After the two godawful lead singles of “Lover,” it was going to be a minor miracle if Taylor Swift pulled off an even passable album. Meanwhile, upon the release of “Lover," Taylor stans reacted with predictable, exhausting breathlessness. As it turns out, “Lover” is somewhere in the middle of these extremes: Swift doesn’t embarrass herself, nor does “Lover” live up to the standard of what you might expect for such a huge pop star. The album ... read more

One of the more impressive country debuts of the year thus far, “Between the Country” showcases both Ian Noe’s gritty authenticity and his knack for detailed, expert songwriting. He’s a singer with an old-school country voice and a pronounced Kentucky drawl who writes songs firmly in the tradition of the American folkie — think Bob Dylan, John Prine, or even Steve Earle. The best songs on “Between the Country,” like “Irene (Ravin’ ... read more

A talented multi-instrumentalist who cut her teeth in local bluegrass and honky tonk scenes, Lillie Mae seems to have developed quite the talent for songwriting. Her lovely sophomore outing “Other Girls” builds on her promising debut, showcasing her gorgeously plainspoken voice and effortlessly beautiful melodies. Mae is a firmly traditional songwriter, gravitating towards classic song structures and occasionally (self-consciously) old-fashioned lyrics. This makes her a perfect fit ... read more

Radiator Hospital were the toast of a certain community of indie rock fans a mere five years ago, yet even in this scene, their most recent album barely registered — as a big fan of “Torch Song,” I almost forgot Radiator Hospital even released an album this year. “Sings ‘Music for Daydreaming,’” unfortunately, is both underwhelming and confounding — a far cry from the “Torch Song” days. The band thrived on blistering uptempo power pop; ... read more