Misfits
at times, but
Morrissey and
David Bowie
are never too far away.
If several fans could
have given up with their
previous album, they
are likely to appreciate what
the group has since become.
In fact, AFI matures
and it suits them
particularly well.
(January 2014)
Music Videos:
« I Hope You Suffer » -
« 17 Crimes » |
Universal
  ½

 |

Blue
Rodeo – In Our Nature (2013)
The
Toronto country rock group is already approaching its 30-year career and
presents its 13th album. Unfortunately, their records all seem the same
since several years ago. We always find the same formula with acoustic
guitars and a rhythmic accessible pop rock without being made for
commercial radio. Blue Rodeo is actually the Canadian version of the
Eagles. The duo of composers Greg Keelor / Jim Cuddy does
not seem too overwhelmed by creative energy, always using the same
formula that has allowed the group to survive until then. This new CD
has warm and well produced songs that unfortunately have very few
interesting elements that could stay in our head. Except maybe "Over Me"
and "Tell Me Again", the other 12 songs are interchangeable and
uninteresting.
(January 2014) |
Warner
 ½

 |

Rafael & Energia Dominicana – Enamorarse en la Playa (2013)
Rafael
Medina Wilsikin
is a singer, merenguero
and bachatero from Quebec of
Dominican origin. With his
group, Energia
Dominicana, he presents his
first album, produced
in Montreal. Rafael
has 13 original
compositions, mixing genres
of Latin music
(merengue, bachata, salsa
and ballad). What
unites these genres is
the sunshine that
is present at any time.
This is an energetic
and very well produced
album that rivals
some of the best recordings
of Latin music in the
world. (December 2013) |
Vivo
  
 |

Robert Glasper Experiment – Black Radio 2 (2013)
After
the excellent album
Black Radio in 2012,
Robert Glasper and his band
are back with more.
The jazzman, inspired as much
by R&B and
funk, focuses on original
compositions, except for a cover of
Stevie Wonder
in conclusion of the CD
("Jesus Children").
To interpret the 12
songs on the record, Glasper
still asks help
by a whole
bunch of guest vocalists. You
can hear among others
Common, Patrick
Stump,
Brandy, Jill Scott,
Faith Evans, Norah
Jones, Snoop Dogg,
Lupe Fiasco
and Emeli Sandé.
Glasper once again
presents a soft sound extremely
pleasant to listen to. The
only negative point is that it
is not necessarily going
beyond the previous
album and we now know
the way.
(December 2013) |
Blue
Note
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Ron
Davis – SymphRONica (2013)
For his
latest project,
Toronto pianist and
composer of international
reputation Ron Davis
decided to join his two
passions, jazz and
classical. Along with the
Windsor Symphony Orchestra
conducted by John
Morris Russell
(Cincinnati Pops
Orchestra), Davis jazz
trio makes a
9th album
perfectly mixing both genres,
without having the feeling
that it is simply jazz
accompanied by a symphony
orchestra. Six of the
9 tracks offered are
original compositions by
Davis.
Another is by
Bach ("Mache
Dich Mein
Herze Rein"), while
there are two traditional
pieces, "Dror
Yikrah" and "Reel de
Pointe-au-Pic". With SymphRONica,
Ron Davis
realized a dream and presents
an album with a unique
atmosphere.
(December 2013) |
Acrönym
/
Universal
/
SIX
  ½
 |

MAZ –
Chasse-Galerie (2013)
MAZ
is a
band of Quebec
traditional music
incorporating elements
of jazz and
electronica to its
instrumental music.
Led by Marc
Maziade, the
quartet was
praised for its
debut album,
Télescope,
and it
returns with
Chasse-Galerie. The
group presents
11 original
compositions inspired
by the
traditional repertoire, but
jazz and electronica
are never
far away, Especially
through the
use of
keyboards in
addition to
violin and tapping feet.
Their music is
original and
greatly differs
from traditional music as
it is
known usually.
A very good record
in the genre!
(December 2013) |
Bleu44
  ½
 |

Marc-André Hamelin – Busoni: Late Piano Music (3 CD) (2013)
Montreal's
world-renowned pianist
Marc-André Hamelin
continues his exploration of
the work of the great masters
of piano with
Ferruccio Busoni
(1866-1924). On 3
CDs, you can hear the best
compositions for the
piano repertoire.
Technically complex and
with dense harmonies,
they have a challenge that
only a virtuoso of the
calibre of Marc-André
Hamelin may fulfill.
And it is masterfully that
he managed to deliver these
unique works, although little
known. The recording
quality captures all the subtleties
of the pianist’s play, note
by note. Here is a
masterful interpretation of Busoni
repertoire by a Marc-André
Hamelin in great shape.
(December 2013) |
Hyperion
   
 |

Amos Lee
– Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song (2013)
In
his new album, the Philadelphia singer is still sinking deeper into
country music, leaving the soul sound which characterized his debut. To
get more inspiration, Lee went to Nashville to record the album with
producer Jay Joyce (Emmylou Harris, The Wallflowers).
Amos Lee is surrounded by a handful of collaborators as Alison Krauss,
Patty Griffin and some excellent musicians in addition to his
band. The production is high quality and is well worth the very good
songs written by Lee who seems more inspired than ever. This is a solid
album of country folk that is offered by Amos Lee, one of his bests to
date.
(December 2013) |
Blue
Note
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Dr. Dog
– B-Room (2013)
For
their new album, the band from Philadelphia built a studio to allow them
to record their new compositions. The fact of being in their own home
allows them to focus and deliver possibly their most consistent album to
date. There are great moments of soul somewhat nostalgic in addition to
their psychedelic pop. The group does not hesitate to borrow from the
past, but where they impress it’s in their ability to make their music
modern anyway. A very good record again by the creative band!
(December 2013) |
Anti- /
Epitaph
  ½

 |

Of
Montreal – Lousy with Sylvianbriar (2013)
The prolific
indie pop band
led by Kevin
Barnes presents
yet another album
in a little over than 15
years of career.
Their very creative music
still has influences
of the 1960s and 1970s
(Bob Dylan,
George Harrison,
Neil Young, the
Rolling Stones,
etc.), but they manage to
create a sound all their own,
rather original.
Barnes and his band
offer once again high quality music,
inspired and creative.
A very good album!
(December 2013) |
Polyvinyl
  ½

 |

Katy
Perry – Prism (2013)
Since her pop debut in 2008, the beautiful
Californian singer combines #1 hits. So, a new album brings its share of
expectations. Otherwise, it will be difficult to repeat her commercial
exploits with Prism which represents a major turning point for
the singer with a former look of pin-up. Rather, she takes on a more
serious, more adult direction, which may be difficult to be followed by
her teenage excited audience. It remains the sexy "Birthday", but the
ensemble turns especially to long-term relationships rather than the
overuse of sexuality. Musically, there are some more mature pop pieces,
starting with the first hit, "Roar", and "Unconditionally". We can also
hear a return to the past with the disco "Walking on Air", as well as a
rap passage on "Dark Horse", thanks to the collaboration of Juicy J.
Prism contains good compositions and is quite coherent compared
to her previous records, so it is a good album. But, Katy may lose
several fans with it.
(December 2013)
Music Videos:
« Roar » -
« Unconditionally » |
Capitol /
Universal
  

