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Beasties tackle hip-hop, politics
What can be said about the Beastie Boys that hasn't already been said in the past six years? They take too long to come out with a new record.
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Midwestern trio rock in first album
It's hard to believe Xolotl's "The Lines to Our Minds" is the band's first album.
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Butchies mix punk and pop for unique sound
Punk rock meets and befriends pop in an unusually attractive way on The Butchies' latest release, "Make Yr Life." The trio from Durham, N.D., will bring their unique and catchy music to Lansing on Saturday as the headlining act at the Michigan Pride Festival 2004.
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Harvey intense, 'Uh Huh'
Polly Jean Harvey has been one of the most consistently talented female singer/songwriters in rock history. While the content of her seven albums, including the latest "Uh Huh Her," varies significantly from one to another - it's unique, dark and raw.
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Album lacks rhymes, beats
I realized it was about time for me to do another review of a rap CD, and since I finally got one in the mail (most of the CDs I receive are rock or pop music), I decided, "Why not?" My first experience with commercial rapper Method Man was his deodorant advertisement on television.
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Aerosmith album redeems band
Three reasons to hate Aerosmith (as if we needed more): "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," "Jaded" and "Just Push Play." Anyone who has good taste in music holds quite a grudge against Aerosmith for using their dubious title of "Best Hard Rock Band" in order to make horrid musical compilations that have topped pop charts around the world.
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Local area band, Millenary's latest album is hot
Local rock trio Millenary's latest album, "Feel the Heat" is on fire from the opening drum beats to the very last guitar chord. Singer and guitarist Sarah Stollack beautifies the simple energetic music with her soft, pleasing vocals.
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Group steps up with 'Hidden in the Lowlands'
"Hidden in the Lowlands," the new release from Lansing-based roots quartet Steppin' In It, is the perfect example of why the band has begun to gain national recognition. The band has performed all over the country, including on special roots radio programs - an opportunity that has allowed the band to gain an even-larger fan base. The release of "Hidden in the Lowlands" will give those fans exactly what they want - great sounding roots music from independent musicians. The album starts out on the right foot with a cover of Mississippi John Hurt's famous and suggestive tune, "Candy Man." The soft guitar and smooth vocals of Joshua Davis do the age-old song justice. Davis' vocals on "My Setting Sun," along with the simple guitar chords and descriptive lyrics make the song a perfect ballad about love lost.
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Lynn still good in old age with help from newer artists
I was pretty shocked to see a new album from classic-country goddess Loretta Lynn come addressed to me in the mail.
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Crawford takes on funk
The most outstanding aspect of Jim Crawford Band's debut release is, by far, the highly skilled rock and funk vocals provided by guitarist Jordan Good and bassist Eugene Gibralter.
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Cypress commits to Latin
When Cypress Hill exploded onto the scene with its hit "Insane In The Brain," the group was a pioneer of a style that fused Latin and hip-hop slang.
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Damnwells' latest album features honest, bitter, biting lyric stylings
There is something familiar and strangely comforting about The Damnwells' music. The quartet resurrected the widespread pop rock of the late '90s, but brought it back with edge. From the hilariously sarcastic lyrics in the opening track to the simple and sweet acoustic promises sung on "I Will Keep the Bad Things From You," lead singer/songwriter frontman Alex Dezen demonstrates a wide range of styles represented throughout the album. Dezen draws upon personal experiences to deliver his honest, emotional and sometimes bitter lyrics over smooth beats in "Star/Fool", a catchy riff reminiscent of Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance ." Dezen's biting lyrics are evident in the track "Sleepsinging": "It's up to you now/this place is filling up with smoke/you won't let me breathe in or out/so I resolve to cut my own throat/I have been such a fool for you/I put my faith in things you could never do/now I'm chasing myself to catch up with you." The band shines early on in the album with driving songs like "What You Get," "Kiss Catastrophe" and the down tone of "I'll Be Around" and "Newborn History." Shifting from the cry of an angry lover to a captivating serenade, Dezen croons in "The Lost Complaint," "I just want to focus on you/Marie Claire's got nothing on you." Where most CDs start to lose speed, The Damnwells pick up with infectious guitar rhythms in an exceedingly addictive song, "Electric Harmony." The CD closes with the hauntingly beautiful ballad "Texas," and if you can stick around for three minutes of silence, the raw hidden track, "Lucy," kicks in with a darker tone that sets it aside from the rest of the album. The Damnwells are masters of the beat with simple, honest and sometimes humorous lyrics played over familiar and insistently driving tunes.
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Album is great first release for Avenues
The Avenues' "When the Sun Was Happy," is, in certain ways, a walk down retro lane. But the four-piece band has its own avenue of style.
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Aparo's disc a nice surprise
Angie Aparo doesn't look like he plays the kind of music he does. Although you shouldn't judge an album by its appearance, Aparo, an Atlanta-based singer/songwriter, still looks more like a nu-metal guitarist than a thoughtful rocker.
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Definite saving needed for Disney's 'The Alamo'
Oh, man! A modern, revisionist history account of the Alamo. All where a small group of Texans stood their ground against a Mexican army of thousands. Sounds good.
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'Plan B' right decision for The Hot Flashez
Normally, I wouldn't like a semi-pop/punk band such as The Hot Flashez, solely for the reason that the genre makes me want to spew.
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New Releases
BLUES"When You Rock and Roll," Marvin Jackson, Collector/White Blues guitarist Marvin Jackson has appeared on albums by well-known blues artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble and Albert Collins.
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'Lounge' sees other side of 8 Mile
Nearly three years after James Carter was recorded at the historic Detroit jazz bar at Livernois and 8 Mile, the Motor City saxophonist is allowing his fans to relive the beautiful music they heard that night.
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'Hellboy' starts strong, then fails
Sick of comic book movies? Get over it, or you'll be salty every two weeks. Among the superhero-themed flicks on the horizon are "Spider-Man 2," "The Punisher," "Catwoman," "Alien vs.
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Clapton sells a legend
It's been 38 years since Brit guitar master Eric Clapton recorded Robert Johnson's song "Crossroads" for Elektra's "What's Shakin'" rock 'n' roll compilation. Now, at age 58, Clapton has recorded a 14-song album in tribute to the mysterious bluesman of the 1930s.