Brick

Brick

Film Noir high has tons of appeal.

Rian Johnson has taken the rugged Film Noir genre made famous by such films as the Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep and applied it into a high school setting. An intriguing concept sure, but is it really all that viable? Well, yes, in more ways than you may think, and that's what's so clever about the idea. In a society in which teenagers (seemingly more now than in recent memory) have been continuously scrutinized and under a microscope for their actions and decisions, Rian Johnson presents the material that is long attached to being a part of youth culture and takes advantage of it by setting it in a world full of gangsters, bad habits, heartbreakers and backstabbers. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the assertive "detective" role of Brendan, with The Brain (played by Matt O'Leary) serving as his right-hand man. With a supporting cast full of very well written characters, Johnson paints a convincing world of deception that exists so readily that it's almost self-reflexive in that every character literally narrates each of their moves. As the entire events of the world unfold with each running minute of the film, Brendan's growth from being the edgy outcast to eventually becoming the ultimate inside man and mastermind behind the whole story. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, just like any other whodunit, to keep you interested as well. All in all, this is an incredibly strong showing from Rian Johnson and much of the cast. As such, this is one of the few movies this year that I'd consider a must see.

Overall Rating: 95

NMT: May 23, 2006 (Phoenix, the Walkmen and Roy Hargrove reviewed)

This Tuesday shaped up to be a pretty interesting one. A few days after the Dixie Chicks lead singer decided to take back her apology (suddenly it's second grade all over again) they released their latest album Taking the Long Way. Despite being produced by Rick Rubin and featuring such artists as Sheryl Crow, Keb 'Mo, and many others, it feels like a pretty routine album. Despite many claims, Dixie Chicks haven't really abandoned their country sound; they've simply matured and grown as artists. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that their songs are necessarily any better, and for that reason even curiosity wasn't enough to get me to purchase their new album. As it is the major release of the week however, I did feel the need to at least mention that about their latest, and it will be interesting to see how the sales turn out. Moving right along though, there are three very good (and slightly under the radar) albums that I'll be reviewing for the week, and hopefully you'll get the opportunity to check them out!

The Walkmen A Hundred Miles Off

Sadly not as good as their first two albums, but very good nonetheless.

The Walkmen made a very interesting attempt their third time around. Much like their contemporaries, they're attempting this time around to branch out somewhat as their sound matures and perhaps, if said band is lucky, they'll hit a couple of pleasant surprises along the way. This is ever-present on A Hundred Miles Off, perhaps most with the opening "Louisiana," a sleepy lounge induced Bob Dylan knock off, that is an intriguing miss at the very least. "Danny's At The Wedding" is a bit less foreign for fans, so it's no surprise that it comes off a lot more polished than the aforementioned effort. The first two tracks reveal what essentially should be expected from the other ten tracks: either a familiar, yet more polished (in a good way) track or an interesting attempt that somehow falls short. That's not to say that the familiar is boring at all as "Good For You's Good For Me" and percussion-driven "Emma, Get Me a Lemon" both are very, very good songs. The biggest surprise that truly works is the closing "Another One Goes By," a cover originally done by the band Mazarin. It has a timeless feel to it as the guitars, piano and drums all blossom and swirl as the song slowly fades out. Despite such a strong closing, it's still hard to overlook many of the albums faults, especially considering how concise and powerful the Walkmen have always been. As many famous people have quoted previously, the best people know their limitations, and perhaps that's what this album will teach the Walkmen.

Overall Rating: 80

Roy Hargrove Nothing Serious

Very impressive work, indeed.

Released at the exact same time as another release of his under the RH Factor name, it's almost more impressive that Roy Hargrove is such a diverse talent, being able to indulge in Hip-Hop and R&B and traditional Jazz almost seamlessly, than Hargrove's talent in terms of his interpretative work. Immediate standouts are the opening "Nothing Serious" and "A Day In Vienna," as they both feature Hargrove and his quintet in impeccably sharp form, breezing through even the most complex sections effortlessly. It's on these that it seems that the quintet work best, as "Trust," while smooth, almost feels mellower than what the musicians even feel comfortable with, and they're perhaps just itching to be able to finish the song and move on to something with a bit more pace. That said, the majority of the tracks are very well done and all have something special about them really, it's just that the spark exemplified on the opening tracks and sharpness isn't necessarily there all the way through, otherwise a very well done album. A definite recommendation.