 |

James
Blunt – Moon Landing (2013)
The popular British singer is back with his fourth
album, Moon Landing. He still offers an adult pop sound all
designated to invade radios of that type. Otherwise, we cannot hear
larger than life hits like the one that made him famous, the ballad
"You're Beautiful". In addition, he loses a bit of the energy that could
be found on his previous album,
Some Kind of Trouble. We can still
hear very good songs like "Face the Sun", the hit "Bonfire Heart" and a
tribute to Whitney Houston with "Miss America". James Blunt has
again produced a good album that is sure to please his fans.
(December 2013)
Music Video:
« Bonfire Heart » |
Atlantic
/
Warner
  ½

 |

Miley
Cyrus – Bangerz (2013)
With
Can’t Be Tamed 3 years ago, the young
Miley Cyrus had already begun to get into controversy. But it is in the
fall of 2013, just before the release of her new album, that she really
managed to become viral on the social media, mainly due to her vulgar
performance with Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Since then, she seems to be constantly looking for attention, but we
must admit that this is the best promotional tool that she and her team
could find to sell albums and concerts, while making us forget her past
with Disney. On Bangerz, she offers pop music with influences of
R&B and hip hop that establishes a genuine break with the past. In
addition to renowned producers such as Pharrell Williams, Miley
can count on famous collaborators to lend their voices: Britney
Spears, Nelly, Future and Big Sean, among
others. She has several interesting songs as the hits "We Can’t Stop"
and "Wrecking Ball", as well as "# GETITRIGHT", but we also find many
frankly boring songs, including the opening one, "Adore You". If
Bangerz officially carries her into adulthood, Miley still has a lot
to do to prove she can remain in the music industry rather than with her
escapades in front of the camera.
(December 2013)
Music Videos:
« We Can’t Stop » -
« Wrecking Ball » |
  

 |

Kings of
Leon – Mechanical Bull (2013)
Since the excellent
A-Ha Shake Heartbreak in 2005, the
task seems difficult for the band from Nashville to issue another
creative album, despite the hits of 2008 "Sex on Fire" and "Use
Somebody". With Mechanical Bull, the group tries to change the
situation and to return with creative compositions. The exercise seems
rather successful, still with the bonus of catchy choruses and energetic
guitars. The album seems to have been produced with less effort than the
previous one, as if everything flowed naturally. It starts with a good
dose of intensity with the passionate "Supersoaker" and the heavy "Rock
City". Later, the band managed to convince us of his success with the
excellent "Wait for Me" and the bluesy "Family Tree", and it reminds us
of the early U2 with "Coming Back
Again". This is an assembly of excellent compositions that offer us the
Kings of Leon on this new album.
(December 2013)
Music Videos:
« Supersoaker » -
« Beautiful War » |
RCA /
Sony
  ½

 |

Panic! At the Disco – Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013)
The band from Las Vegas is back with its fourth
studio album, in the same direction with new wave influences of the
1980s that began in 2011 with
Vices & Virtues. The fans of the first
hour will find elements of emo or pop punk on various occasions, but it
is rather clear that the band has no desire to be categorized to a
specific genre. They therefore present a pop rock sound with rather
varied influences. In the most rhythmic moments, they can remind us of
Hedley ("Vegas Lights"), but in other occasions, it is Nine
Inch Nails that comes to mind ("Girl That You Love"). For lovers of
contemporary music infused with synthesizers as used in the 1980s,
Panic! At the Disco are able to fully satisfy their interests with an
album that surprises by its creativity.
(December 2013)
Music Videos:
« Miss Jackson » -
« This is Gospel » -
« Girls/Girls/Boys » |
Fueled By Ramen
/
Warner
  ½

 |

Korn –
The Paradigm Shift (2013)
After 20 years of career, Korn has gone from leading
nu metal to a band that tries to keep its place in the world of metal in
the years 2000-10. This is what explains their exploratory passage into
dubstep in 2011 on
The Path of Totality. With The
Paradigm Shift, Jonathan Davis and his band return to the
style that suits them best. We again find some electronic parts, but
much more discreet. Also, note the return of guitarist Brian "Head"
Welch who had left about ten years ago. Although musically the group
includes many elements of what has brought him success in the 1990s,
there is much less guttural voices and melodies are more present and
effective than ever. The most impressive thing is that Korn still
manages to surprise us with frankly creative passages. The band remains
an important player in the metal community.
(December 2013)
Music Video:
« Never Never » |
Universal
  ½

 |

Moby –
Innocents (2013)
After his huge success in the 1990s, Moby returned to
underground electronic music. He may therefore allow himself for some
albums to explore different rather spacey atmospheres and it is this
quest that continues on Innocents. What sets this recording in
comparison to its predecessors is the fact that he invited quite known
singers to give life to his music. One can indeed hear Mark Lanegan
(Queens of the Stone Age, Screaming Trees), Cold Specks,
Skylar Grey, Damien Jurado, and Wayne Coyne (Flaming
Lips) for the excellent and grandiose "The Perfect Life". The album
has a very good guideline that makes it enjoyable to listen to the end.
Otherwise, his fans of the first hour who liked his most danceable
tracks might get frankly bored. It is still his strongest album in more
than 10 years.
(December 2013)
Music Videos:
« A Case for Shame » -
« The Perfect Life » |
  ½

 |

Randy
Travis – Influence Vol. 1: The Man I Am (2013)
Randy
Travis is somehow the country singer who was the link between
traditionalists and contemporaries in the 1980s. On this new album, he
pays tribute to some artists who influenced him. With 4 tracks of
Merle Haggard, it is not necessary to look far to find his main
influence. There are also songs of Billy Joe Shaver, George
Jones and even Louis Armstrong ("Big Butter and Egg Man").
Concluding the CD, you can hear a duet with Joe Nichols for
"Tonight I'm Playin' Possum". His interpretations are not as impressive,
but it is still interesting to hear the influences of Randy Travis.
Otherwise, there is a high risk that a second volume unnecessarily
stretches the elastic. So let’s prepare for the worst...
(December 2013) |
Warner
  

 |

Whitehorse – The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss (2013)
Canadian duo Whitehorse is formed of the couple of Luke Doucet
and Melissa McClelland. They had their second album in 2012,
The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss, which is again on the
market since October 8. The duo offers an indie rock sound with country
influences. The set is varied, but it still remains consistent to the
end. Guitar virtuoso, Luke Doucet managed to create magical moments with
his instrument. In addition, the voices of the couple mix perfectly. We
can therefore say that the meeting of the two artists is good for their
careers. Whitehorse prepares an EP in French for 2014, so this is to
watch closely.
(December 2013) |
Six Shooter /
SIX
  

 |

Brett
Kissel – Started With a Song (2013)
The
country singer-songwriter
from
Alberta
presents his first album
with Started With
a Song. It has
10 songs of love or
party for a short
38-minute album.
At just 23 years old,
Kissel was able to
provide us with extremely
catchy melodies that make him
automatically friendly.
In addition, his insertions
of pop and rock
are making him an accessible
artist who can reach a
wide audience without
problems. Brett Kissel
does not reinvent the genre,
but he offers a
refreshing album in
the Canadian country
landscape.
(December 2013)
Music Video:
« Started With a Song » |
Warner
  

 |

Fast
Romantics – Afterlife Blues
(2013)
Canadian
band Fast Romantics
is at its second
album with Afterlife
Blues. The
indie rock quartet still
has similarities with
Elvis Costello
and Blur,
but goes a
step further this time
in its musical research.
They have definitely
gained confidence and have a
pop rock sound of
high efficiency. Full of
melancholy and romanticism,
Afterlife Blues
presents beautiful
atmospheres. Even if
they are not reinventing
anything, the album is still
varied enough to keep
our interest. Here is a
record that is pleasant to
listen, for a good
time.
(December 2013)
Music Video:
« Funeral Song » |
Pipe & Hat
  

