Archive | Album Reviews
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Album review: Of Montreal reinvents itself
The band known as Of Montreal has existed since 1996, which makes it over 15 years old at the time of its latest release, "Paralytic Stalks." Most bands with that kind of longevity re-invent themselves at least once to avoid growing musically stale, and Of Montreal is no different.
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Album review: Van Halen tells no lies on ‘A Different Kind of Truth’
In the 1980's, "hair metal" was king. As a record label, if you had a band with big hair, makeup and a sappy power ballad, chances are you were going to have at least moderate success. This standard caused a slew of sound-alike bands.
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Album review: The Black Keys drive album to top of list
The Black Keys are single-handedly saving popular music from the fakeness and softness that has been infused in the music industry in recent years. They are doing so by bringing a smash mouth style, mixing soul, blues and southern rock to the mainstream of music.
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Album review: Snow Patrol, “Fallen Empires”
Like many bands before them, Snow Patrol came about when its members were in college together. Like other bands, they had rough times until they hit it big. Also like other bands, on their newest offering, Snow Patrol is trying pretty hard to sound like Coldplay.
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Album review: The Black Keys feature early rock and roll sound on “El Camino”
With the release of their sixth studio album “Brothers,” The Black Keys introduced a genre-blending sound to the mainstream, mixing rock, blues and at times pop to create hits like their singles “Tighten Up” and “Howlin’ For You.
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Album review: Rihanna able to talk the talk on new album
Electronic sex on a dirty dance floor is the best way to describe Rihanna's newest album, "Talk That Talk." Even though this is Rihanna's third album in as many years, it's surprisingly competent, with a solid mix of leg-spreading beats and that signature Rihanna monotone singing.
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Album review: Gym Class Heroes’ ‘Papercut Chronicles’ sequel bleeds mediocrity
"The Papercut Chronicles II," the newest release from Gym Class Heroes, doesn't have a slew defining tracks — nothing like "The Queen and I" or "Cupid's Chokehold" — but actually presents a more aggressive Travie McCoy with the same teenybopper sensibility.
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Album review: Coldplay reheats old tricks for new success
The band Coldplay has built itself for arena purposes. It has a knack for writing simple songs with a larger-than-life sound for the sole purpose of instilling emotion and absolutely forcing one to sing along.
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Album review: Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump fails to deliver on solo effort
Fall Out Boy is on hiatus, and nothing has solidified that greater than "Soul Punk," Patrick Stump's first solo release since abandoning his role as pop-punk's superstar. Without the limits of traditional musicianship, Stump strives to tap in to the much more pop side of things.