Overall Rating: 85

Phoenix It's Never Been Like That

The first perfect summer album.

A release that came completely out of left field, Phoenix has gone from the disco to the rock arena. It's in no way an ill-fated attempt either, as each and every track deliver a sharply executed rock gem. If you think about it, it almost makes perfect sense: While every other rock band is trying to sound like they're from the 80's (most notably of late the Strokes), Phoenix has always pretty much been steeped in 80's electronica, so perhaps the rock transition wasn't as difficult, and perhaps, that's why it works so darn well. It's songs like "Rally" that sound so incredibly airy that you could swear it came from the speakers of a summer radio. The single "Long Distance Call" probably incorporates the most of Phoenix's "old" sound, as the synthesizers that highlighted Phoenix's first two releases underline the otherwise straightforward rock tune. Truth be told, there isn't a bad song on here, and I'd be very surprised if this album doesn't help Phoenix to get on the map as yet-another recognized indie-rock group. As long as you're out in the sun, this album shouldn't be too far away, it's just that good.

Overall Rating: 95

New Music Tuesday: May 16, 2006 (The Raconteurs and Serena Maneesh reviewed)

After a couple of hectic release weeks, things finally slowed down with only one major release, that being The Raconteurs. While traditionally I would give a preview of other albums that came out this week, the theme that is shared between Cam'Ron's, Christina Milian's, and Hoobastank's latest release is: awful. Yes, there's really nothing good about any of them, and unless you feel like being underwhelmed to the greatest degree I wouldn't even bother sampling them. On the upside, there is the latest T-Bone Burnett album to check out-- I may have a review of that release coming later. Beyond that, there's not much else, and as such here is the review of the Raconteurs album which was released today and a vault review for the group Serena Maneesh. Enjoy!

The Raconteurs Broken Boy Soldiers

Far too short, Broken Boy Soldiers is nonetheless an interesting venture.

Whether or not you want to call it a side project is up to you (just make sure Jack White and Brendan Benson can't hear you), but it's hard to feel like it's much more given the incomplete feeling of this 11-track album. That's not to say it's at all bad though, there's definitely some good stuff within the near 35-minute album. The problem is just that it's almost obvious on certain occasions that Benson, White & Co. were writing some of these songs on a whim. The majority of the songs are relatively simplistic to say the least, and despite NME's massive overstatement that the Raconteurs' album is the greatest rock album since Nirvana's Nevermind, the sound never really materializes into anything, thus making it feel not only bland but also incomplete. If they're not exercising their 60's pop-rock demons with tracks like "Hands" and "Together," chances are the track that conceivably sounds like it would have otherwise been made a White Stripes B-Side ("Broken Boy Soldier" and "Store Bought Bones"). By the end of the album, you wonder if you bought a finished CD or managed to walk away with a demo. In defense of the Raconteurs, Jack White and Brendan Benson at 75% is better than the majority of other artists at 100% and the rating will reflect that, it's just disappointing that this album had to feel so rushed. I'm hoping that perhaps next time they'll be able to work on something more substantial.

Overall Rating: 81


Serena Maneesh Serena Maneesh

As challenging as it is rewarding, an incredibly provoking album.

While living up to the hype of such groups is My Bloody Valentine and particularly Velvet Underground is never easy, in fact almost impossible, Serena Maneesh not only meets those expectations but also surpasses them with ease. The proof of that comes immediately on the first track, "Drain Cosmetics," which is easily one of the best introductory songs to an album I've heard since Interpol's "Untitled" on Turn out the Bright Lights. Starting out in familiar VU-like territory, the guitar riff suddenly echoes and all sense of familiarity becomes lost once the vocals echo in, and from here the stage has been set for the world that is Serena Maneesh, and what a beautiful world it is. "Selina's Melodie Fountain" continues with a bit more of a hurried pace as the guitars slice their way through the seemingly infinite background effects. Despite being incredibly involved and atmospheric, the album is never overwhelming if you don't allow it to be. Instead, just kick back and relax and let the sound soak in after a few listens, and I guarantee you'll be hooked. Another plus, particularly considering this is a downfall of many atmospheric-oriented rock bands, is that there is little to no filler on this album. It is immediately apparent that every note serves a purpose in the overall composition of the album, and that makes it all the more beautiful. Even the shortest tracks like "Un-Deux" and "Simplicity" make the most of their time, serving as timely transitional pieces. This is particularly true with the latter as it preludes the closing 12-minute epic of "Your Blood in Mine," a hauntingly beautiful piece. It's often said that, for better or worse, the best music is the music that takes you on a journey to another world, and that is precisely what makes Serena Maneesh so good.

