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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 →

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Vampire Weekend – “Contra”XL Recordings– out Jan 123.5 / 5 With a pastiche of Animal Collective electronica comes the second full-length from Vampire Weekend, the ambitious and playful “Contra.” Right now, it’s that opener “Horchata” that’s got us grooving: pure, blissful beeps and boops; light lyrics a la Fun. (the band). It’s light and poppy, and pretty easy to get into “Contra,” but it lands somewhat closer to Fun. than AC when it comes to musical complexity; that’s to say that it’s not as deep as we’d like it to be. Nonetheless, you get quality singles such as the one above and “Run,” which hailsRead More →

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More:CD reviewsArtist interviewsGeneral jubilation Less:CrankinessEgg Nog“Can’t do” attitude Just to let you guys know, we’re waiting on a few to come in for the New Year; unfortunately publicists are sitting out the holidays (not like us!) so we’ll probably be out another week. Kick back with your friends and family, and just enjoy the New Year.(And don’t get caught driving in Boston, by all means.)-Mgmt.Read More →

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Suz – “Shape of Fear and Bravery”No.Mad Records-out now While we’re kicking off the end of the year with this Italian electronica/ Trip Hop band, let’s cut to the chase so you can resume your festivities: try out “The Gathering” and “Fear” for their flavor, but leave the rest behind. The main weakness of this album lies not with the backing sound effects and rhythm section (which is often strong), but rather in the somewhat monotone range of singer Susanna’s vocals here: as the central focus of this album, the vocals need some more tension and modulation. Many of the tracks don’t diverge enough vocally,Read More →