 |

Krewella
– Get Wet (2013)
Krewella is an electronic music trio from Chicago
formed in 2007, before issuing its first material in 2011. Get Wet
is their first full-length album. The Yousaf sisters and Kris
Trindl (aka Rain Man) offer primarily energetic pop music,
perfect for dance floors, with elements of dubstep. This is a custom
sound to party with the usual clichés in the lyrics. Production is
larger than life and has everything to appeal to a broad audience. Note
the participation of Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) and
Travis Barker (Blink 182) for the effective "Dancing with the
Devil". With this first album, the trio presents a pleasant album to
listen that is sure to please lovers of music with a high level of
energy. (November 2013)
Music Videos:
« Killin’ It » -
« Alive » -
« Live for the Night » |
Columbia /
Sony
  ½

 |

Chvrches –
The Bones of What You Believe (2013)
Chvrches is an electro-pop trio from Glasgow, Scotland.
They pick heavily from the music of the 1980s, highly dominated by
synthesizers. The Bones of What You Believe is their first
full-length album after EPs. In addition to an almost abusive use of
synthesizers, what is catching our attention is the soft and
high-pitched voice of Lauren Mayberry. The 12 songs of the album
are linked up nicely in an impressive consistency. In fact, it is
primarily a CD to listen to as a whole rather than in pieces while few
tracks manage to stand out from the rest. It is a very good first album
by a band to check out closely over the next few years.
(November 2013)
Music Videos:
« Gun » -
« The Mother We Share » -
« Lies » |
Glassnote /
Universal
  ½

 |

Dream
Theater – Dream Theater (2013)
After more than 25 years of career, the progressive
metal band from New York comes to us with a self-titled album, as if it
had just discovered its true personality. This 12th album features for
the first time the involvement of new drummer Mike Mangini, hired
in 2011, in writing and creative decisions. This new comer is welcome as
the group presents one of its strongest albums in several years.
Guitarist John Petrucci ensures production. The album starts
strongly with a short suite in three acts, "False Awakening Suite".
Dream Theater then offer good compositions in the genre before
completing with a piece in five parts totaling 22 minutes, "Illumination
Theory". The use of orchestral strings on various occasions enriches in
a beautiful way the band's music, which is already thick at the basis.
Their influences of Rush appear at different times of the record,
especially in "The Looking Glass" in which the opening seems to be a
tribute to "Spirit of Radio". Overall, Dream Theater are offering a very
successful album, one of the most creative for the band in a long time
which will please their many fans.
(November 2013)
Music Video:
« The Enemy Inside » |
Roadrunner
/
Warner
  ½

 |

Waxahatchee – Cerulean Salt (2013)
Native of Alabama Katie
Crutchfield’s alternative band was formed in
2011. But in fact,
she works mainly in
solo. Cerulean
Salt is the second
album by Waxahatchee.
The punk past of
Crutchfield can still be
found in the
alternative rock sound rather
lo-fi of the band.
Less acoustic
than its first album,
it nonetheless provides a
slightly richer music.
Catchy pop
melodies are part of
the band,
so that several
tracks have the potential to
stay in mind,
though few of them manage
to really
stand out. The most
interesting pieces are
certainly "Dixie Cups and
Jars" and "Misery Over
Dispute". Cerulean
Salt is an excellent
album, especially
creative.
(November 2013) |
Don Giovanni
  ½

 |

Thomas Carbou – Hekatê III (2013)
An
exceptional musician, jazz guitarist Thomas Carbou specializes in
8-string guitar. Here he presents the finale of his trilogy
Hekatê, on which he continues his experiments in a
trio with saxophonist Erik Hove and drummer Jim Doxas. He
transcends genres carrying his jazz to the limits of rock, folk and
ambient electronics. The French born and Montrealer by adoption for the
last 10 years perfectly complements his trilogy with a record full of
creativity, which is pleasant to listen until the end for our pure
pleasure.
(November 2013) |
Kartel /
SIX
  ½

 |

Five For Fighting – Bookmarks (2013)
Five For Fighting
is a one-man band, John
Ondrasik’s. A
native of Los
Angeles,
Ondrasik became known
in the early 2000s
with several
hit ballads
like "Superman (It's
Not Easy)" and "100
Years". For his new album, he
again trusts producer
Gregg Wattenberg
who had worked on his
previous album,
Slice, 4 years ago.
The album has some
of the best compositions
by Ondrasik to date,
in addition to enjoying
superb arrangements.
Although Five For Fighting
continues in the style that
made it famous, it has
tracks with much
lustre for
a great album,
definitely its
best so far.
(November 2013)
Music Video:
« What If » |
Wind-Up /
Universal
  ½

 |

Said the
Whale – Hawaiii (2013)
Said the Whale
is an indie
rock band from Vancouver
that was formed by
Ben Worcester
and Tyler
Bancroft. With Hawaiii,
the quintet
offers its fourth album,
probably its best to date.
There are still hard to
access alternative
songs, but the band also
made an effort to open up to
the masses through
favorite pop rock songs such
as "I Love You". As
well in this instant
hit as in a few other
compositions, there is
a not very subtle nod
to the Beach Boys
which seem to have been a
major influence for the melodies.
Said the Whale also
has some electro-pop
influences to complete
this great music mix.
(November 2013)
Music Video:
« I Love You » |
Hidden Pony
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Islands – Ski Mask (2013)
For this fifth album, the Montreal band is completed
by brothers Evan and Geordie Gordon from Ontario group
The Magic. While the themes remain rather gloomy and dark, very good
melodies reminiscent occasionally of the Beach Boys and the
Beatles
come to give a little life to this new album. The presence of the Gordon
Brothers has surely also something to do with it. The result is an
extremely solid record that manages to be entertaining despite the
gloomy side. Still a very good album by Nick Thorburn and
company.
(November 2013)
Music Video:
« Wave Forms » |
Manqué
  ½

 |

Dustin Wong –
Mediation of Ecstatic Energy (2013)
Dustin Wong is a Hawaiian who decided to embark on a solo career in
2009, and it’s really the case because he produces everything completely
by himself. The experimental guitarist indeed uses a variety of pedals
and an occasional beat box. After working with Japanese Takako
Minekawa for the album
Toropical Circle, Wong is back with
his third solo album. He presents an experimental minimalist sound,
mostly instrumental, which helps to create a special atmosphere. He
explores loops and repeats that can occasionally be flirting with pop
melodies, even if the whole remains completely underground and difficult
to access. With some tracks around 6 minutes, the album sometimes takes
a hypnosis tangent, promoting meditation. Despite his approach may seem
difficult at times, Mediation of Ecstatic Energy offers a nice
consistency until the end. It contains possibly the best compositions to
date by Dustin Wong.
(November 2013) |
Thrill Jockey
  ½

 |

Phosphorescent – Muchacho (2013)
Phosphorescent is the one-man band of Matthew Houck, a native of
Athens, Georgia, the hometown of R.E.M. He started this project
in 2000 and he produces a minimalist indie rock sound to folk trend and
even country. On this sixth album, he experimented somewhat, in
sometimes ambient sounds. He uses more than ever electronic that he
artfully blends with instruments. This mixture also makes us realize
that this is perhaps his least minimalist album while the songs take on
a certain scale, even though it usually remains a quiet album. Despite
some excessive arrangements, Houck has possibly his best compositions
since his debut 10 years ago.
(November 2013) |
Dead Oceans
  ½

