After leaving the band The Coral, singer-songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones’ new solo album shows that he probably made a good move. … read more
Review: Big Eyes – Almost Famous
Apparently a Seattle band by way of New York, Big Eyes comes to bat with some serious rock pedigree. Made out of a fairly traditional three-piece, Big Eyes doesn’t do much to experiment with the formula, but they’ve got a solid sound that doesn’t wear out their welcome. More on the garage rock end of the spectrum, their one secret weapon comes in the form of their female vocalist, the husky-voiced and charismatic Kate Eldridge. … read more
Review: Big Deal – June Gloom
Though it opens on a gloomy note (which had me worried I was reviewing another downtrodden shoegaze album) with “Golden Light,” the album quickly morphs into cutesy upbeat dream pop that borders on twee. … read more
Review: Big Black Cloud – Black Friday
Random discordance screeches through my stereo right as I press play. … read more
Review: Black Tusk – Tend No Wounds
Though Tend No Wounds may not be treading much new ground, it is a testament to Black Tusk’s consistency. For best results, pair with whiskey and/or beer, moshing and friends. … read more
Review: Black Books – Self-Titled
Black Books write big songs confined to small places. There is an epic and anthemic quality to Black Book’s cloistered little pop songs: a driving, pulsing urge to express something too huge for words written in broad brush strokes of soaring choruses and the diffused light of atmospheric passages oozing out of guitars and synths that blend ambient colorings into vital, crunchy power chords. … read more
Review: Black Hearted Brother – Stars Are Our Home
After fronting the legendary shoegaze band Slowdive, and then moving on to the delicate folk on Mojave 3 and his own solo output, Neil Halstead has returned to the free-floating psychedelia of heavily affected guitars and synthesizers with his new band, Black Hearted Brother. … read more
Review: BL’AST! – BLOOD!
Dave Grohl. Is there anything he can’t do? He’s a well-known singer/songwriter, has “former Nirvana drummer” on his résumé, and now he’s resurrected the ’80s hardcore band BL’AST! by mixing a collection of unearthed tracks in their newly released album. … read more
Review: Blackout – We Are Here
While this may sound like a formula for your garden-variety sludge, Blackout spare no opportunity to reimagine the genre. Oh yeah, and don’t forget your bong. … read more
Review: Big Star – Playlist: The Very Best of Big Star
In the latest catalog of the preeminent power pop group Big Star, Playlist outlines all the incarnations of this influential band. … read more
Review: Bill Callahan – Dream River
These songs are the kind of dreamlike reveries that can lull you into a drifting state that can carry you into dangerous territory, if that danger is sometimes just impending, around the corner. … read more
Review: Bipolaroid – Twin Language
I haven’t heard an album with this same perfection of vintage sound in a long time. Songs such as “Tonight We Paint the Town Our Favorite Colour” and “Efflorescent Adolescent” (plus basically every other song on the album) sound like they could be missing tracks from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. … read more
