R.I.P. Whitney Houston 1963-2012
Collected Tweet-reviews, ratings and essays from Spectrum Culture and In Review Online music critic, Kyle Fowle
February 11, 2012
February 11, 2012
The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed (1969)
A fcused culmination of some of the Stones’ greatest strengths. They run the gauntlet here, from the riff-heavy, dirty, Chuck Berry-esque rockers (“Midnight Rambler”) to the more fleshed out, contemporary arrangements (“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”). Richards provides great moments, both acoustic and electric, while Jagger’s pipes are in top form; “Gimme Shelter,” anyone?
Grade: A-
February 10, 2012
J Dilla - Donuts (2006)
It can be tough to shed all the context surrounding this album (and maybe we shouldn’t), but on a purely sonic level, this is a force to be reckoned with. Dilla’s still at the top of his game, chopping and flipping samples with precision and personal poignancy. It’s an addictive and enlightening listen.
Grade: A
February 6, 2012
Hospitality - Hospitality (2012)
Sometimes charming, but mostly dull collection of beachy, Clientele-tinged tunes. There are a few memorable arrangements, like the call-and-response instrumentals of “Friends of Friends” and the cheery pace of “Eights Avenue,” but most of the album feels fairly inconsequential.
Grade: C
February 6, 2012
Prince - Purple Rain (1984)
Nobody does it quite like Prince. He knows when to shred. He knows when to croon. He knows how to pace a record and make it pulse like a living organism, and Purple Rain is one of the finest examples of Prince at the height of his songwriting, vocal and instrumental powers. Absolutely mint from start to finish.
Grade: A
February 3, 2012
Porcelain Raft - Strange Weekend (2012)
Pleasant collection of Soft Bulletin-esque pop tunes, with a glossy, reverb-heavy veneer. Harmonies, melodies and electronic flourishes commingle with relative ease, providing a pillow for introspection, but never veering into unnecessary melodrama. The bright sheen grows weary as the album rolls on, as the infectious hooks inevitably take a back seat to a mess of layers. More thoughts for Spectrum Culture, here.
Grade: B-
February 3, 2012
The White Stripes - The White Stripes (1999)
Though it was the Strokes changing indie rock, no group was reviving rock and roll in the late ’90s and early aughts like the White Stripes. Before the stellar music videos, there was this gem of a debut album. Heavy, chunky guitars, parlor-house pianos, the punk-tock vocal delivery and the emphasis and loud toms and bass drums. With it’s collection of blues covers (Son House, Robert Johnson and even some Bob Dylan in here) and blazing originals (“When I Hear My Name,” “The Big Three Killed My Baby,” “Astro”), the White Stripes’ debut record is the best thing they ever put to record and is exactly the aesthetic punch in the gut the music industry needed.
Grade: A
February 3, 2012
Lana Del Rey - Born To Die (2012)
After all the hype, sexism and homemade YouTube videos, the debut from Del Rey is finally here, and it’s a scattered, mostly underwhelming effort. The singles provide some nice highlights (“Video Games” and “Blue Jeans” specifically), but the heavy-handed production grows tiresome, as does the lackluster songwriting. My lengthier, more articulate review is up over at Spectrum Culture (find it here), so please do check it out for more fleshed out thoughts.
Grade: C
January 28, 2012
The Who - Tommy (1969)
There’s an inevitable danger of creating a bloated mess when creating not only a double album, but a rock opera as well. Fortunately, The Who sidestep just about all the pitfalls and deliver an ambitious, focused and remarkable set of songs about the titular Tommy. Though a lot of the Who’s work feels scattered, this is as brilliant a set of songs as you’ll come across from the band. An absolute staple of rock and roll.
Grade: A
January 28, 2012
Schoolboy Q - Habits and Contradictions (2012)
Though it could certainly use a little trimming, it’s hard to argue with the occassionaly overindulgence when there’s much to love here. From the stellar production, to the flipped samples, to the weed-and-booze lyricism, this is the hazy ode to street life that A$AP Rocky didn’t quite make last year. Not just a collection of slick beats though, Habits and Contradictions is remorseful in its lyricism, undercutting every unabashed line dedicated to substance indulgence with a harsh truth about mortality and the consequences of our choices.
Grade: B+
January 28, 2012
Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory (2012)
A blazing, heavy, melodic, drone-filled sophomore release, Attack on Memory is a both a rebirth of Cloud Nothings and a statement from a new band confident in its identity. Shades of post-punk brush up against heavy metal with a surprisingly catchy pop core. Bound to be one of the better release this year.
Grade: B+
January 27, 2012
Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (2010)
In a year dominated by great music, few could compete with Titus Andronicus’ powerful, heavy, loose-concept record. Musing on war, death, morality and inevitability, the band easily shifts gears between parlor-house southern jams and balls-out, heavy rockers. Though the music is a feat of its own, it’s the poignant, stinging lyricism, instilled with cynicism and angst, that pushes this record to the next level.
Grade: A-
January 23, 2012
Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur (2012)
Still holds onto the poignant, evocative songwriting of her excellent 2008 record Asking For Flowers, but the production overload provided by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon tends to go into the red too often. Though it befits some tracks (“Change The Sheets” and “Chameleon/Comedian”) it overwhelms the arrangements on most tracks, swallowing up Edwards’ finest asset-her stellar voice. Still, the songwriting is spot-on.
Grade: B-
For a full-length review, click here.
January 21, 2012
King Tubby - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (1976)
The heart and soul of reggae and dub all rolled into one glorious record. The eclectic mix of Cartlon Barrett, Augustus Pablo and others make this a relic of Jamaican music that deserves to be heralded as one of the finest examples of the genre and one of the greatest records of all time.
Grade: A+
January 21, 2012
John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up! (2010)
This shouldn’t be as good as it is, but damn, The Roots manage to pull this one off, giving Legend enough inspiration and room for creativity, allowing him to truly dig into this set of soul and R&B covers. More than just a cover record, it’s a cohesive and meaningful piece of cultural appropriation, showing the lyrics and grooves have as much power today as they did when they were originally recorded.
Grade: B+
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