 |

Sidi Touré –
Alafia (2013)
Malian Sidi Touré offers typical folk music of his country. Alafia
was partly recorded in Bamako and in Nantes, France, due to the conflict
raging in his region of Mali. He presents music based on the traditions
of his country, with blues influences and other world beats. He managed
to create a particularly touching atmosphere where you can feel all the
fear experienced by his people. Compositions are strong and are linked
perfectly until the end of the CD which is still lasting nearly an hour
for 11 tracks. A great album for fans of African music!
(November 2013) |
Thrill Jockey
  ½

 |

MonkeyJunk – All Frequencies (2013)
Ottawa's
MonkeyJunk is a trio that has been active for the last five years. It
offers us a rather groovy blues rock sound that leaves no one
indifferent, despite the surprising fact they don’t use bass. There have
influences in swamp R&B and roots that make them a fairly creative band.
On this third album, they offer a few songs that will now be considered
important in their repertoire ("You Make a Mess", "Yearnin' for
Yesterday," "What I Got To Give", and so on). If you think that blues
rock shows little creativity in general, you may change your mind
listening to this new album by MonkeyJunk.
(November 2013) |
Stony Plain /
SIX
  

 |

Sean Kingston – Back 2
Life
The young 23-year old Jamaican was successful
since his first album in 2007, before becoming famous in 2009 with
his blockbuster
Tomorrow and the hit "Fire
Burning". After a break, he is back with a highly anticipated third
album, propelled by the hit title song (with T.I.) and its
sampling of Soul II Soul. Although the overall trend is still
rather pop, Sean Kingston offers many tracks of pure R&B as "Beat
It" (with Chris Brown and Wiz Khalifa) and "Hold That"
(with Yo Gotti). Otherwise, as it was also the case on his
previous record, he is equally effective with more energetic pop
songs like the Latin "Bomba" and the excellent club track "Smoke
Signals". For the love song "Ordinary Girl", he borrows the melody
to Duran Duran’s "Ordinary World", and on "How We Survive" he
explores dancehall. In addition to the guest artists named above,
you can hear Busta Rhymes, 2 Chainz and Wale.
Yet, despite the fact that the young singer is very well supported,
he retains a perfect control over his music, perhaps for the first
time. In addition, with a short album of 11 tracks totaling less
than 38 minutes, Kingston is able to offer a concise and effective
album until the end, with no major weaknesses or unnecessary filler
tracks. This therefore results in his best album to date, confirming
at the same time he is no longer a teenager... (November 2013
Featured Review)
Music Videos:
« Back 2 Life (Live It Up) » -
« Beat It » -
« Seasonal Love » |
Epic /
Sony
  ½


|

Jason
Derulo – Tattoos
For his third album, Jason Derulo does not leave
aside monster pop hits and we have a quick look at that with the opening
track, "The Other Side". But, he is exploring other avenues with hip hop
and mid-tempo ballads, including the piano duet with his girlfriend
Jordin Sparks for "Vertigo." Other collaborators include Pitbull,
2 Chainz and The Game. Despite some interesting tracks, we
unfortunately find too many filling frivolous pieces that go nowhere. So
much so that the American version has been reduced to a
5-song EP in digital format only. We should only get Tattoos
in parts rather than spending for the full-length album of 11 tracks.
(November 2013)
Music Videos:
« The Other Side » -
« Talk Dirty » -
« Marry Me » |
Warner
 ½

 |

Florence K –
I’m Leaving You
Following her Cuban trilogy which ended last year with the compilation
Trilogia (incorporating the
best of the three albums), Florence K turns the page with I'm Leaving
You. It is a predominantly Anglophone album that gives a little more
in blues at times, while maintaining her jazz / pop friendly side. But
she does not completely abandon the Latin rhythms we can find with
pleasure on "No Salgo De Aqui" among others. Florence continues to
delight us with her sweet voice and especially, she continues to prove
her talent as a songwriter and musician. Her music always makes us have
a good time, so what's not to love? She still manages to present music
with strong influences from the past, including jazz standards, pop and
1960s soul and blues. But what makes her strength is her ability to just
be inspired by the past to get us something new and current, which in
addition fits perfectly with her personality. Florence K definitely has
a real raw talent...
(November 2013) |
Red Blues
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Sheryl
Crow – Feels Like Home
Although she had already shown several country influences in the past,
it is really with Feels Like Home that Sheryl Crow confirms
herself as a contemporary country singer. Nevertheless, her long-time
fans will not be too disoriented as many songs compare to other works in
her past repertoire, sometimes in an embarrassing way. Otherwise, where
the artist falls into a huge trap, this is really in an effort to merge
with country music, musically and lyrically. She uses many clichés and
more importantly, it sounds false, it is not natural, as if it was
forced. It is as if she was doing a special effort to attract a new
audience, but we do not believe in her country sincerity. This is
unfortunate, but Feels Like Home eventually falls flat and will
fail to reach many fans, old and new. This is perhaps her worst album in
20 years of career!
(November 2013) |
Warner
 ½

 |

Cher –
Closer to the Truth
Following her last studio album in 2002,
Living Proof, the living legend of pop
music launched her farewell tour, which resulted in a
live album. However, it is now at 67 years of age that Cher is back
on record. What impresses from the first song, "Woman's World", is the
still powerful voice of the singer. Songwriters abound on this album,
including P!nk and Cher herself. In the first half of the CD,
there is energetic dance pop music trending to disco on several
occasions. But, the second half shows a slower tempo in the adult
contemporary style. The album falls flat on the last 4 or 5 tracks with
songs tending to sound acoustic that have nothing to do with the quality
of the first half. The production of Mark Taylor is modern and
able to carry Cher in the 2010s, her that has now recorded albums in six
decades. It is only a pity that Cher has not been able to offer us a
constant album until the end. Here is another CD to listen in parts.
(November 2013)
Music Video:
« Woman’s World » |
Warner
  

 |

Sting –
The Last Ship
Sting
did not appear to often get struck by inspiration for several years, but
it happens this time with a completely original album. The Last Ship
is a concept album inspired by a British shipyard in the 1980s. It has a
folk rock sound that takes us directly into the British Isles. The
general atmosphere is intimate and Sting’s unique voice has rarely had
as much impact in such a context. The atmosphere can be heavy in the
long run, but we must admit that The Last Ship has a nice
cohesion from beginning to end. In fact, the album seems ready to be
played on a Broadway stage in a musical extravaganza. With The Last
Ship, the singer-songwriter presents his most interesting work in a
long time.
(November 2013) |
Universal
  ½

 |

Elton
John – The Diving Board
For The Diving Board, Sir Elton John returns
to his working methods of yesteryear while writing quickly and recording
just as quickly with a reduced team of musicians. The result is a less
slick sound and minimalist arrangements, music recalling albums of the
early 1970s. It includes great songs that need only a piano and a rhythm
section to be delivered with aplomb. Otherwise, we do not really find
potential hits, nothing approaching his classics anyway. Some ballads
which want to be emotional rather fall flat and the album finds itself
with inequalities that can be frustrating so the basic idea seemed good.
Despite its interesting moments, The Diving Board will not go
down in history through the vast repertoire of Elton John.
(November 2013)
Music Video:
« Home Again » |
Capitol /
Universal
  

