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The Editors – “In This Light and on This Evening”Plus One Records-out today (US)3 / 5 With the help of Depeche Mode producer Mark “Flood” Ellis comes post-punk outfit the Editors on their third full-length release. There is heavy synth here and melodramatic vocals, not unlike the ‘Mode, and a strong 80s flavor to it. “Papillon’s” strong dance beat makes it a quick favorite on this album, but the rest of the material here, while decent, doesn’t tend to stick out. Perhaps it’s the constant heavy synth, or the similar structure to the songs. Ultimately, an album should jut out more, should have more personality,Read More →

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So you’re right. You spotted them right away; good for you. It’s an exercise in your ability to count to five. But seriously, we hope the new system this year will give you a better idea of what’s your money’s worth. Another change we want to bring to you: another writer. What…?! Wouldn’t that person have to be mad as well? Well… perhaps, but mostly, they just need the following:-A brief introductory email-2-3 samples, either interviews or CD reviews in the same style-The ability to subdue a small, rabid mongoose So shoot it to that email address up above in the webpage heading. Keep inRead More →

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Shapes Stars Make – “These Mountains Are Safe”Facedown-out Jan 193 / 5 Dallas-based Shapes Stars Make approach the music-listening world with their first full-length, “These Mountains Are Safe.” This music is spacious, paced, gradual, and in some ways, slow. But hear us out: for the more ambient-minded, this may be the right pace of rock for you. Nonetheless, it feels restrained, and not always in a good way; the music presented here is perfect for that penultimate track to that conceptual album where you need to space out just a bit before the ending. But as is, “Mountains” doesn’t supply much of an arc orRead More →

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OK Go – “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky”Capitol Records– out tomorrow4.5 / 5 With five years since their pop-oriented “Oh No,” Chicago’s OK Go takes a heavier turn on their third full-length, “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky.” If we were to characterize the colo(u)r of this album, it would be dark, distortion blue; and if we were to characterize how good it is, it’d be more than OK. While it should be noted there are explicit lyrics, and this album starts right away a touch darker (“the kinda thrill that could just kill you,” from opener “WTF?”) it is ultimately upliftingRead More →