Overall Rating: 97

Fuzzy Bits: May 13, 2006 (100th Post!)

We've finally reached the 100 postmark here at Fuzzy Thoughts, woo! While this is an abnormally short entry, I do have a couple of gifts that tie in with the major headline for the day, so enjoy!

Upcoming singles leaked (and albums [finally] coming)

Both Jurassic 5 and Outkast have left fans waiting for quite a while for their respective upcoming releases. Finally, Outkast's soundtrack to their upcoming film Idlewild will be released August 22, with their film coming out the following Friday (Aug. 25). This is a definitive date, as the first single has been set, so barring any major setbacks, you can mark this on your calendar. In the other camp, Jurassic 5 has been fine tuning their album for quite some time, performing a lot of new materials in live performances but leaving much to the unknown as far as studio work. However, as recently as a couple of days ago, J5 has put their upcoming single on MySpace, which features Dave Matthews Band (yes, you read that correctly). The album, which will be entitled Feedback is due out July 25. Now in honor of this being the 100th post, I'm putting up links to both of these singles. After taking a few listens, feel free to contribute your thoughts on each:

Outkast "The Mighty O"
Like every Outkast single that precedes it, "The Mighty O" is a really good song, but will probably pale in comparison to everything else that's on the album. Besides taking a page out of Cab Calloway's book for the chorus, both Andre 3000 and Big Boi provide pretty good rhymes, a bit on par with "The Whole World" for comparative purposes. Overall this is a must have/listen, especially if you're a fan.
Overall Rating: 90


Jurassic 5 "Work It Out" (feat. Dave Matthews Band)
While this song is decidedly vibe over actual substance, there's one hell of a vibe here. Dave Matthews sings the chorus, while each of the other members chip in for other minor contributions. Despite knowing that these guys are relatively good friends (particularly of late as J5 has opened for DMB on many an occasion and they also did the Vote For Change tour together), I was still a bit shocked at the idea of a collaboration between the two bands, but it works.
Overall Rating: 86

New Music Tuesday: May 9, 2006 (Paul Simon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Snow Patrol reviewed)

It's that time of the week once again, and there are three more big-time releases-- one of which falls under the highly anticipated category-- that I will be getting to in just a second, but beforehand let me break down a couple of the other releases for this week:

New Music Tuesday 5.09.06

Nick Lachey What's Left of Me
Preview Verdict: Sad bastard music for the overly pop oriented, Lachey surprisingly seems to have poured his heart into this album and it definitely shows. While it's still a sound that only teeny-boppers and VH1 moms can appreciate, it's nice to see that there is still some honest to goodness pop music out there.

Neil Young Living With War
Preview Verdict: I have a strong feeling that if anyone else had released this album they wouldn't be praising it, but wonder how on Earth it even got made. This album feels like a rushed attempt by another artist trying to make a political statement. I get the point now, celebrities don't like Bush, get in line and let's move on.

Grandaddy Just Like the Fambly Cat
Preview Verdict: This is Grandaddy's curtain call, and as such it works quite well as it gives fans a taste of what will soon be missed from the band. While I've never understood the Radiohead comparisons (especially the Sophtware Slump-OK Computer one), they have accomplished a very solid career in their own right.

Jolie Holland Springtime Can Kill You
Preview Verdict: Although I'm a huge Jolie Holland fan, I think she's become way too comfortable in her psuedo-folkie Americana realm. This album feels more like a generic collection of songs, rather than her personal voice.

The Stills Without Feathers
Preview Verdict: While there are undeniably some good songs on here ("In the Beginning" and "Destroyer" come to mind), the album overall seems to come a bit short. It'll definitely appeal to anyone that's already a fan of the Stills, though I warn you that their sound on this album is nowhere near as dark as what was on their debut, but I don't think it's enough for anyone else to stick around for much more than possibly a select few tracks.

Now for the big reviews:

Paul Simon Surprise

A pleasant surprise indeed.