 |

MGMT – MGMT
The New York indie band is back with its third album.
They have proven in the past that they are able to properly put together
melodies and catchy riffs with more psychedelic experiments. They
continue their musical explorations on this eponymous album. For the
occasion, they again requested the services of producer David
Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev), who had
previously worked with them on their first album,
Oracular Spectacular. This new record
has spacey music and good melodies in opening. But, it becomes much more
bizarre in the second half while the band is not uncomfortable to
explore hard to reach areas. It is therefore not yet with this album
that the group will be able to repeat the success of "Kids" and
"Electric Feel", but they settled comfortably in the seat of the most
prominent experimental band after The Flaming Lips.
(November 2013)
Music Videos:
« Your Life is a Lie » -
« Cool Song No. 2 » -
« Alien Days » |
Columbia /
Sony
  ½

 |

Pink
Martini – Get Happy
With
Get Happy, Pink Martini get perhaps their most eclectic album to
date with a stunning blend of jazz, world music and old French and
American songs . In addition, the band has tracks in English, French,
Spanish, German, and more. The album starts with a good deal of energy
with "Ich Liebe Dich" and Osvaldo Farres’ "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas".
Subsequently, several songs would have been perfect to close a small
smoky jazz bar in the years 1930-40. Some tracks stand out throughout
the CD, including the famous "Sway" and "Smile" (with Phyllis Diller),
as well as "I'm Waiting For You" (with Meow Meow), "Je ne
t’aime plus" (with Philippe Katerine) and
Anna McGarrigle’s "Kitty Come Home" (with Rufus Wainwright).
The arrival of singer Storm Large adds very little to the band's
sound, but she still offers a good performance with her rich voice that
is perfect for jazz standards.
(November 2013) |
Audiogram
  ½

 |

Misses Satchmo – Apple Tree
After
having interpreted the repertoire of Louis Armstrong, Misses
Satchmo is back with a new album, Apple Tree. This time, the band
offers a selection of pieces from old jazz of the swing era. Some
lesser-known songs are alongside classics like "Just a Closer Walk With
Thee", "Blue Skies", "Ain’t Misbehavin’" and
"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter". To accompany them
throughout the album, the quartet can rely on guest musicians, including
Yvan Belleau (clarinet) and Simon Marion (banjo). Apple
Tree is a charming and soft album that takes us in an atmosphere of
another era. A very pleasant record!
(November 2013) |
Bros /
SIX
  ½

 |

Rob Zombie
– Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor
After the separation of White Zombie, Rob
Zombie embarked on a solo career that has been prolific in the
beginning. But in the past ten years, his creative spirit seems to be
more focused on cinema in B-series movies than on music. It's embodies
on this new album which contains the same elements that have made him
popular, with no evolution. These are the same riffs, the same bass line
that sets the pace and of course the same themes. The rhythm section was
unique to Zombie 20 years ago but it seems completely outdated in the
2010s. Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor has songs that are
catchy, but it has also and especially compositions modeled on the past
works of Zombie. So you can easily sing several of your favorite
yesteryear songs on most of the tracks of the album. Moments still
differ from the whole, including "Rock and Roll (In a Black Hole)" with
its electronic rhythm. Another surprising moment of the record: his
cover of Grand Funk Railroad’s "We're an American Band",
certainly not the best idea! In conclusion, if you are still a fan of
Rob Zombie to this day, you should enjoy. But if like many fans you had
resigned in the mid-2000s, it is certainly not with this new album that
he will manage to win you back.
(October 2013)
Music Video:
« Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown » |
Zodiac Swan / T-Boy
/
Universal
 ½

 |

Ministry – From
Beer to Eternity
From Beer to Eternity
is the 13th album by the American industrial band led by Al
Jourgensen. For several albums Jourgensen was talking about
Ministry’s last record, but the group is still present 30 years after
its debut, and 25 years after having become successful across the globe.
This new record was written in December 2012, before the death of
guitarist Mike Scaccia, and this time, it may well be the last
chapter for one of the most influential bands of the industrial and
metal scenes. The album features a range of almost all styles explored
by the band during its career. It contains danceable and joyful electro
worthy of their early years, totally assumed lyrics of hate that follow
the "Bush Trilogy" (2004-2007), but more importantly, the metal riffs
pleasantly reminiscent of their best albums (and most popular ones)
between 1988 and 1992. We unfortunately do not find instant classics
like "N.W.O." and "Just One Fix", but the whole CD has still interesting
elements that will leave an indelible mark on their last record (if it
is of course truly their last one).
(October 2013)
Music Video:
« PermaWar » |
AFM
  

 |

Gwar – Battle Maximus
The
satirical metal band from Virginia is back with a new album, 25 years
after a remarkable debut. Although they have always preferred to focus
on their costumes and staging rather than the music, they were able to
make some great albums over the years, including the classic
Scumdogs of the Universe in 1990.
Battle Maximus is their 13th album in career and has 13 tracks, so
as to exploit superstitions let’s go for it 100%. This is their first
album with guitarist Brent Purgason (aka Pustulus Maximus)
who replaces the late Cory Smoot (aka Flattus Maximus). We
can also hear new bassist Jamison Land
(aka Beefcake the Mighty). Produced by Glen Robinson,
Battle Maximus is a concept album which has some good tracks of
monstrous metal. So this is a CD that should satisfy their longtime
fans, but will fail to attract a new audience.
(October 2013) |
Metal Blade
  

 |

Earl Sweatshirt – Doris
The
young rapper from Los Angeles, a member of Odd Future, comes with
a debut album. The ultra bass music, dark rhymes, words to scare and
choirs pretending to come from beyond the grave make us quickly realize
that we have a horror rap album with Doris. All around this
album, including the cover, creates a gloomy atmosphere that makes it
difficult to listen to the album. Yet one cannot help thinking that this
is damn creative. Few artists in the genre manage to create such an
atmosphere. A few tracks stand out from the album and some are more
likely to push you back than to grab your attention, but overall it has
good qualities that force us to pay attention to what the rapper will
have to offer us in the future.
(October 2013) |
Tan Cressida /
Columbia /
Sony
  ½

 |

Five Finger Death Punch -
The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1
In
preparation of its fourth album, the metal supergroup from Los Angeles
realized it had too many new compositions for a single CD. So, here is
Volume 1, while Volume 2 will be issued on November 19. Listening to
this first volume, we realize that it is true that the band seems more
inspired than ever. Solid compositions are linked on this record on
which Five Finger Death Punch seems to have unleashed their musical
exploration. You can hear the excellent "Lift Me Up" (with Rob
Halford), "Watch You Bleed" and "You", before the band impresses
with its aggressiveness on "Burn MF" and "Dot Your Eyes", perhaps two
highlights of the CD. The most surprising moment of the album (and most
questionable) definitely comes with the cover of LL Cool J’s
"Mama Said Knock You Out" featuring rapper Tech N9ne. As a bonus,
three songs can be found in alternative versions including "I.M.Sin"
with the participation of Max Cavalera. With this new album of
quality, Five Finger Death Punch offers perhaps their most consistent
album to date. Check out closely Volume 2!
(October 2013) |
Prospect
Park
/
Universal
  ½

 |

The Devil
Wears Prada – 8:18
The band of Christian hardcore metal from Ohio is
back with the fifth studio album of its career. They continue to
alternate between guttural voices and melodies, on a sound still heavy,
a true 44-minute assault that will test your speakers and ears of an
unsuspecting audience. Creative riffs that present many challenges to
the musicians make them more interesting than the average music. In
addition, the group delivers some strong choruses that bring this new
album to another level compared to their previous recordings. Among the
most interesting tracks are especially the title track, the industrial
"Care More" and the song that concludes the album, "In Heart". With
8:18, The
Devil Wears Prada take a step forward that will be greatly appreciated
by their fans.
(October 2013)
Music Videos:
« Martyrs » -
« First Sight » |
Roadrunner
/
Warner
  ½

