Hungry Mouse Nellie McKay has protest on her mind, but don’t expect an earnest folkie on guitar. In “Pretty Little Head,” this brilliant wordsmith adorns her social activism’ from gay marriage to animal rights’ in ribbons of cabaret, show tunes, cocktail-lounge jazz and even the occasional bow of hip-hop. More akin to early Randy […]
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The Downers-Shake the Dead and Let the Downers Die
Sickboy Records Utah’s five-man The Downers play the psychedelic pop of Big Star and do it very well. This five-song sampler will trance you out like a Quaalude from 1974. It’s good’ Paul Burke’s vocals are mesmerizing. The Downers are not a throwback, but rather the group transports its genre into the future. “Shake […]
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Paul “Wine” Jones-Stop Arguing Over Me
Fat Possum Records This, the final album from the late Paul “Wine” Jones (1946-2005)’ an original member of the Fat Possum Records family and a specialist in the raw, quirky, electric blues that put the label on the map’ begins unexpectedly: with a hard-driving, hip-struttin’ dance number. It’s basically Jones’ version of disco, and it’s […]
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Stanton Moore-III
Telarc International I can’t say New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore’s music makes me want to jump and scream for joy, but the man certainly lays down some solid grooves. Whether it’s with his other bands “? Galactic or Garage a Trois “? or on a solo effort, Moore is one of a few musicians on […]
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Jay Z-Kingdom Come
Def Jam So much ink has been spilled about Jay-Z’s “comeback” that you’d be forgiven if you spin “Kingdom Come” expecting a blinding light of salvation to explode from your speakers. Breathless music writers nearly lost their collective mind when Jigga announced that his retirement (“casual hiatus” might be more accurate) was over and he […]
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Frank Sinatra-Vegas
Rhino/Reprise Some things just go well together: peanut butter and jelly, spring and baseball, Frank Sinatra and Las Vegas. The Chairman of the Board arguably was never more at home than prowling the stages of Sin City nightclubs, dishing out snappy patter and electric readings of signature tunes like “Fly Me to the Moon” and […]
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Centro matic-Fort Recovery
Misra Records The primary goal for every band is to distinguish a new record from its previous work and all the other acts in its corner of music. It did not bode well for Centro-matic’s “Fort Recovery” that, after several listens, I still had to check my CD player to remind myself who I was […]
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Gwen Stefani-The Sweet Escape
Interscope Surely no one could’ve predicted the force with which ska-pop sprite Gwen Stefani’s 2004’s solo debut, “Love.Angel.Music.Baby.” would hit, loaded as it was with Eighties-shaded tunes, a devastating sense of style and a chart-smashing monster known as “Hollaback Girl.” Two years later, Stefani is already dropping “The Sweet Escape,” her erratic sophomore effort. Whereas […]
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Mickey Avalon-Self Titled
MySpace Records Nothing good can come of this MySpace Records, I’m convinced. Although the social Web site has been a boon to several indie bands, the idea of pulling unsigned talent from its cesspool and giving them a major-record deal is a dangerous one, judging solely from the no-talent behind its first single-artist release: Mickey […]
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The Byrds-There is a Season
Columbia/Legacy If ever a band merited two box sets, it would be The Byrds. In under a decade, the band pioneered what has collectively become known as Americana: folk rock, psychedelia, country rock and, eventually their through influence, alt-country. “There Is a Season” improves on the first box set (now out-of-print) by giving a […]