Released January 14th on Columbia Rock Back in the studio for an eighteenth time Bruce ‘The Boss’ Springsteen has come out once again with an offering of his particular brand of pop-rock gruffness. Kicking off with the deliciously eclectic blare of the title track I’ve got to say that I too had ‘high hopes’ for…
1972 – RCA Glam-Rock/ Art-Rock/ Hard-Rock It’s hard to take a step back and take a good objective look at Bowie’s seminal 1972 concept album these days. It’s just become such a huge part of popular culture that it’s very difficult to think about the piece in a way that doesn’t just describe how it…
1981 – SST Hardcore/ Punk The first full length record from one of the most influential bands in the American hardcore movement, Damaged is explosive, intense, angry, and brilliant. The tempo and energy and blistering and there is just no way to deny the sincerity and unadultarated rage that floods this record. Really, it is…
Sypmtoms – Elliot Sphinx 2009 – LoFi Kabuki Hip-Hop He raps well and spits with an entertaining sense of rage, but still I couldn’t seem to take him seriously. Perhaps it’s because his flow consists of little more than emphasising sibilants over the top of the heavier beats. On the upside, the floating future-techno beats…
2004 – Jarrah Folk/ Rock From the opening slide guitar strains of Treat Yo Mama one can hear that The John Butler Trio’s third studio album (first to be released in the United States) is going to offer the listener something outside of the mainstream. It’s raw and powerful, but well considered and approachable with…
Released 8th November on Streamline/Interscope Electronic/ Dance/ Pop Back again with a brand new third album the grand dame of pop music Lady Gaga has given us her latest offering ARTPOP, and it appears that with this new record she is continuing on with her slow transformation into a Madonna clone. The vocal lines on…
Death Chorus – Polar Bear Club Released 12th November on Rise Records Post-Hardcore/ Alternative/ Rock Heavy, but not too heavy. It’s probably won’t piss off your parents. Really, post-hardcore has turned into a heavy brand of pop. Most of the music is fine and the vocals have some great harmonies worked into them, but it’s…
1991 – Paisley Park/ Warner Bros Pop/ Rock/ Hip-Hop/ Funk/ Soul Prince’s thirteenth studio album and first to bill his backing band The New Power Generation as equals marks a return to Prince’s rhythm and blues roots and a move away from his eighties dabblings with out and out pop music. That is not to…
1994 – Geffen Folk/ Pop/ World Toni Childs’ third album is a windingly personal journey through the world of Child’s inner sanctum. Her voice wrenches froth pain from the very bowels of the listener, and her unconventional musical constructions complement her earthy power brilliantly. Starting out with the vocally driven Womb the listener is instantly…
FIXX – The You And What Army Faction 2009 – Independent Post-Punk/ Industrial/ Experimental/ Goth The music is fine, but the relentlessly out of tune drone that passes for vocals just makes this whole album rather unpleasant. Also the obsession with the wettest echo effects you’ve ever heard tends to distract the listener from the…
Lachlan J. Faces The Music 