 |

Tyr –
Valkyrja
Tyr
is a Scandinavian metal band from the Faroe Islands, a constituent
country of the Kingdom of Denmark. The band was formed fifteen years ago
before issuing its first album in 2002. They offer a power metal sound
typical to countries of northern Europe, with an inspiration that comes
straight from the Vikings. They sing in both English and in their native
language, Faroese. Among the 13 tracks offered on Valkyrja, there
are several traditional songs adapted to the style of the group. We can
also recognize two famous songs at the end of the CD: Iron Maiden’s
"Where Eagles Dare" and Pantera’s "Cemetery Gates". If you are
interested in Scandinavian metal, Tyr is likely to grab your attention
with its blend of traditionalism and metal played with virtuosity.
(October 2013) |
Metal Blade
  

 |

Gemini Syndrome – Lux
Gemini Syndrome is a metal band formed in Los Angeles
in 2010 around former Otep singer, Aaron Nordstrom. With
Lux, they offer their first album and they can be compared to
Disturbed, Godsmack and Stone Sour, plus System of
a Down. We cannot say that the band is musically creative, since it
takes too many riffs, rhythms and other elements already heard. However,
the execution is great and the five musicians in Gemini Syndrome succeed
in grabbing our attention. The album will certainly not make history,
but let's see what the group may come with in the next years before we
decide on their future.
(October 2013)
Music Video:
« Basement » |
Warner
  

 |

Scar
the Martyr – Scar the Martyr
Scar the Martyr is a side project for Slipknot
drummer Joey Jordison. The band has among its members musicians
from Darkest Hour, Strapping Young Lad and Nine Inch
Nails around singer Derek Henry. This first album was
produced by Rhys Fulbar (Rob Zombie, Front Line
Assembly, Fear Factory) in Des Moines, Iowa. We can hear an
aggressive metal sound that reminds us of Slipknot on several occasions
in the most violent moments, but it may also soften regularly with
catchy melodies and slower tempos. The group can also recall Alice In
Chains and Faith No More.
(October 2013)
Music Video:
« Blood Host » |
Roadrunner
/
Warner
  

 |

The Creepshow – Life After Death
The Creepshow is a band from Ontario that has existed
for eight years and is now dominating the Canadian psychobilly scene.
With Life After Death, the group presents its fourth album and
they continue in the direction initiated earlier. Much more than
psychobilly, the band includes old rock 'n' roll, classic rockabilly and
even country, which is differentiating them at the same time from many
other groups in the genre that have only a one-dimensional face like a
mixture of punk and rockabilly. As you can guess with the title of the
album, as well as pieces like "See You in Hell" and "The Devil's Son",
the band remains in rather dark atmospheres where they unload all their
rage at a furious beat. The 32-minute CD plays at lightning speed, and
once completed the 11 tracks, we want to start it again for a second
dose despite the fact that we are breathless.
(October 2013)
Music Videos:
« Sinners and Saints » -
« The Devil’s Son » |
Stomp /
ULG
/
Warner
  ½

 |

The Brains – The Monster Within
The
Montreal
psychobilly trio
is not
calmer on its
sixth album.
Instead, the band is
more energetic and aggressive
than ever. The energy
flowing rhythm section
manages to make you
tap your feet from the start
and does not let you go
before the end of the
35 minutes. And you will
ask for more! Obviously,
The Brains do not reinvent
the genre, but they give it
a new breath that is
extremely pleasant. If you
like B Series horror movies, here is
the perfect
musical accompaniment to this
universe.
(May 2013) |
Stomp /
ULG
/
Warner
  ½
 |

Avicii –
True
Tim Bergling (aka
Avicii) is a young Swedish DJ and producer who is mainly known in recent
years after working in the Mecca of house music, Ibiza. After several
successful singles, he offers his first album on which he took a
somewhat unexpected turn. Like the first single, "Wake Me Up" (with
Aloe Blacc), he uses acoustic guitars and slows the beat on several
occasions. So, it proves to be much more pop than house, which may
disappoint hardcore fans of underground house. There are even traces of
country in some instances, a nice try but somewhat disconcerting. The
album remains generally danceable, but not in the way we have imagined.
These are the remix of the songs that are most likely to make their way
to the dance floors of the biggest clubs of Ibiza and Miami. With this
debut album, Avicii shows his true personality and that's good. However,
many fans that were following him since his debut may be bitterly
disappointed.
(October 2013)
Music Videos:
« Wake Me Up » -
« You Make Me » |
Island
/
Universal
  

 |

Goldfrapp
– Tales of Us
The English duo has accustomed us to important
changes in styles from one album to another since their debut at the
turn of the millennium. This change may be even more drastic between the
electro-pop sound of
Head First and Tales of Us.
This new record features mostly acoustic ballads and in this sense it is
a little closer to
Seventh Tree issued in 2008.
Otherwise, Tales of Us is darker than that sunny album so we can
compare it partly to
Felt Mountain, their first record. It
is therefore not a big change for them considering they have already
explored such genres before. The use of orchestral and electronic
elements enriches duo’s music that is at the same time a little less
bare and more cinematic. The more the album progresses and the thicker
it is. Tales of Us ranks among the most comprehensive works by
Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory.
(October 2013)
Music Videos:
« Drew » -
« Annabel » |
  ½

 |

Body Language – Grammar
Body
Language is a band from Brooklyn, New York, inspired by pop, soul and
electronic dance from the 1980s to create a futuristic sound. After a
debut album full of promise in 2011,
Social Studies, the quartet
returns with Grammar. They go in the same direction, but with
better compositions and an effective production. It contains many
moments of funk and R&B that make the album more accessible and less
indie than before. Catchy grooves and a light and bright style are
immediately making us hooked to the album that has all it takes to
appeal to a wide audience. Here is a great album of underground pop!
(October 2013) |
Lavish Habits
  ½
 |

Grouplove – Spreading Rumours
Grouplove
is an indie
rock band from
Los
Angeles, which has a strongly
influenced music by
Arcade Fire,
MGMT and
other bands of the 2000s in
the genre. Spreading
Rumours is their second
album and they
refine their
style a little more
with a better
musical direction. The vocal
duo of guitarist
Christian Zucconi
and keyboardist
Hannah Hooper
has very beautiful harmonies
and steals the show,
despite some very good
musical arrangements. Do
not forget the
notable presence of
drummer and producer
Ryan Rabin,
son of
Yes guitarist
Trevor Rabin.
Grouplove can
recall The Flaming
Lips and The
Smashing Pumpkins
on different occasions, but
more importantly, they
have an energetic, fun
and creative music. Here is a very
good album for
fans of the genre.
(October 2013)
Music Videos:
« Ways to Go » -
« Borderlines & Aliens » |
Atlantic
/
Warner
  ½

 |

North
Mississippi Allstars – World Boogie is Coming
Founded from the ashes of punk band DDT by brothers Luther
and Cody Dickinson (sons of the late legendary producer from
Memphis Jim Dickinson), the North Mississippi Allstars already
worked together for over fifteen years in a blues rock environment with
inspirations of country and folk. On this new album, they managed the
feat of creating a perfect bridge between the past and the present. They
offer indeed powerful blues rock as we heard a lot in the past, but with
a very successful modern touch that allows bringing their music
elsewhere. The album contains a majority of covers, including some
traditional songs, but they managed to give them what it takes to make
them modern. This is the case among others for "Rollin' 'n Tumblin",
which takes on a whole new dimension, R.-L. Burnside’s "Snake
Drive", Junior Kimbrough’s "Meet Me in the City" and Willie
Dixon’s "My Babe". There are also three original tracks among the 17
included on the album. World Boogie is Coming is an entertaining
and extremely interesting record along its entire length.
(October 2013) |
Songs of the South
  ½

