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2018 Q1 Supurlatives
I think I’ve only really listened to rock albums this first three months of the year. Leaning into my dad-rock future, I guess. Slightly Overrated, Still Good Album: Superchunk’s What a Time to be Alive On the one hand, What a Time to be Alive has some of the fastest, catchiest songs of the new…
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“Neon Bible” is Still Underrated, Though
Look, some of this stuff works. The title track may have snagged its ballroom fragility straight from Abba, but that doesn’t make the song any less of an earworm. The “dancing to New Order” vibe on “Creature Comforts” overpowers any qualms one might have about the lyrics (which, feel how you’re going to feel, but…
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Iron and Wine was Hot in the Streets for A Minute.
Here’s what you should do: You should start listening to Sam Amidon’s new album, The Following Mountain, as he and the lord intended, at track one. “Fortune” is a nice, beardy folk song in the tradition of Iron and Wine or early Bon Iver. It’s rainy day nap time music; It’s sweater-wearin’ cabin music; It’s…
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The Other, OTHER Atlanta Rap Album from Last Week
Big Boi is an underrated weirdo. As much credit as Three Stacks gets for being the artistic half of Atlanta’s rap Godfathers, he’s not out here doing albums with Phantogram and rapping on Game of Thrones mixtapes. Andre Patton is TRYING shit, seemingly unconcerned with trivial matters like “awareness of modern rap trends,” “weird public…
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God in Chicago
I can understand anyone who fell off with Craig Finn around the time The Hold Steady discovered the rock and roll powers of Kenny G, but know this: If you haven’t been keeping up with the guy, you’ve likely missed one of his best narrative songs to date. “God in Chicago” is the centerpiece of…
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A Better Class of Criminal: Talkin’ About Rap-Rock
I probably liked Papa Roach more than I should have.
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On “Wane,” Kinda Alright Finds Hooks Everywhere
Twinkle rock for the actual celestial bodies.