On the Record
Liverpool's Echo and the Bunnymen present their 11th studio album, The Fountain, which is their fifth since reforming in 1997. In a career spanning 30 years, singer Ian McCulloch states that this one's the bands …
For sophomore set Welcome Joy, I wondered if Seattle trio the Cave Singers’d stick with the electro-folk of 2007’s Invitation Songs. Turns out they need the beeps and warbles like Kojak needs aftershave. Some lady …
The six-piece eclectic folk group the Mumlers’ second full-length album, Don't Throw Me Away, is a blend of multi-instrumental blues, soul, and rock that features glockenspiels, organs, and harmonicas. The organic feel of the Mumlers' …
A few months before the Summer of Love (a long way from San Francisco, though) in a living-room-sized space above Sixth Avenue, Tim Buckley is 8 years, 3 months, and 23 days away from the …
Swedish psych rockers the Soundtrack of our Lives deliver their fifth studio album, and it's no understated affair, with 24 songs spanning two discs. On Communion, the sextet's soundtrack is the late ’60s, without sounding …
“1 for 3” by just.chill was the most-downloaded MP3 from SDReader.com during September. Below is an interview with the songwriter. Who are the members of just.chill? Although many members of Mag Flux contribute to the …
Out of Ashes is the debut album from Chester Bennington, vocalist of Linkin Park. Fans expecting the music to sound like Linkin Park, however, will be disappointed. There's no rapping, no angst-ridden lyrics screamed by …
The Decemberists create another fantasy epic through clever wordplay and complex orchestration on their latest release The Hazards of Love. Colin Meloy and company have crafted an album that out-stories 2006's epic Crane Wife. In …
Unicorn-turned-Islands front man Nick Thornburn (aka Nick Diamonds) is a busy man. In the past two years the Canadian musician has released four albums: Human Highway's Moody Motorcycle, Reefer's Life Narcotic (with L.A.'s Bus Driver), …
Few could accuse San Diego metal-core stalwarts Mower of playing it safe. Half of their latest album, Make It a Double, is performed as Slower, the group's lounge-inspired alter-ego. "Road Rage" -- a punishing blast …
First thought on this latest from Why? How the hell did they clone They Might Be Giants? No, wait, I don't believe in human cloning. Okay, how did they get They Might Be Giants to …
Kurt Vile wants you to believe that's his real name, and it certainly provides a hook to hang the heavy hype this disc, his first for Matador, gets. Confidentially, though, a guy writing lines like …
Time to Die, the Dodo's third full-length record and follow-up to 2008's acclaimed Visiter, arrives with high expectations and delivers with a fuller sound due to the addition of multi-instrumentalist Keaton Snyder. Opening track "Small …
Jay Reatard's got one of the stupidest handles in what we call pop. Of course, he also has one of the sharper minds in what we call pop. Singing, arranging, playing many instruments, the self-dubbed …
Yo La Tengo's 12th album runs 72:49. The closing tracks ratchet up from 9:37 to 11:22 to 15:51, making up over half the record's run time. But Popular Songs isn't "Set The Controls for the …