Music Ravings

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 →