AnthonyFantano1

On John Vanderslices' latest album, the singer-songwriter works with California's Magik*Magik Orchestra to bring a new level of intricacy to his music. Nearly every song here is lavishly decorated with brass, woodwinds, and strings, but the live recording style keeps the music from feeling static or confined.

Some songs pale in comparison to others, but at least the instrumentation swoops in to save the day when that happens. Though the album is definitely something Vanderslice fans ... read more

Braids' debut LP is a fun exercise in trippy, electronic psychedelia. The vocal and drum mixing and recording could have been a lot better, but the rest of this album is too good to deny.

The pulsating synths bounce from one wall to another, the song lengths sprawl out into near endlessness, and the mood ranges from upbeat to dreamy without losing any momentum.

I wouldn't call it an amazing listen, but it's certainly interesting and engaging throughout. Considering this album ... read more

On Fergus & Geronimo's debut LP, the Texas duo tries their hand at doo wop, powerpop, and oddball garage tunes. Shockingly, they do it all pretty well.

Even though it's not stylistically consistent or extremely ambitious, F&G's wit and humor comes out in nearly every song, which is really what makes these tracks shine.

White Lies' sophomore album is built on the kind of cleanliness and safety post-punk's roots were spitting in the face of. The band completely avoids veering off of the path set before them by bands like Joy Division, Depeche Mode, and Interpol. If there's any alteration to the formula, White Lies does it with a bigger budget and sound.

Of course, if I found the songs to be catchier, the lack of adventure wouldn't be such a big deal; however, that's not where ... read more