On this, Paul Simon's tenth album, Simon finds himself paired up with Brian Eno-- an interesting collaborative move indeed that really shifts Simon's sound to territory unheard of previously. That's not to say it's alienating, the core Paul Simon sound is still definitely in tact, but Eno adds an intriguing electronic edge to the album, making it both organic and abstract all at once. Where this production also helps is in increasing Simon's sense of urgency, particularly on his most politically motivated songs "How Can You Live in the Northeast?" and "Outrageous," the latter of which has Simon vibrantly singing "It's outrageous for a man like me to stand here and complain, but I'm tired, 900 sit-ups a day." Paul Simon's sense of crafting incredibly eloquent pop songs are still in tact as well and after the first few tracks it is incredibly easy to get used to the new sound that Paul Simon has developed. He has truly re-invented himself on this album, and after a few slumping records, it seems as if Simon may have outdone himself this time, as he has created his best album since Graceland.

Overall Rating: 96

Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium

Two discs of absolute bliss

While it would've been easy for the Red Hot Chili Peppers to fall under the recent curse of 2-disc releases that have been too indulgent for their own good, these guys somehow avoided that. Not only is this their best album since their classic Blood Sugar Sex Magik, this is the best each individual member has sounded since then as well. This is the best I've ever heard John Frusciante as far as consistency over an entire album, with Flea and Chad Smith following through on equally solid performances. While their sound isn't a departure from their previous album by any means, it is nice that Anthony Kiedis lets loose on the most rap-filled tracks since their earlier funk days. While their funkier moments lack the outlandish or rawness that the Peppers used to have, the refined sound that replaces it just shows how far these guys have come in terms of musicianship, and that's really what is the keystone of this album, and what makes each of the 28 tracks so amazingly good-- Red Hot Chili Peppers are wickedly good, and they show it. Whereas the strongest moments on Californication and By The Way were the ballads, there is something to be had for everyone on Stadium Arcadium and then some. This is, I have to say, the perfect double album.

Overall Rating: 100


Snow Patrol Eyes Open

Ever hopeful and anthemic, this is a nice step from Final Straw.

After striking gold with their previous album Final Straw, impressing fans everywhere and even U2, it seems almost impossible to be able to follow up the album without being tempted to just make a Final Straw 2.0 as it were. Thankfully, that isn't really the case here. No, Snow Patrol doesn't stray from their formulaic anthems, but at the same time it doesn't come off as being forced, or worse, contrite (here's lookin' at you Coldplay). The opening track "You're All I Have," "It's Beginning to Get to Me," and "Headlights on Dark Roads" are all linear rockers that work incredibly well, but it's on the slower ballads that Snow Patrol's maturity comes to surface. "You Can Be Happy," the appropriately titled "Make This Go On Forever," and the superb closer "The Finish Line" are all great songs that really help differentiate this album from their previous release, as Gary Lightbody's vocals linger with every verse. It's not the masterpiece that Snow Patrol is capable of, and there are a few missteps that hamper the album-- namedropping Sufjan Stevens in the middle of "Hands Open" probably wasn't the best idea (I like him and the song "Chicago" too, but you don't have to sing about it)-- but overall this is still a solid release from the band.

Overall Rating: 84

Mission: Impossible 3

Mission: Impossible 3

It feels a little forced, but there are some worthwhile performances here.

With this film being the third installment of the series, which has now been around for a decade, it'd be easy to assume that this is a set of films that is definitely on the decline. While the first Mission: Impossible was a relatively fun bit of Hollywood espionage, the sequel was pathetically forgettable and got lost in the shuffle of every other action flick that came out around the same time. So how does M:I-3 stack up? Well, what helps it is the absolutely stellar acting of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who takes on the role of black market runner extraordinaire Owen Davian. His incredibly understated delivery makes his character all the more sinister, easily outdoing the previous villains in these films. Likewise, Billy Crudup and Lawerence Fishburne provide solid supporting roles, and Tom Cruise is clearly having a ball playing Ethan Hunt. There are a number of very nicely done subtleties within the film, whether it be Tom Cruise getting into character of a priest (he originally was going to go into the priesthood before deciding on acting), or some styling cues from the previous films, or the fact that Tom Cruise's love interest (played by Michelle Monaghan) is made up to look an awful lot like a certain real-life counterpart. Speaking of the love story, this is really the only thing that brings down the movie. While the question of whether or not Ethan Hunt (or any agent) can have a personal/family life while serving could have been somewhat intriguing (if a bit clichéd), the way in which the story continuously reminds the audience of that is relatively irritating, as it wastes the first twenty minutes of the film and many points in between. Perhaps since the entire basis of the movie is on the impossible, they'll figure out they don't need to attempt to add a personal story to make it more realistic. Other than that, the only other major fault of the film was the hyperkinetic cinematography that goes overboard when you can't figure out the background from any individual actor. In some of the scenes it works really well in that it heightens the intensity of the action or a given scene, particularly in the exchanges between Tom Cruise and Philip Seymour Hoffman, but for many other scenes it's completely unnecessary and almost sickening. Other than these two glaring faults within the movie, there is a lot of fun to be had here and for that I'd consider Mission: Impossible 3 the first blockbuster of the year.

