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CD Reviews

Juana Molina

Son | Domino
Molina makes her home at the juicy intersection where acoustic instruments meet computerized texture.

By MIKAEL WOOD | June 20, 2006

Out of Car Wrecks and Hurricanes | Self-Released
For her latest release, local singer-songwriter Mieka Pauley collects five of her best songs on an EP produced by pop maestro John Alagia. Mieka Pauley, "Stronger" (mp3)

By SUE BELL | June 14, 2006

Dumptruck

Haul Of Fame: A Collection | Rykodisc
Dumptruck leader Seth Tiven writes some of the most downcast lyrics around and then sets them to pop melodies that either provide reassurance or just make the depression more inviting.

By BRETT MILANO | June 14, 2006

Confuzed Disco

A Retrospective of Italian Records | IRMA import
This two-CD reissue of Italian disco tracks from 1978 to 1982 has sharply electronic, sound-effected, atmospheric music full of speeded-up funk and slowed-down soul.

By MICHAEL FREEDBURG | June 14, 2006

AFI

Decemberunderground | Interscope
AFI's high-gloss, higher-energy Decemberunderground is like a Rocky Horror Picture Show for screamo kids. AFI's "Kill Caustic" (Windows Media Player)

By MIKAEL WOOD | June 13, 2006

Trio Beyond

Saudades | ECM
The Portuguese name of this two-disc live concert means feelings for something — or someone — you’ve loved and lost and probably won’t get back, and it’s a perfect title.

By ADAM J. GOLD | June 13, 2006

The Plastic Constellations

Crusades | Frenchkiss
The Plastic Constellations’ brand of jittery paranoia bulks up with metal’s oldest stand-by: dragons. The Plastic Constellations, "Iron City Jungles" (mp3)

By ZACH BARON | June 13, 2006

Rebel Belles

The Dixie Chicks hold their ground and then some
No other performer has been as vilified as the Dixie Chicks were for speaking out — and they wouldn’t have been if they hadn’t made their name in the conservative space of mainstream country music.

By CHARLES TAYLOR | June 06, 2006

Foundation Movement

Greatest Hits | Foundation Movement
Here the Foundation Movement step their game up with catchier beats, better production, and guest spots by Edo G, Bambuu, Lee Wilson, and Dead Prez

By MATTHEW M. BURKE | June 06, 2006

Natacha Atlas

Mish Maoul | Beggars UK
The voice is still there — that marvelously tipsy contralto, the sound of a woman loving herself — but not the songs.

By MICHAEL FREEDBERG | June 06, 2006

Growing

Color Wheel | Troubleman
Growing’s trip from drone trio in metal disguise to metal duo in drone disguise hasn’t always been smooth.

By ZACH BARON | June 06, 2006

Tilly and the Wall

Bottoms of Barrels | Team Love
The tap dancing conceit makes perfect sense in Tilly’s boisterous, lovedrunk sound, which skirts indie-folk tedium through sheer energy.

By MIKAEL WOOD | June 06, 2006

The Buzzcocks

Flat-Pack Philosophy | Cooking Vinyl
A pop band at heart, with a wry, occasionally abrasive world view and the big guitars to back it up, they had a big hand in inventing the clean, crisp blueprint for pop punk.

By MATT ASHARE | June 06, 2006

Sonic Youth

Rather Ripped | Geffen
We’re allowed to like albums about getting old but never being old, so I don’t know why this one works.

By NICK SYLVESTER | June 06, 2006

Alice Smith

For Lovers, Dreamers and Me | BBE
Her debut release on BBE struggles with splitting the difference between rockist guitars and R&B grooves.

By JAMIN WARREN | May 31, 2006

The Lashes

Get It | Red Ink/Columbia
The Lashes are a good-looking band and they aren’t shy about it.

By ELI ANDERSON | May 31, 2006

The Church

Uninvited Like the Clouds | Cooking Vinyl
To say this Aussie foursome’s career path resembles a roller coaster ride is an understatement.

By DAVID BOFFA | May 31, 2006

The Walkmen

A Hundred Miles Off | Record Collection
Granted the best song here is a big dig on the city of Boston, and Hamilton Leithauser’s reedy voice has gone from Dylanesque to Dylan forgery, and there’s no one massive track to rally behind.

By NICK SYLVESTER | June 16, 2006

Tapes 'n Tapes

The Loon | Ibid
Like Stephen Malkmus and his merry men, these guys regard noise and distortion and weird song structures as their birthright.

By MIKAEL WOOD | May 31, 2006

Man Man

Six Demon Bag | Ace Fu
The back door of a Philly loony bin accidentally gets left open and a therapy group of hairy, tattooed idiot savants in hospital-issued wife-beaters escape.

By CAMILLE DODERO | May 31, 2006