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Dawes – “Stories Don’t End”HUB Records-out today4 / 5 It’s great that Dawes’ follow-up to their lukewarm 2011 “Nothing Is Wrong” has such memorable choruses and warm, tingly vocals, because we were getting a little worried for a bit. Stories Don’t End, the latest by the L.A. quartet, is at times rocking, at times retrospective and wistful, always heartfelt. What we didn’t get from him last time, deep, involved vocals, is what sells the act this time around: Taylor Goldsmith gives his performance enough oomph so as to not sink into what tends to be an un-groove for him, given the mid-tempo nature of theseRead More →

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The Black Angels – “Indigo Meadow”Blue Horizon Ventures-out today3 / 5 The Austin, TX foursome is on their fourth album of hard, psychedelic rock. Our biggest question about this album is how the group makes a rocking-out album that, with each playing, feels a bit stagnant. They hit all the checkboxes, lyrics, vocals, guitar licks, but the end result is an album that doesn’t invigorate psychedelic rock. They feel as if they are standing in place, which is never a good thing for a band. Their single is great: “Don’t Play With Guns.” It’s the most singable of the tracks, written as a rock anthemRead More →

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Brown Bird – “Fits of Reason”Supply and Demand-out April 23 / 5 This is the Providence duo’s third album; the one following our favorite Salt for Salt in 2011. Brown Bird has finally come back, thank God or that horned creature that keeps showing up on their album covers, and while we’re glad they’re back for another go at their Eastern-European influenced folk, Fits of Reason deflates our excitement. There are a few changes between Fits and Salt; here, there’s the addition of electric guitar, and their sound goes more to European fiddling than the distinguished Americana of their previous album. First, our verdict onRead More →

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Charles Bradley – “Victim of Love”Daptone Records-out April 24 / 5 You probably spotted him right away on the cover: yes, you’re absolutely right. The fantastic Brooklyn-based soul singer indeed does take his cues from James Brown. A former cover singer of the songs of the famous “Hardest Working Man in Show Business,” Bradley officially started his career at 62, and on this, his second full-length album, you get it: all the grit, all the passion, all the wear and tear and heart. In fact, you get soul. And that’s not an easy thing to do. Daptone, also the home of the famous Sharon Jones,Read More →