Mastodon – The Hunter
The Georgia metal monsters return with an album as brutal as you would expect. The Hunter, unlike their brilliant last release, Crack the Skye is not a concept record but a full on experience through various forms of the genre. It is sheer raw power laid out over thirteen songs. If anything can be said about Mastodon is that they never fail to deliver on a record and this being their fifth album in, only seem to be revving up.
FINAL GRADE: A-
Wilco – The Whole Love
The Chicago indie rockers return and still prove they are the best in the businesses. Wilco are a fantastic and sometimes underrated and under-appreciate American rock and roll band, eight studio albums in, they still have not gotten the proper attention they deserve. The Whole Love is a musical odyssey through various time changes and tempo alterations that prove the band needs to be bigger than what they are.
FINAL GRADE: A-
Ladytron – Gravity the Seducer
The English electro band returns with a record of powerful synths, seductive lyrics and massive sexual undertones, it is a sure-fire must listen. Gravity the Seducer is a much more crisp and atmospheric album than prior Ladytron records and after releasing a “Best of” compilation earlier this year, the band are beginning the second chapter in what has been an already illustrious career.
FINAL GRADE: B+
The Kooks – Junk of the Heart
The English garage rockers return and give us something to smile about. Junk of the Heart is the much anticipated third album by The Kooks and picks up exactly where they left. Roaring guitars, pounding drums and clever lyrics, Junk of the Heart will easily please fans and help the band gain a few more.
FINAL GRADE: B+
The Jayhawks – Mockingbird Time
The Americana band returns after an eight year absence and brings forth with them the next chapter in their lives. The Jayhawks are a bit older, a bit wiser and much more aware of what the pressures of the music industry can take on an artist, so for Mockingbird Time it seems as if they made they record they have wanted to make. The magnificent harmonies of Gary Louris and Mark Olsen are all there in an album devoid of singles but on the flipside show off their natral talents.
FINAL GRADE: B+
ClapYour Hands Say Yeah – Hysterical
It has been four years since we last heard of the Brooklyn buzz band and thankfully they are back. Hysterical is the band’s much-anticipated third album and only makes us question why they waited so long to give us new material. A very well layered and textured released that fans that have been waiting for it will eat up.
FINAL GRADE: B
Chuck Ragan – Covering Ground
The Hot Water Music raspy front man goes solo for the fourth time and we love him even more for it. Ragan, who like his contemporaries Brian Fallon, Dave Hause, Frank Turner have been dropping their electric guitars and picking up acoustic sounds for a much more soul and raw feel on their own. Like his friends, Ragan is a wonderful story teller and with his signature vocal style, it is a pleasure to listen to. Covering Ground is his fourth release and could possibly be his best and most solid work to date.
FINAL GRADE: B
VHS or Beta – Diamonds and Death
The Kentucky disco rockers return with a new line-up and more reason to shake your ass. Adding a darker element to their electronic rock sound, the band has gone through some personal troubles, issues with labels but have found a new inspiration relocating to Brooklyn and giving us a fun album that will make you dance and think.
FINAL GRADE:B
Male Bonding – Endless Now
The British indie surf band returns with a quick follow-up to last years debut and gives us more of the same. If you enjoyed Male Bonding’s first record, you will love this.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Polar Bear Club – Clash, Battle, Guilt, Pride
The Rochester post-hardcore heroes return with chomping guitars, enraged vocals and if you were expecting anything less, you should have your head checked. Polar Bear Club mature in all the right directions for album number three, their playing has gotten tighter, singer Jimmy Stadt’s lyrics have gotten far more introspective and interesting and the band are proving their best days lay ahead of them and this is the beginning of something very profound.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Kasabian – Velociraptor
The British favorites return and it is a plethora of confusion. While the band has been across the pond professing this is the best album they have done, their other work must be even worse. Kasabian’s latest sounds like a rushed hodgepodge of noise thrown together to try and hope something works. It has been understood that they are one of the Gallagher brothers favorite bands, but those compliments have gone straight to their heads, the band needs to sit back and attempt to reconfigure before they start self-destructing.
FINAL GRADE: D
Superheavy
Mick Jagger’s supergroup featuring AR Rahmin, Damien “JR Gong” Marley, Joss Stone and Dave Stewart in theory sounds like a great idea, unfortunately the execution is less that great. Jagger recruited various musicians from various styles of music and the album is all over the place, songs begin with Middle Eastern inspiration then go soul then to raggae, it is too much to comprehend and get into. Superheavy is a super heavy dud.
FINAL GRADE: D
It has been four years since we last heard of the Brooklyn buzz band and thankfully they are back. Hysterical is the band’s much-anticipated third album and only makes us question why they waited so long to give us new material. A very well layered and textured released that fans that have been waiting for it will eat up.
FINAL GRADE: B
Chuck Ragan – Covering Ground
The Hot Water Music raspy front man goes solo for the fourth time and we love him even more for it. Ragan, who like his contemporaries Brian Fallon, Dave Hause, Frank Turner have been dropping their electric guitars and picking up acoustic sounds for a much more soul and raw feel on their own. Like his friends, Ragan is a wonderful story teller and with his signature vocal style, it is a pleasure to listen to. Covering Ground is his fourth release and could possibly be his best and most solid work to date.
FINAL GRADE: B
VHS or Beta – Diamonds and Death
The Kentucky disco rockers return with a new line-up and more reason to shake your ass. Adding a darker element to their electronic rock sound, the band has gone through some personal troubles, issues with labels but have found a new inspiration relocating to Brooklyn and giving us a fun album that will make you dance and think.
FINAL GRADE:B
Male Bonding – Endless Now
The British indie surf band returns with a quick follow-up to last years debut and gives us more of the same. If you enjoyed Male Bonding’s first record, you will love this.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Polar Bear Club – Clash, Battle, Guilt, Pride
The Rochester post-hardcore heroes return with chomping guitars, enraged vocals and if you were expecting anything less, you should have your head checked. Polar Bear Club mature in all the right directions for album number three, their playing has gotten tighter, singer Jimmy Stadt’s lyrics have gotten far more introspective and interesting and the band are proving their best days lay ahead of them and this is the beginning of something very profound.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Kasabian – Velociraptor
The British favorites return and it is a plethora of confusion. While the band has been across the pond professing this is the best album they have done, their other work must be even worse. Kasabian’s latest sounds like a rushed hodgepodge of noise thrown together to try and hope something works. It has been understood that they are one of the Gallagher brothers favorite bands, but those compliments have gone straight to their heads, the band needs to sit back and attempt to reconfigure before they start self-destructing.
FINAL GRADE: D
Superheavy
Mick Jagger’s supergroup featuring AR Rahmin, Damien “JR Gong” Marley, Joss Stone and Dave Stewart in theory sounds like a great idea, unfortunately the execution is less that great. Jagger recruited various musicians from various styles of music and the album is all over the place, songs begin with Middle Eastern inspiration then go soul then to raggae, it is too much to comprehend and get into. Superheavy is a super heavy dud.
FINAL GRADE: D
