Record Dept. Music Reviews
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SPOTIFY

From mellow mornings to late-night jams, my Spotify playlists capture what’s on heavy rotation.

The Blackberry Bushes – Little Bit of Grace

Olympia WA’s acoustic stringband The Blackberry Bushes have long been a local favorite, but with…read more→

Brothers Young – Good People EP

Portland’s Brothers Young – a trio of brothers Dillon, Dustin and Michael and their friends…read more→

Andrew Francis – It’s Chicago!

Chicago based singer/songwriter Andrew Francis self-released his second album, It’s Chicago!. Francis – also a…read more→

Donovan Woods – The Widowmaker

Toronto singer/songwriter Donovan Woods is back with The Widowmaker, the follow-up to 07’s The Hold…read more→

J. Tillman – Singing Ax

Right on heels of an EP and 09’s Year in the Kingdom, J. Tillman (drums,…read more→

The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart is a sextet from Seattle that plays alt-country and folk…read more→

Breathe Owl Breathe – Magic Central

Michigan’s lovably quirky indie folk act Breathe Owl Breathe capped off a successful summer of…read more→

The Corin Tucker Band – 1,000 Years

Corin Tucker, known for being one-third of Sleater-Kinney, has returned four years after the band’s…read more→

No Age – Everything In Between

Everything in Between, No Age’s second studio album following 2008’s Nouns, sees Randy Randall and…read more→

Eli “Paperboy” Reed – Come and Get It

Young R&B/soul phenom Eli “Paperboy” Reed is the real deal, turning out retrofied songs so…read more→

The Black – Sun in the Day Moon at Night

Formed in 03, Austin based band The Black is releasing their second full-length album Sun…read more→

The Chapin Sisters – Two

Music is all in the family for The Chapin Sisters, Abigail and Lily. Originally formed…read more→

Adam Haworth Stephens – We Live on Cliffs

Adam Haworth Stephens, one half of the San Francisco folk duo Two Gallants, recently released…read more→

War On Drugs – Future Weather EP

Philadelphia indie rock band The War on Drugs continues to make their own mark on…read more→

James Vincent McMorrow – Early in the Morning

Early in the Morning, the debut indie folk album by Dubliner James Vincent McMorrow, was…read more→

The Vaselines – Sex With An X

The Vaselines (Glaswegians Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee), back from a two-decade-long hiatus, return with…read more→

Ben Folds and Nick Hornby – Lonely Avenue

Lonely Avenue is an inspired concept – lyrics written by the award winning author and…read more→

Women – Public Strain

Noise band Women, follow up their 08 self-titled debut with Public Strain. This Calgary quartet…read more→

Belle and Sebastian – Write About Love

Scottish indie group Belle & Sebastian are back with their ninth album, Write About Love.…read more→

The XX – xx

London natives the XX rely on the electric chemistry that exists between Oliver Sim and…read more→

Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

The latest band to emerge as part of New Jersey’s rock revival, Titus Andronicus has…read more→

We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four Walls

Taking a cue from fellow Glasgow natives Frightened Rabbits and the Twilight Sad, We Were…read more→

Folk Music for What Lies Ahead

Yer Bird Records released another phenomenal collection of folk music on the 18 track Folk…read more→

Del Barber – Love Song for the Last 20

Winnipeg country-roots singer/songwriter Del Barber is on target to reach his ambitious goal of releasing…read more→

Megafaun – Heretofore

Mini-album Heretofore is Megafaun’s latest release – their third in three years – bringing a…read more→

The Extra Lens – Undercard

John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats and Franklin Bruno of Nothing Painted Blue have come…read more→

Violens – Amoral – Static Recital

New York band Violens gives a strong nod to ‘80s English pop on its debut…read more→

Blue Water White Death – Blue Water White Death

Blue Water White Death is the collaboration between Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu) and Jonathan Meiburg…read more→

Neil Young – Le Noise

Neil Young’s latest and 34th solo album, Le Noise, reminds us all that you really…read more→

Anders Osborne – American Patchwork

Anders Osborne is an amazing musician and songwriter, and on his new album American Patchwork…read more→

Ted Pitney – The Genesee EP

Ted Pitney, co-founder and songwriter of the bluegrassy collective King Wilkie, released his solo debut…read more→

Bobby Bare Jr. – A Storm A Tree My Mother’s Head

After a four year wait, alt-country rocker Bobby Bare Jr. is back with the autobiographical…read more→

Sharon Van Etten – Epic

With her 09 debut album Because I Was in Love, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten…read more→

