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Cassettes Won’t Listen – “EVINSPACEY”(Not KEVIN SPACEY)Daylight Curfew-out June 213.5 / 5 After all’s said and done, this is what Los Angeles-based Jason Drake has to show for his latest full-length: a handful of catchy, electronica/ pop pieces (“Perfect Day,” “Wave to the Winners”), some hip-hop inspired beats, and a cease-and-desist. So certain famous actors don’t appreciate the shout-out; we do, and here’s why: despite Drake’s demonstrated cheekiness, he’s also got a good ear for pop, simple, enduring melodies, and a sense of joy and playfulness. Drake never bogs himself down with oversampling and overlayering (all the more impressive for the hip-hop producer), and eachRead More →

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Dawes – “Nothing Is Wrong”Ato Records-out today2.5 / 5 We’re still reeling from brilliant folk collaboration Middle Brother which, we admit, led us to Dawes. Taylor Goldsmith’s performance as 1/3 of Brother is certainly one of his finest (“Blood and Guts,” “Wilderness”) and now that we’ve calmed down from getting the Los Angeles band’s second full-length, that opening, “Time Spent in Los Angeles,” is certainly… definitely… something of a letdown. “Nothing Is Wrong” feels too complacent, too placid, especially in light of Goldsmith’s serious vocal chops displayed earlier this year. Lyrically, Dawes is hit-or-miss, but our biggest complaint comes from Goldsmith himself, who doesn’t stretchRead More →

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Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White – “Forever”Concord Records-out tomorrow3.5 / 5 There’s just such a breezy way that Chick Corea dabbles on those ivories that, we’re certain, melts even the un-jazziest of hearts. And on this reunion album-slash-tour of his eternal Return to Forever band, it’s all there: drummer Lenny White, bass virtuoso Stanley Clarke (btw, check out his “School Days”), and some jazz/ RTF standards (plus a handful of new ones). Replete with guests (Jean-Luc Ponty, “Upon the Wings of Music” for one), this album can’t help but to measure itself again the catalog of 70s releases, and in that respect, “Forever” stillRead More →

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White Denim – “D”Downtown-out now4 / 5 We never realized how much we loved White Denim’s previous “Fits”; their wild, rambunctious sense of punk and pop ignites like a wildfire. And here, on D, there is a sense that some of the fire has died down a bit: no worries, though, because the wild half-yelling has been replaced with thoroughly impressive instrumentals. Think of it more as an exchange: the jarring punk aspects have matured into a more melodic, more assured sense of song structure. You will like this album, that much is sure; but will you love it, will you devote your waking momentsRead More →