album reviews
Reviews of albums old and new from iconic artists and up and coming musicians alike.
Tony Kaye: 'End of Innocence' Review
Keyboardist Tony Kaye is best known as the founding keyboardist of the progressive rock band Yes. He was on their first three albums and returned during their "Rabin years" after working with the likes of David Bowie, Badger, and Badfinger. In the mid-1990s, he retired from music.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
'Hourglass'
James Taylor's semi-comeback in the 1990s, which began on 1991's New Moon Shine, reached its climax on 1997's Hourglass. The album was dedicated to Don Grolnick, the producer of Taylor's previous two albums, who had passed away from lymphoma in 1996. Otherwise the band from New Moon Shine was kept pretty much intact, with some key musician's musicians to spice the soup.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
Dark Matters That Are Detectable - The Stranglers Show Us How-To
I was coming of age when "Peaches" by The Stranglers hit and was hooked. Part garage- and punk-rock and later meandering into synth-pop, but always with a punch and irresistible hooks, the ratters delivered. And now 44 years later, an almost decade-long wait for a new album, The Stranglers are back and I'm still hooked. Next Friday (9/10) "DARK MATTERS" drops and judging from the three so far released teaser singles, we are in for a fabulous 18th album.
By A. Michael Uhlmann4 years ago in Beat
Certified Lover Boy — Album Review. Top Story - September 2021.
In the wake of the feud between two of the rap game’s biggest stars, Drake and Kanye have both released their long awaited albums. Two of the world’s biggest stars have dropped consecutively and will control airwaves for months to come. For now, let’s take a look into the long awaited Certified Lover Boy.
By Josh Herring4 years ago in Beat
Give Up Revisited
Given the popularity and critical acclaim of the indie-electronic group The Postal Service, it might come as a surprise that they only released one studio album, Give Up. In the intervening eighteen years, they have given us a tenth anniversary edition and, now, a live album, originally recorded in 2013 and released in December 2020. But The Postal Service doesn’t even need a follow-up. The original album is regarded as something of a classic for both its unique soundscape and Gibbard’s distinctive songwriting. And more importantly, it has packed a mighty punch in indie music history, demonstrating for the first time that indie lyrical sensibilities can pair well with electronic production and paving the way for a range of successful crossovers since.
By Anna Hamilton4 years ago in Beat
"If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power": A Perspective On Historical Motherhood. Top Story - August 2021.
Warnings: Contains spoilers for both the "If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power" album and film. References to miscarriage, pregnancy, rape, domestic abuse, and related topics.
By Alisan Keesee4 years ago in Beat
Olivia Rodrigo's "Sour" Takes Our Grown Asses Back to Teen Angst
Unless you're living under a rock, over the last few months you've heard Olivia Rodrigo tunes as you're buying groceries, as you stroll through a department store, as you pass a car blasting her music so loud you feel compelled to sing along. And who knows, maybe by now you know all the lyrics to her hit songs, "Good 4 U" which reached to number 1 on the US Billboard 100 Chart and "Drivers License" which as of August 11 2021 reached 1 billion streams on Spotify. Her new single "Brutal" from her number 1 album "Sour" recently topped the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart and landed to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although it it is unlikely the track will receive the same accolades as "Drivers License" it is the first and one of the most brutally honest tracks on the 11 track album.
By Ali McPherson4 years ago in Beat
Lost Albums: Leftism by Leftfield
Every now and again an album comes along that totally changes the game. Something so different it doesn’t neatly fit into any know genre of that time, fresh, sonically different and without any peers. Leftism by Leftfield did exactly that when it was first released and paved the way almost entirely for its own genre of music, which ironically became known as…well…leftfield.
By Gary Packer4 years ago in Beat
Listening Booth: Billie Eilish explores the depths of beige on Happier Than Ever
BEST NEW MUSIC Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish, released via Darkroom/Interscope Records on July 30, 2021 ‘Happier Than Ever’ fully establishes Billie Eilish as one of her generation’s most significant alternative pop artists. Score: 9.7/10
By Lili Lovemoon4 years ago in Beat
Three is the Magic Number
The third Sugababes album was imaginatively called Three. When you look at the greater scale of things, 3 is the lucky number for the Sugababes because they‘re a trio. They had three successful line-ups (4th line-up is still to this day disputed). Their third album called Three was made at the height of their success. When the original line-up got back together, their tour under called the Sacred Three. This album even debuted at #3 on the UK album chart.
By Chloe Gilholy4 years ago in Beat
Consumerism , Negativland and Pepsi
Coca Cola or Pepsi or Coke or Negativland It's 3AM and because it's Saturday I don't really have to get up for a few hours. Yesterday I had to get up for work and I was really tired, but when you don't have to get up , you can be up during the night and do things like write blog posts. I'm sitting here with a bottle of Coke, well Diet Coke (though I have just noticed it only mentions the name Coca-Cola in very small writing on the label.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 4 years ago in Beat