Moondoggies – Tidelands

The Moondoggies sprang out of Seattle’s ever changing music scene in 08 with their classic…read more→

Bassekou Kouyate – I Speak Fula

The influence of African pop music on Western musicians like Foals and Vampire Weekend has…read more→

The Tallest Man on Earth – Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird

The new EP Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird by Sweden’s The Tallest…read more→

Smith Westerns – Smith Westerns

Smith Westerns do their own take on garage rock and adolescent fervor on their self-titled…read more→

The Postelles – The Postelles

What would happen if you crossed Arctic Monkeys with The Monkees? You might get The…read more→

Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang – Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang

After six albums in a five-year span as the drummer for Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog, Juston…read more→

Superchunk – Majesty Shredding

Majesty Shredding, Superchunk’s first album in nine years, does not disappoint. The North Carolina quartet…read more→

The Fresh and Onlys – Play It Strange

San Francisco’s garage rock sensation The Fresh & Onlys are set to release their highly…read more→

Charlie Parr – When the Devil Goes Blind

When the Devil Goes Blind is country blues musician Charlie Parr’s latest release and first…read more→

Matrimony – The Storm and The Eye

Married couple Jimmy and Ashlee Brown formed their band, appropriately named Matrimony, “out of a…read more→

Hurricane Bells – Down Comes the Rain EP

Hurricane Bells, the side project of Steve Schlitz of the shoegaze band Longwave, has a…read more→

Caleb Klauder – Western Country

Western Country is the latest album from classic country/honky-tonk musician Caleb Klauder, who is best…read more→

Drunken Barn Dance – Grey Buried

Ann Arbor, MI based fuzz folk band Drunken Barn Dance is the collective talent of…read more→

Efren – Always Been a Bleeder

A friend at Team Clermont turned me on to the Athens, GA gothic Americana band…read more→

Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People EP

Sufjan Stevens, best known for his now-defunct musical tribute to the 50 states, changes course…read more→

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Horse Power EP

Detroit’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (a.k.a. Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott) recently released their debut…read more→

Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s – Buzzard

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s are back with their third full-length release, Buzzard.…read more→

Mice Parade – What It Means To Be Left Handed

Mice Parade’s latest release, What It Means to Be Left-Handed, takes pop music and infuses…read more→

Bern and the Brights – Swing Shift Maisies

New Jersey quintet Bern & the Brights’ introductory EP Swing Shift Maisies showcases a uniquely…read more→

Canteen Knockout – Broken Down Town

Toronto’s Canteen Knockout, the alt-country quartet fronted by multi-instrumentalist Andre Skinner (Pope Factory), received praise…read more→

Gwyneth + Monko – Good Old Horse EP

Gwyneth Moreland and Michael Monko – Gwyneth & Monko – are a San Francisco based…read more→

Cast Spells – Bright Works and Baton

This is an album I’ve been meaning to review for a while but for whatever…read more→

JBM – Not Even in July

Singer-songwriter and classically trained guitarist JBM (Jesse Brian Marchant) grew up in the Adirondacks and…read more→

PVT – Church With No Magic

Australian trio, PVT, formerly a five-piece called Pivot, have a new album, Church With No…read more→

Delta Maid – Broken Branches

South Liverpool (yes, you read that right) musician Delta Maid grew up listening to her…read more→

Cotton Jones – Tall Hours in the Glowstream

Cotton Jones is back, just one year after their debut release, Paranoid Cocoon, with Tall…read more→

Blonde Redhead – Penny Sparkle

New York trio Blonde Redhead is back with Penny Sparkle, its follow-up to 2007’s 23.…read more→

Hans Chew – Tennessee and Other Stories

Best known for his contributions on piano and backing vocals in the psychedelic Americana band…read more→

Lissie – Catching a Tiger

Catching a Tiger – Lissie Maurus’ full length debut takes up where 09’s Why You…read more→

Chris Pureka – How I Learned to See in the Dark

Northampton, MA singer/songwriter delivers on the promise of her previous releases (04’s Driving North, 06’s…read more→

Interpol – Interpol

I am the first to admit that I was hugely into Interpol’s 2002 debut Turn…read more→

David Dondero – Zero with a Bullet

# Zero with a Bullet further cements acclaimed singer/songwriter David Dondero’s place alongside the great…read more→

Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard

Ra Ra Riot’s sophomore release, The Orchard, is a solid example of chamber pop at…read more→

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band – Where the Messengers Meet

Seattle’s Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band returns less than two years after their self-titled debut…read more→