Overall Rating: 76

NMT May 02, 2006 (Part II: Gnarls Barkley, Dios (Malos), Pearl Jam, the Rakes and Wolfmother reviewed)

Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere

Despite all the hype, it's hard to walk away disappointed.

As explained in Part I, Gnarls Barkley has suddenly surged from being a moderately-anticipated, yet primarily underground release to what could very well become one of the few indie hip-hop acts to fully impact the mainstream. The album opens beautifully with "Go-Go Gadget Gospel," featuring hard-hitting productions brought on by Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo almost effortlessly singing along. From here the album then transcends to the hit single "Crazy," which will probably win the award for "Most Overplayed Song for the Summer," but it will be worth every single play, it's just that solid. Both the title track and "Gone Daddy Gone" (which is a Violent Femmes cover) are very intriguing. With the title track it remains effective despite being a somewhat disjointed track, and never feels over the top. Similarly "Gone Daddy Gone" carries over the somewhat minimalist vibraphone background, which contrasts nicely to the otherwise grandiose production that takes place on many of the other tracks. "Feng Shui" is one of the few tracks on which Cee-Lo raps, and for the most part he strays on the conservative side in terms of his delivery, only going along with the beats that Danger Mouse feeds him and never overdoing it. What is most surprising about this album is that despite having a duo of fun-loving, crazy guys like Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse, there is certainly a dark atmosphere on this album, much like the darker tinge that Danger Mouse used in the production of Gorillaz Demon Days. While it does have its flaws, this is an exquisite exercise in eccentricity brought on by a couple of incredible talents, and hopefully they will be working together again.

Overall Rating: 95

Dios (Malos) EP

A nifty EP, especially if you're a fan.

While I should first note that this is an iTunes exclusive EP, I'm sure that you'll find these songs popping up on another release, if the EP itself isn't officially released at some point later on. The EP contains six tracks, and all of them are very good, if a bit experimental. Their sound is quirky as is, but it is interesting to see that each of the songs are around three and a half minutes as you wonder how long they would be without the synthesized atmospheric quirks that start and end most of the songs. The lyrics range from bizarre to smart to funny and sometimes hit all those spots at once, particularly on the opening "Hermit" and "Freq Modulation." The most pop friendly of the bunch is the closer "I See the Light," which teeters between alternative and experimental rock yet is never alienating. If you're looking for something new and, in particular, can appreciate their Pixies-like quirks, then you're in for a treat.

Overall Rating: 85

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam

In a word, wow. This is the best album Pearl Jam's released since it was cool to be grunge.

The success of Pearl Jam came almost overnight, after having a trio of successes in Ten, Vs., and Vitalogy. Then, almost as quickly, Pearl Jam faded away into oblivion, lost in the shuffle of their massive number of pointless live releases and albums where they were, quite frankly, trying too hard to be something they're not. Now, over a decade later, they return with an eponymous release, almost signifying an awareness that the band is essentially starting from scratch. Let me tell you, long story short, this formula works. I had a feeling that Pearl Jam might've struck gold with their singles of "Worldwide Suicide" and "Unemployable," but their raw energy that manages to sustain over the duration of the entire album captures the band at their relative best. Granted, there have always been magical moments in Pearl Jam's releases, but I can't think of a time in their career where each component (lyrics, musicianship, focus, etc.) of their music was at the peak all at once. Harder rockers like "Life Wasted," the aforementioned "Worldwide Suicide," "Comatosed," and "Big Wave" all mesmerize with such vibrancy that you'd swear you were listening to a much younger band. Meanwhile, the sincere maturity shown on the slow to midtempo rockers such as the absolutely gorgeous "Parachutes," "Unemployable," and the prolific "Come Back" and "Inside Job" are equally impressive in that they offset the louder tracks perfectly without any sort of inconsistency. Most importantly, the entire album succeeds in its social and political relevance, as it is that core that serves as the fuel for Pearl Jam's fire. After such incredible results, it'll be interesting to see if they can keep the fire going.