 |

Piers
Faccini – Between Dogs and Wolves
On
his new album, Piers Faccini goes one step further in his exploration.
He indeed adds elements of jazz ("Pieces of Ourselves") and world music
to his base strongly inspired by folk of the 1960s and 1970s. With "Il
Cammino" he pays homage to his Italian heritage. His themes continue to
revolve around love, melancholy and hope. Between Dogs and Wolves
is once again a very calm and soft album, an album that requires our
attention to truly appreciate it. If you like the genre, Faccini
deserves that you tend the ear to his music.
(October 2013) |
Beating Drum /
Six Degrees
/
SIX
  

 |

2 Chainz
– B.O.A.T.S. II #Metime
The rapper from Georgia already comes with a new
album that is sure to strike the imagination of fans of the genre. He
presents an inspired record and ensures to offer the best of himself to
every song. There are good moments of R&B, as well as stunning
arrangements that contribute greatly to enhance the compositions. 2
Chainz is surrounded by several collaborators to lend their voices to
songs of the CD. We can therefore hear Pharrell Williams,
Drake, Lil Wayne, Fergie, T-Pain, Wiz
Khalifa and Mase. Otherwise, 2 Chainz lyrics do not go much
further than what you can usually hear in gangsta rap, with some
attachment to the fact that he now has money. Despite this annoying
element, the rapper has a particularly strong album, possibly his best
to date.
(October 2013)
Music Videos:
« Feds Watching » -
« Where U Been? » -
« Used 2 » |
Def Jam
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Trombone Shorty – Say That To Say This
The
trombone player from New Orleans Troy Andrews (aka Trombone
Shorty) does not hesitate to mix genres since the beginning of his
career. He has a fine blend of R&B, jazz, funk and rock that makes him
an unclassifiable artist. We find again funky elements and rock on his
new album, but all the focus a little more on R&B for a very strong
record from beginning to end. In addition, the production gives the
feeling that everything was recorded live in studio, in one take. Note
that The Meters appear for the first time on an album since 1978
by taking their ballad "Be My Lady" with more contemporary arrangements.
Say That To Say This proves not only to be probably the most
solid Trombone Shorty album to date, but it may as well be the album
that will allow him to be discovered by a wider audience.
(October 2013) |
Verve
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Chelsea Wolfe – Pain is Beauty
Chelsea Wolfe is an indie rock singer from Los Angeles tending to
electric folk. She has a dark side that could be considered doom and
giving her her own color. She began in 2006 and has since recorded three
studio albums, a live CD and a collection of acoustic songs. Pain is
Beauty is her fourth album and she seems to have reached a certain
musical maturity. She always has a gothic side well assumed, but she
managed to move in a new direction with many electronic additions,
especially on "The Warden" with its electro dancing rhythm. She still
has an indie pop sound to which she adds baroque elements and a little
something of rock. So it goes in different directions for a more varied
album. This variety ensures that the album may seem somewhat disjointed.
Otherwise, every avenue explored is particularly successful, for
probably her most complete album to date.
(October 2013) |
Sargent House
  ½

 |

The Wild Feathers – The
Wild Feathers
The
Wild Feathers
were formed in
Austin,
Texas
in 2010 before moving to
the
Mecca of
country, Nashville,
Tennessee.
This debut album
has a rock sound that
takes elements from the
past and incorporates
blues, country
and traditional American
music. It is this
fusion that makes the
music of the band
particularly interesting as they
manage to squeeze
out their own
sound, up to date.
There are still many
moments recalling
Petty, Mellencamp
or Springsteen,
but the whole remains
rather contemporary
without being too focused
on the past. It is rather difficult
to reinvent a genre that
has been explored
from all angles for decades,
but The Wild
Feathers are able to
give their own
personality to an album that
might have seemed
outdated by many other artists.
Let’s spare those artists
and present The
Wild Feathers as
a much more interesting
modern alternative. (October 2013 Featured
New Artist)
Music Videos:
« Backwoods Company » -
« The Ceiling » -
« Hard Wind » |
Warner
  ½

 |

Jack
Johnson – From Here to Now to You
The Hawaiian singer and former surf champion is back
with the sixth album of his career, three years after
To the Sea. He continues the tendency
of that album with a few pop songs a little more dynamics bringing him
away from the acoustic ballads that made his reputation. This is the
case among others on "Shot Reverse Shot" and "Washing Dishes", as well
as the funky "Radiate". Otherwise, his trademark is still present with
several acoustic pop songs that are perfect for the beach where he grew
up. The first single, "I Got You", fits greatly in his romantic
repertoire, as well as the beautiful ballad "Change" (with Ben Harper).
One has to face the fact that Johnson has not lost his sense of melody.
With From Here to Now to You, he proves once again that
unpretentious pop songs can be of quality. This is an album that listens
well to the end and by its sweetness will avoid any headache.
(October 2013)
Music Video:
« I Got You » |
Universal Republic
  

 |

John Mayer
– Paradise Valley
On
his new album, John Mayer explores some blues and he is back to the
country folk sound of southern United States that he had experienced on
his previous album,
Born and Raised. It is
therefore a logical follower to that album, even if the contrast with
the rest of his career is still important. The electric blues side
reached its climax with the cover of JJ Cale’s "Call Me the
Breeze", while the album remains mostly acoustic. There are two duets:
"Who You Love" with his girlfriend Katy Perry and "Wildfire" with
Frank Ocean. On Paradise Valley, Mayer tried more than
ever to hunt his demons, but the task seems difficult. However, his
haunting loving past gives very good songs, well cemented together, to
form an excellent album, his best since the classic
Continuum in 2006.
(October 2013) |
  ½

 |

Travis – Where You Stand
If the Britpop band Travis was somewhat lost since
its first three excellent albums, it found its composure on Where You
Stand. Their 5-year break since their last record has been
beneficial. Several songs on Where You Stand take a pop tangent
with highly effective melodies. Otherwise, there are a lot of mid-tempo
tracks, relaxing at first, but that can become tiresome after a while.
We still find great moments while they increase the tempo or gross
energy (for example with "On my Wall"). The whole is marrying well for
an album of great quality from start to finish. The compositions are
strong and are definitely worthy of their first recordings. Here is an
excellent new album for the band from Glasgow, Scotland.
(October 2013)
Music Video:
« Moving » |
Red Telephone Box /
Kobalt /
Sony
  ½

 |

Nine Inch
Nails – Hesitation Marks
Busy
on different projects, Trent Reznor shelved again his industrial
band for 5 years. But Nine Inch Nails is now back and it's a great
comeback. With Hesitation Marks, the group returns to the
danceable beats that made their fame in 1994 (let’s think about
"Closer"). We can also hear pop songs reminiscent of The Cure
(like "Everything" for example). So this is certainly their most
accessible album in 20 years. The main problem of the CD is that it is
somewhat lacking in consistency with less successful and more boring
songs that come to break the rhythm. Several tracks manage to grab your
attention, but it definitely lacks a good guideline for the album which
could then be compared to the greatest records of the band.
(October 2013) |
Polydor
/
Universal
  ½

