_CD Reviews 2014 (Page 4)

Crash – Hardly CriminalCommunity Music – out May 62.5 / 5 Louisiana-native Christopher Richard belts one out – exactly one – on his debut full-length. The setlist is diverse, soul to folk to rock, but these songs lack that je ne sais quoi – actually, we can say what it is they lack: really provoking performances. Richard connects with his music, but can’t seem to get that music to connect with the listener. How can we tell? We’ve listened to the album a handful of times, and to us, there’s still only one song on it. The rest, one could say, is a blur. It’sRead More →

Sylvan Esso – Self-TitledPartisan Records– out May 133.5 / 5 Electronic pop duo Sylvan Esso swagger from Durham, NC with their debut album: all pop, clean, confident. Of those three, it is most certainly confident: it’s the kind of music that belongs lounging in a hep black-lit party, tendrils of smoke gently curling about. Singer Amelia Randall Meath anchors these songs in understated tones, melded with Nicholas Sanborn’s simplified electronica. How else can we describe it? It’s simple, uncluttered, and at times, quite joyous. One listen to the lead single “Coffee” confirms the duo’s talent and excellent pairing. It’s a smooth blend on this track,Read More →

Bailiff – RemiseSelf-Released-out April 223.5 / 5 Chicago trio Bailiff proudly pronounces their diverse musical loves: John Lee Hooker, Radiohead, Dylan and Muddy Waters. We can’t say we’re able to pick out exactly how each of these influence their sophomore release, Remise, but we can say the alt-rock trio has taken their words (and music) to heart, and have crafted their own invention here. Funded by a Kickstarter campaign, it all comes down to soul, to where you’re coming from and where you bring your audience, and there, Bailiff doesn’t disappoint: this is good stuff. Our favorite here is the single, “Shake My Heart Awake,”Read More →

The Bad Plus – The Rite of SpringSony-out today3 / 5 Ambitious. That’s the first word that has to begin a review of the Bad Plus’ jazz interpretation of Stravinsky. It must be a heavenly marriage to bring the two together, the Bad Plus as a sophisticated, avant-garde jazz trio, and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, a ballet piece recognized as one of the most forward-thinking pieces of the 20th century. But we’re not here to praise (or belittle), only to give our thoughts: and in comparison to the beautiful original score, there’s quite frankly no comparison. There are certain inherent limitations that a trio hasRead More →