Lost in the Trees – All Alone in An Empty House

Lost in the Trees is the creative vehicle of frontman/composer/songwriter Ari Picker, who merges symphonic…read more→

Judson McKinney – Tangled Wire

Los Angeles via Clemson, South Carolina singer/songwriter Judson McKinney makes his solo debut with Tangled…read more→

The Dead C – Secret Earth

New Zealand trio The Dead C redefined music with their howling lo-fi guitar soundscapes and…read more→

Sun Kil Moon – Admiral Fell Promises

Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters) returns with his fourth album as the highly and deservedly…read more→

Lower Dens – Twin-Hand Movement

Get ready to soak up whole lot of shoegazey angst with Twin-Hand Movement, the debut…read more→

Keegan DeWitt – Nothing Shows

Keegan DeWitt takes listeners to a variety of places and emotions on Nothing Shows, the…read more→

S. Carey – All We Grow

Sean Carey, of the popular Wisconsin indie folk band Bon Iver, makes his solo debut…read more→

Mike Behrends – New Feet

Madison, WI singer-songwriter Mike Behrends released the lovely debut full-length album New Feet – a…read more→

Buke and Gass – Riposte

Pushing the boundaries of musical experimentation is the Brooklyn male-female duo Buke and Gass, named…read more→

The Mountains and The Trees – I Made This For You

The Mountains & The Trees (a.k.a. singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jon Janes) makes his full-length debut with the…read more→

Philly Comp One: How To Make An Arrow

PHILLY COMP ONE Philly Comp One: How To Make An Arrow is a compilation of…read more→

Sallie Ford and The Sound Outside – Not An Animal EP

Bold young vocalist Sallie Ford left her native North Carolina in 06 just for the…read more→

Wentworth Kersey – ((O))

I’ve been eagerly anticipating the third EP in the “O” series by the Denver, CO…read more→

Jaill – That’s How We Burn

On the heels of 09’s There’s No Sky (Oh My My) Milwaukee psych-pop group Jaill…read more→

Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine

John Prine is the quintessential American country/folk singer with legendary songwriting abilities hailed by the…read more→

Foxes in Fiction – Swung from the Branches

Foxes in Fiction – Toronto’s Warren Hildebrand – breaks out a stellar set of indie…read more→

Shannon Stephens – Shannon Stephens

Following the success of Shannon Stephens’ second solo effort – 09’s The Breadwinner – Asthmatic…read more→

The Russians – Crashing The Party

After two years and two critically acclaimed EPs, Scott Janovitz and his musical collective The…read more→

The Sheepdogs – Learn and Burn

With a purely 60’s/70’s retro sound along the lines of the Allman Brothers, Led Zepplin…read more→

George and Caplin – Secluded Malls and Scenic Byways

One would that that a group named George and Caplin would have musicians with those…read more→

Maps and Atlases – Perch Patchwork

Chicago based math-rock virtuosos Maps & Atlases released two impressive EPs (Tree, Swallows, Houses and…read more→

Final Flash – Homeless

Montreal based indie rock band Final Flash debuts on “Homeless” a classic folk-rock / psychedelic…read more→

Hey Marseilles – To Travels and Trunks

We have referenced Seattle indie/gypsy folk band Hey Marseilles in the “Similar” feature of a…read more→

The Fling – When The Madhouses Appear

Long Beach, CA’s The Fling marks the end of summer with the August 31st release…read more→

Menomena – Mines

With a smart brand of indie art-rock that is musically complex, Portland, OR’s Menomena hits…read more→

Futurebirds – Hampton’s Lullaby

Back in April, I reviewed the Futurebirds’ self titled EP shortly after their amazing live…read more→

Best Coast – Crazy for You

Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno (aka LA duo Best Coast) debuted their first full length…read more→

Water Tower Bucket Boys – Sole Kitchen

Portland, OR four piece stringband Water Tower Bucket Boys spice up things again with their…read more→

Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues

On September 4th, Justin Townes Earle’s highly anticipated follow-up to 09’s Midnight at the Movies…read more→

Admiral Radley – I Heart California

Admiral Radley, a hybrid band composed of members from Grandaddy and Earlimart, pays homage to…read more→

Vanish Valley – Vanish Valley

Vanish Valley is the solo project of Andrew McAllister (Conrad Ford), who moved from Seattle…read more→

Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart

The members of Canadian psych-rock band Black Mountain have stayed busy since the release of…read more→

Dax Riggs – Say Goodnight to the World

Texas based heavy metal musician Dax Riggs (Acid Bath, Agents of Oblivion, Deadboy & the…read more→

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