Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991) was known as a pop music "dirtymouth" in France and Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known internationally for "Je t'aime...moi non plus" which consisted of a bit of dialogue, a little singing and a lot of panting between 40 year ...

It’s not that Ian Hunter ever really went away. It’s just that since the late 1970s his output has been sporadic, and, arguably, half-hearted. Hunter was always one of those artists who danced around the periphery of greatness; his Mott the Hoople work reached it’s zenith with the David Bowie- ...

Another of the crusty Punk line of veterans from the dead, gone, back again, gimme more bullets generation of rabble rousers in tattered trousers with no dollar but plenty o' dream… Hell, I listened to this about three or four times, and I keep coming back to the second and ...

Idiot Pilot, from Bellingham, WA, come across as a pop-punk centered version of Radiohead circa their OK Computer and Kid A days. Armed with a laptop computer, strong vocals and an array of instruments Michael Harris and Daniel Anderson put forth a very enjoyable sophomore effort.The laptop pop of Wolves, ...

In the last few years we've been seeing more and more of the Iggy & The Stooges influence on countless newcomers to the Rock scene so it's only fitting that the band, under-appreciated, even underachievers in their time, would be prominent enough some twenty plus years later to scrape off ...

ll Big is comprised of five individual musicians from varied backgrounds with a wealth of talent and influences that cover just about the entire rock n roll spectrum. As a band, releasing their latest recording "SOUND OF THE HIGHWAY," ll Big delivers 10 songs in the arena rock/classic ...

You may not have heard of II Big. If you haven’t you might be surprised to discover that Face in the Glass is their eighth release. II Big is a working band, having toured with rock icons from the 1970s such as Foghat, journeyman bands that at ...

O BROTHER, WHERE OUT THOU? is not the only bluegrass CD out there. That selfsame CD, with hardly any radio airplay (WSM-AM, the rightfully styled "Air Castle of the South" being the notable exception) has of this writing sold over 5 million copies. Yet, despite this notable feat in a ...

iiO consists of a New York musician/dj named Markus Moser (not to be confused with the guitarist…I think) and vocalist/lyricist Nadia Ali. The duo have had a passel of club hits in 2006 and 2007 --- “Is It Love,” “Kiss You, ” “Chastity,” “Tantric,” “Be It,” --- ...

Do you remember Rapture by iiO? I remember being thirteen, sitting on the floor of my room when it came on the radio. I got up and contorted my body in weird dance gestures. Body rolls. Booty shaking. All alone. But I loved that song. I could never remember the ...

20 odd years ago, this is what I had hoped the future of British punk would have sounded like. Clawing away ferociously against the popular musical grain, but with a strange pretense that has come to define most of UK's cult obssessions (from Syd Barrett on down).  Ikara Colt are ...

Almost from the opening bars of "Last Time," the opening track of Ike Reilly's SALESMEN AND RACISTS, I had the same feeling I had on first hearing Springsteen's GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK, Fairport Convention's UNHALFBRICKING, Dylan's HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED and BLOOD ON THE TRACKS, the feeling that I was hearing ...

A rip off the (quickly getting old) nu metal block, with a Latin twist, that's what "Ill Nino" seems like at first glance (listen, whatever). But their full length debut, "Revolution.Revolucion," deserves better than that. For one thing, drummer Dave Chavarri's production lends well to a breathable wall of sound. ...

Changes 'comin by IMA is definitely prophetic! A country music lover at heart, I do love this album. It's a short, but to the point. Each of the five songs is like a chapter in a person (every person's?) life, compiling a story that women can definitely relate to! Country ...

There are two main problems with Wintereich, the new album from Finland’s Immortal Souls. First and foremost, while the band has a few cool things to offer a listener on their 3rd outing, none of them are particular new. Toiling away in the Scandanavian melodic death metal ...

Immovable Objects debut release, Hoping It Stays Just This Broken is a fair, consistent album with an ultimately “surreal” aftertaste. This one-manned band, Matt Gagin, plays all instruments and wrote most of the lyrics heard on the album, but is accompanied by a long list of guest musicians and singers. ...

Based on my past experiences with movie soundtracks, I usually find that there's only one or two songs I happen to like and the rest I couldn't care less about.  Or, they're just a sloppy compilation of crappy songs that happen to be considered popular at the time.  But I ...

By track 3, “Summer in the City”, I was aware of the fact that this album was going to be cover heavy.  Incognito’s BEES+THINGS+FLOWERS is an acid-jazz lover’s perfect cover album of older generation hits.  The Lovin’ Spoonful, Earth, Wind & Fire, and America all get a new jazz/fusion treatment ...

The 12 tracks that comprise the debut album by the Pittsburgh quintet Incommunicado each clock in at around 2-3 minutes, keeping up a very consistent energy that never dissolves. Although time signatures change as the distortion is turned up and down the angst-filled vocals of Chris Feigh do not relent ...

The Indigo Girls go back to basics with the folksy, acoustic Become You.  Amy Ray and Emily Saliers provide warm, rich singing; their voices blend together in vivid harmony found in their first offerings.  Become You is a fine balance of sweet folk and more rocking tracks illustrating the hardships ...

Rapper Infinity (real name: Antwon Buie) is a native of Charleston, SC, who has apparently been through some really vile times.  He lived in the depths of poverty, got bounced around in foster care and witnessed the crack addiction horrors of both his mother and the mother of his child.  ...

Reminiscent of an early Black Crowes sound Ingram Hill delivers a steady debut album from the heartland of country music.  The Memphis based band features a mixture of many styles throughout, reflecting the mixed background of the band having their roots planted in rock, country, and new wave music.  The ...

Ingram Hill is a trio, at least nominally--- Justin Moore on guitar and vocals, Matt Chambless on drums, and Phil Bogard on guitars, augmented by a number of other players --- just like Rascal Flatts. They have a kind of southern rock thing going, just like another trio, Better Than ...

I don’t really listen to Christian rock, but I’m open to anything. I popped the CD into my stereo and immediately liked what I heard. Lead singer Sara Acker’s voice sounded like a cross between Gwen Stefani and Jessica Simpson. Each song has heart and soul and sends a message ...

The Innocence Mission's latest record We Walked In Song sounds like a flower. There are pretty songs, pretty melodies, and pretty vocals. But you can get bored in all this pretty. If pixie-like female vocals and pleasant folk tunes are not your cup of tea, then maybe The Innocence Mission ...