Trio of Reviews

For this past week I've managed to pick up a few very noteworthy albums, which will be discussed here in this review. Hopefully, I'll get the latest Beth Orton cd sometime soon, as I've been hearing great things about it. Until then, here are this weeks reviews, enjoy!

Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit


An incredibly fun yet quirky romp, The Life Pursuit represents all that is good about Belle & Sebastian

In their first full-length release since 2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Belle & Sebastian is back in top form, arguably matching their best work. Songs such as "The Blues are Still Blue," "Sukie in the Graveyard" display Belle & Sebastians incredible knack for creating slick alternative pop songs that are worthy additions to any fan's favorite track list, but also accessible enough to be unintimidating for novices. Another great song comes in the three-and-a-half minute rollicking jaunt of "We Are the Sleepyheads," which could easily be the most fun song to listen to on the entire album. An outstanding effort and could hold up as being one of the top 10 records by the end of this year.

Rating: 90


KT Tunstall Eyes to the Telescope
Artist to Watch


Hard to believe it's a debut album, hands down one of the most impressive pop debuts to come along in a long time.

While already established in Europe, Tunstall's a relative unkown here, but do look for that to change very quickly (having your song featured on Grey's Anatomy is always a good start, not to mention her stellar Today show performance). Tunstall is definitely not your typical pop star by any means. She has an exceptional voice, as well as very solid in her guitar playing, and also writes her own music. That's just scratching the surface however, as beyond the absolutely gorgeous pop ballads such as "Other Side of the World," you'll find that she's actually got quite a knack for making blues-infused folk-rock, some of which is potently raw as it is catchy. The prime example of this is the single "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree," which struts along in such a confident fashion, it's hard to believe the sound could ever be coming from a relative newcomer, let alone someone of a relatively young age. This album is really quite mesmerizing in the sense that it's not only good for a debut album, but it really gives the feeling that Tunstall really might be something truly special. As such, she rightfully earns the title of "Artist to Watch," and if there's any justice in the world, she'll break the pop world open like gangbusters.

Rating: 85

Planet Asia The Sickness, vol. 1


Good, with a number of highlights, but could've been better.

It's hard to argue with Planet Asia as a talent, and while he's been burning up the underground, he hadn't yet made the big break just yet. While there are a number of standout tracks, the funny yet seriously talented lyrics on the "I'm So High Freestyle," as well as tracks such as "Act Like You Know" "Baby Food" and "U Beta," it feels somewhat uneven as an overall effort. The lyrics are almost always on, and really if nothing else you should be able to appreciate that much on every single track, the weakness comes in the occasionally flat delivery matched with beats and rhythms that are at times anything but ideal. For hip-hop heads, particularly those looking for something new, this album is definitely worth looking at (especially if you're able to get it for under $10) but it's not going to attract any new listeners.

Rating: 75