Overall Rating: 98

The Rakes Capture/Release

Mmm, punk.

I was excited about this release since their fantastic Retreat EP came out a little while ago, which included three of the tracks that are featured on the album, "Strasbourg," "Retreat," and "22 Grand Job." While these tracks are arguably the three best (well, at least among the best) songs on the album, the other nine certainly aren't slouches. "Open Book," "We Are All Animals," and "Work, Work, Work (Pub, Club, Sleep)" are really just as good, and the latter I would argue is the best out of them all. While they definitely are a little late coming to the punk resurgence party, there's a lot to offer in this release, and they show a great amount of potential. Unlike the Arctic Monkey's, there's a sense of polish, and unlike Art Brut, you tend to actually take these guys much more seriously. The band's journalistic style of lyrics and smart social musings and observations make their sound all the more interesting. Throw in a couple of spunky guitar riffs and you've got yourself a very good debut album.

Overall Rating: 85

Wolfmother Wolfmother

Impressive debut from this Australian band.

Do you miss the days when 70's metal ruled the charts? Do you think that the rock out now just doesn't rock hard enough? If yes, then this is definitely a band worth checking out. Steeped heavily in 70's heavy metal with a dose of psychedelia, these guys really sound like a blast from the past. The singles "Dimension" and "Woman" exemplify this perfectly while maintaining enough of a mainstream angle that it can be readily accessible to fans that wouldn't ordinarily embrace such a distinctive sound. The thing that really works with this band, and is most impressive for a debut is while they dabble in their sound-- "Apple Tree" definitely shows a hefty White Stripes influence-- they sound so incredibly sure of themselves and so entrenched in the music that they're creating that they don't suffer from the identity crisis that exists within so many other bands where you get the feeling that before every song they say "Okay, next we're going to do our (Put Artist's Name Here) impression." That being said, if Wolfmother suffers from anything, it's almost so brooding that it can almost become off-putting by the time you reach the end of the disc. However, if you like nothing better than to rock out, this is definitely the album to have.

Overall Rating: 90

New Music Tuesday: May 02, 2006 (Part I)

Well, I said that the big week in music would be coming, and now I finally have reviews from some of the biggest albums to come out this year. For those of you that have managed to stay out of the music loop for the past year, Gnarls Barkley is comprised of Cee-Lo (of Goodie Mob fame) and master producer Danger Mouse. If you're not familiar with Danger Mouse, he most recently collaborated with MF Doom for the acclaimed DangerDoom project which I reviewed last year, and also ranked #12 on my top albums of 2005 list. The lead single "Crazy" is still the #1 song in England, and has been since its release, and record sales will almost certainly follow suit, and there has been nothing but positive feedback for their performance at Coachella (which, notably, was only the second time the duo performed together live), so it'll be interesting to see how they fare at Lollapalooza in August.

Speaking of Lollapalooza, I'm currently working on a guide for the festival this year, so if you have any suggestions just let me know. Among the ideas being tossed around is making it available in a format that will be easy to print out and take with you, so we'll see about that, but just wanted to give a heads up about it.

The juicy reviews (Gnarls Barkley, Dios (Malos), Pearl Jam, the Rakes, and Wolfmother) will be in Part II of this update, so if you're looking for them go ahead and skip there. In the meantime, here are some other releases that came out today that are worth noting.


New Music Tuesday 5.02.06

Jewel Goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Preview Verdict: I personally couldn't cough up the money for the full album, but I could easily see why a person would. Jewel has definitely found herself on this album, and if you don't mind sitting through 15 tracks of cavity-inducing super-sweet pop songs then you will definitely enjoy this album.

Mobb Deep Blood Money
Preview Verdict: There is nothing good that can be said about this "effort", it just seems like another forgettable, hardcore-posturing rap album. The sad thing is how amateurish they sound on this record, with dumb rhymes and even worse beats. You'll find your money better spent on just about anything else.

Charlatans Simpatico
Preview Verdict: Having somewhat high expectations, I was surprised to find Simpatico so dull. Each track feels forced and lacks energy of any kind, and even the previously lauded single "Blackened Eye Blues" seems to lose some of its luster in the scheme of things. Too bad, this release just made it that much tougher for these guys to crack into the US market.