Band: Cloud Nothings Album: Attack on Memory Best song: “Fall In” is impeccable. Worst song: “No Sentiment” isn’t the best. There are days when I really miss the second wave of emo. In many ways, I grew up on that stuff, as my formative years were bounced between my beloved post-rock and the Urbana-soaked second [...]
Band: Nada Surf Album: The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy Best song: “Clear Eye Clouded Mind” is the best song on the record, hands down. Worst song: “Teenage Dreams” is boring and typical. I prefer not to talk about my actual job here on my blog — and I’m not starting now, certainly — but [...]
Band: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Album: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Best song: Well, it’s a score album, but the covers of “Immigrant Song” and “Is Your Love Strong Enough?” are actual songs, for what that’s worth. Worst song: It’s a film score, so it’s hard to pick a bad song. Each composition [...]
Band: Bon Iver Album: Bon Iver Best song: “Holocene” is the best song on the record, though album opener “Perth” is great. Worst song: “Wash” is the weakest on a very strong record. We’re coming up on the time of the year wherein everyone releases their “best of the year” lists. These lists, of course, [...]
Band: PJ Harvey Album: Let England Shake Best song: “This Glorious Land” is amazing and kind of scary. Worst song: “Hanging in the Wire,” while still pretty good, is the weakest of the record. A note: In a fit of real goal making, I had intended to write about Let England Shake soon after writing [...]
Band: A Drag City Supersession Album: Tramps, Traitors and Little Devils Best song: “Leaving the Army” is my favorite song on the record. Worst song: “Everyday” is my least favorite song on the record. You know, in writing about supergroups in my bit about the Amalgamated Sons of Rest record, I never really stopped to [...]
Band: Nicki Minaj Album: Pink Friday Best song: “Moment for Life” and, more so, “Blazin’” are excellent. Worst song: “I’m the Best” isn’t the best. Let’s get this out of the way. Pink Friday isn’t much of a record. It has its ups and downs, certainly. But, for whatever reason, Nicki Minaj’s first proper release [...]
Band: Kelly Rowland Album: Here I Am Best song: “Motivation” is great, even with a terrible guest spot. Worst song: “Keep it Between Us” isn’t much. I wonder if Kelly Rowland, barely a week younger than I am, ever gets really jealous of Beyonce? I have no idea if they’re friends or not, but I [...]
Band: Carmen Consoli Album: Elettra Best song: “Sud est” is my favorite, though “‘A finestra” features some pretty great Sicilian lyrics. Worst song: “Ventunodieciduemilatrenta,” the album ender, is the weakest song on a very strong record. Part of the issue with listening to music in a language/culture I don’t understand very well is that I [...]
Band: Dirty Three Album: Horse Stories Best song: “Hope” is one of my favorite songs in history. Worst song: “Red” is not a highlight. I’m not sure I’ve outlined my feelings on lyrics in this space, but I did do a little bit of it on my old site. In a review of one of [...]
