Two plus two be…fore you knew it A-plus came out with his first solo album. My Last Good Deed was born out of struggle, a birth from conflict, like finally mastering high school algebra after several nights of studying, dulled-down erasers, and poor grades on final exams. A-Plus finally makes...

If you love partaking in jam sessions and have a thing for bands who take a chance and ooze creativity, then gAame, the latest release from Aa (BiG A little a) will definitely become your new favorite CD. While there is a definite lack of lyrical expression, Brooklyn’s Aa, who define...

This album was a hard one to get through.  The attempts to listen while driving my car were met with failure.  Any other attempts when I couldn’t actively focus were also met with failure.  It wasn’t until I was in the comfort of my own house with a nice pair...

Imagine a few friends sitting around and trying to find really weird sounds to include on a mix tape and you have Alex Ross-Iver’s “Best 2001-2005” album. This album seems to sample every weird beat line and synthesizer tone known to man. Ross-Iver has received recognition for his songwriting skills...

Annie Sims’ new album serves up an easy, if not wholly satisfying, slice of her native East Tennessee countryside. With a voice reminiscent of Nancy Griffith, and backed up by guitar, fiddle, banjo and the Nashville String Machine, one wants her songs to resonate. But while most tracks are listenable...

If Mazzy Star had auditioned for the Go-Go’s, singing lyrics by Tim Burton, with Pee-wee Herman at the mixing board and everyone flying on Quaaludes, you might have something approaching the innocent playful darkness of The Bastard Fairies debut album, Memento Mori. But what might be a disastrous mess of...

Bjork's new album Volta reminded me of how my sister once described her impression of Tokyo. When you arrive you're bombarded with neon lights and high tech inventions but as soon as you turn the corner you are faced with some of the most ancient and spiritual sites on earth....

These days it seems like there are as many new metalcore bands as there were boy bands back in the 90s.  With all of the generic stuff that is out there, I went into Bloodjinn's new album expecting more standard metalcore fare.  Contrary to my expectations, "This Machine Runs on...

Before I begin, I have to put a disclaimer out there:  I live in New Jersey.  That’s right, the land of the Boss, the land of the infamous Jersey Shore, and yes, the land of Jon Bon Jovi.  His music isn’t liked by everyone in the state, but it certainly...

What an odd, wonderful, ill-timed piece of work this is. After nothing from Bryan Ferry for years, he reappears at a time when he easily qualifies for old age pension and favors us DYLANESQUE, a CD full of covers, by Bob Dylan, no less. The content is not as surprising...