 |

Avenged Sevenfold – Hail to the King
It is accompanied by a new drummer, Arin Ilejay,
that the metal band entered the studio to record their sixth album.
Avenged Sevenfold had a clear desire to return to the sources of metal,
dropping electronic components. However, they face a serious problem,
namely to find themselves copying the past. The riffs on several
occasions seem straight out of an album by Megadeth or
Metallica in the early 1990s.
"Doing Time" contains all the elements of
Guns N' Roses in 1987, and you
can sing Metallica’s "Sad But True"
on "This Means War". This is embarrassing and knowing the boiling nature
of Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield, one can expect problems
for the band! Fortunately, during the second half of the CD, the group
managed to offer some interesting tracks like "Heretic" and "Coming
Home", although the inspiration of Megadeth and Iron Maiden is
never far away. Also, on "Planets", the band incorporates motifs of "The
Planets" by composer Gustav Holst, a successful experiment. We
understand the idea of
wanting
to honor the bands of the past. Otherwise, with that objective in mind,
it would have been better to do an album of covers rather than just
copying what was done before.
(October 2013)
Music Video:
« Hail to the King » |
Warner
 ½

 |

Typhoon – White Lighter
Typhoon is an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon offering a sound
sometimes experimental and sometimes pop. White Lighter is their
second full-length album and their more assumed to date. Although with
14 musicians, it is not necessarily easy to channel the energy to the
same guideline. But the band succeeds this time to have some restraint
resulting in a great result. There are of course still great musical
performances recalling Arcade Fire, but the whole content may
generally grab the attention of a wider audience. Otherwise, think again
if you believe you will love the first approach. Changes of rhythms and
musical explorations require some effort that will not likely to be
rewarded before 2 or 3 good listens. Some unforgettable anthems will
certainly manage to assist you in this adventure.
(October 2013) |
Roll Call /
Maple
  ½

 |

Parquet Courts – Light Up
Gold
Parquet Courts is an indie rock band founded in Brooklyn, New York in
2011. They had issued at the beginning of this year this first rather
strange album where were mixed concepts and experiments recalling
Franz Zappa and a punk rock sound much more immediate and to the
point. The alternative rock sound of the 1990s seems to have been a
major influence for the band, particularly Pavement and Sonic
Youth. Several short songs are linked for 33 minutes and they remain
for the most highly effective. With Light Up Gold, Parquet Courts
are able to take inspiration in the alternative rock sounds of the past
to offer a rather creative album.
(October 2013) |
What’s Your
Rupture?
  ½

 |

Mountains
– Centralia
Mountains is an experimental ambient duo from Chicago, but now based in
Brooklyn. They offer an instrumental mix of electronic and acoustic
music, always smooth. For their third album, they used bold multiplying
musical layers and they refined their work over several months. The
result is a complex 7-track album totalling 66 minutes. You can hear a
great evolution throughout the album beginning in extreme softness to
become later a little more psychedelic, especially with "Liana".
Centralia is an album that we listen without much effort, an
excellent atmospheric record.
(October 2013) |
Thrill Jockey
  ½

 |

Goodie Mob - Age Against the
Machine
Goodie
Mob has existed for
over 20 years and
they use this fact
to convince us that it is not
necessary to be new
in the rap
world to be
up to date. Cee
Lo Green had not
recorded with the band
for 14 years and he is
back here,
now that he has become a
superstar. With
Age Against the
Machine, Goodie
Mob are possibly
offering their most bizarre
album to date. The
moments of pure rap
are rare and the record
explores different
sounds that sometimes become
cinematographic. Many
interludes manage
the rhythm in a weird way,
making it ultimately
a very difficult
album to follow.
We still find
several creative elements
that make us appreciate
the effort.
Then, when Cee
Lo is more active towards
the end of the CD, the
songs become a little more
accessible.
(September 2013)
Music Videos:
« I’m Set » -
« Special Education (feat. Janelle Monae) » |
Atlantic
/
Warner
  ½

 |

No Age – An Object
For its third
full-length album, the
Los Angeles duo
presents minimalist music
with an ambient trend
that still
manages to incorporate
noise and screeching
guitars. Despite
a little more introspective
experiment, the band still
has a good
assumed punk side.
They also
still have
a short album that
does not cross the
30-minute bar for 11
tracks. The
ideas are not too developed
and this is what makes
their experiments interesting
and relevant. With
An Object, No Age
seems to find the perfect balance between
simplicity and complexity,
between ambient music
and noisy punk.
This therefore results in
their most mature
album to date, and certainly
the most effective of their
young career.
(September 2013) |
Sub Pop
  ½

 |

Juicy J –
Stay Trippy
Having
been quite successful in
Three 6 Mafia,
the rapper from
Memphis,
Tennessee
is back with a new solo
album. Known for his
misogynistic lyrics and
inspiration about porn,
Juicy J never got
much credit for his lyrics.
And this aspect of his
artistic work shows
little improvement
on Stay
Trippy. Otherwise,
where he
made a step forward,
it is in the level of music
and the musicality of his
vocal delivery. He presents
several frankly catchy tracks,
which will surprise those who
listen to the album
with a little restraint,
and a smile. The rapper
is offering a production
of quality in addition to be
working with many famous
collaborators like
Trey Songz, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, Young
Jeezy, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne
and A$ap Rocky. Finally,
after 62 minutes of
listening, we come
to think that this is a great
rap album by
Juicy J,
certainly his
best so far.
(September 2013)
Music Videos:
« Show Out » -
« Bounce It » |
Columbia /
Sony
  ½

 |

Fevers – No Room For Light
Originally from Ottawa,
the quintet presents a first
full-length album after
an EP that made a splash on
the Canadian scene in 2011.
Fevers offer
a powerful blend of
indie rock and electro-pop,
greatly produced by
Laurence Currie.
Their sound is dynamic
and intelligent at the same
time with strong
compositions. The group
can do a contemporary
disco sound ready for dance
floors and a little
more cerebral alternative rock.
And this constant
mix of genres is
extremely successful, in
addition to a good marriage
between organic instruments
and electronic.
(September 2013) |
  ½
 |

Flaamingos – Flaamingos
Los Angeles duo
formed in 2012,
Flaamingos present an indie
rock sound incorporating many
elements of
electronic like drum machines
and synthesizers. Their sound
can be somewhat outdated
however with influences
of krautrock and
1980s post-punk. Moreover,
listening to this first
album is
rather like listening to a
British band of that era.
Jerry
Narrows
(vocals and programming)
and Daniel Koontz (guitar,
bass and synthesizer) have
worked together in the past
in shoegaze bands and we must
say that this influence
is still an integral part of
their music, even with
a little more obvious dance direction.
Comparisons abound,
between Interpol,
The Smiths, The Cure
and Depeche Mode,
but the duo managed to
present effective
compositions making us forget after a while
all the influential
predecessors.
(September 2013) |
Felte /
Last Gang
  ½

 |

Rhye
– Woman
Canadian
electronic singer and
arranger Mike
Milosh joined
Robin Braun
(also known as
Robin Hannibal) in Denmark
to create the duo
Rhye. The
feminine voice of
Milosh merges
beautifully with the
ambient electro sound
of the duo to create music
that integrates elements of
soul and R&B. This
wealth music incorporates
brass, strings, keyboards and
a funky bass
for a sound that
is reminiscent
of Sade in the
1980s. Unlike many
electronic sounds that
are rather cold, the
music of Rhye immediately
creates a warm atmosphere,
perhaps largely
due to the syrupy
voice of Milosh,
but also through organic
instruments mixing all
together. A production of
quality comes full circle
for this beautiful soft
album. A very nice
discovery!
(September 2013) |
Universal Republic
  ½

 |

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