New Regular Reviews in Music

Pros: Lovely mix of original and traditional songs; wonderful balance of majestic praise and merriment
Cons: A couple tracks heavy on synthesizers (nostalgic or dated? you decide)

Pros: performance, recording
Cons: heavy going: nothing you're likely to hum after hearing

Pros: The sloppy rock 'n' roll is FUN!
Cons: ...Well, it's sloppy rock 'n' roll...

Pros: Some nice arrangements and some unusual songs.
Cons: Not really remarkable among "big band" sounding Christmas CDs.

Pros: Kane's lyrical machine gun, Marley Marl's production and endless quotables.
Cons: Huh?

Pros: 12 pieces of glistening, feel-good pop rock
Cons: Overly serious listeners might find it "too happy"... their loss

Pros: Beck's Production, Arrangements, Instrumentation, Varied Musical Styles, & Gainsbourg's Vocals.
Cons: None.

Pros: A comprehensive look at an unduly forgotten 1990s rock outfit
Cons: This disc represents all there is from the band

Pros: It has a good song in it!
Cons: Most of the other stuff blows.

Pros: Quirky, Weird, Original, Catchy tunes, Diverse sound
Cons: SHORT! Awful rhyme schemes

Pros: For this band, listenable. Not as hostile as later albums. Dance, if you'd like.
Cons: Nivek's voice ain't gonna get your girlfriend randy. A lot of downtime. Falling sucketh. 

Pros: Moving mix of artistic hard rock and interesting atmospherics
Cons: none

Pros: Most songs are hilarious. 
Cons: Just a few songs to skip over.

Pros: PARRRRTTTAAAAYYYYYY!
Cons: You might regret it in the morning...

Pros: Chris Daughtry's voice, production, and the band showing more ability.
Cons: Songs tend to repeat, not enough "hits", lack of a true "Rock" sound.

Pros: These songs are HOOKY and FUNNY!
Cons: Misses the diversity of the first album, but it's still there...

Pros: A perfect album with great b-side material.
Cons: None.

Pros: some pretty cool track here and there
Cons: silly lyrics and riffs and licks sound like they have been already done

Pros: It's a fun, diverse album.
Cons: It's rather awkward at times...

Pros: Great songs, unique but amazing voice, intersting subject matter
Cons:  High voice... tight pants kick in the crotch high.  Might be annoying for some.

Pros: Some great tracks.  "Colors" is exquisite.  "The One" is dance worthy.
Cons: A little derivative of past successes. 

Pros: Rap Skills, Flow, Catchy Stuff, It's Jay-Z!!
Cons: Two Tracks Are Bad But Eh, Who Cares?

Pros: The entire CD!
Cons: None

Pros: Masterful world percussion with the occasional Japanese folk song melody. 
Cons: Many tracks are all beats and no melody. Narrow target audience.

Pros: These live versions feature nicely jamming and textured renditions of their best material.
Cons: This was done before Selling England By the Pound. Awww!

Pros: some excellent, guilty pleasure, and fun tracks
Cons: devolution

Pros: Who need another Emo band? PARAMORE agrees...
Cons: On surface only.

Pros: Original, emotional, skilled yet raw.
Cons: Some songs are better than others.

Pros: The songs that are good are very good.
Cons: The songs that are bad are not very good :)

Pros: It's a timeless album filled with pumping songs of love and paranoia.
Cons: A couple of the ballads don't "cut it" for me.

Pros: Good vocals, Great lyrics, Good instrumental accompaniment.
Cons: Poor use of the medium

Pros: Just a load of great, heavily orchestrated ELO-like pop songs.
Cons: I don't understand the purpose of those cluttery small tracks.

Pros: I laughed.
Cons: Oh, wait, that wasn't intended, was it?

Pros: The hooks! That super cool 80s sound updated for 2004.
Cons: They never lived up to it.

Pros: Genius production and lyrically both MCs shine at times.
Cons: No subject matter apart from battling...

Pros: Generally good lyrics, Decent, independent sound
Cons: There are more complete versions on the market.

Pros: As was/is the case with all of their stuff, it's hard to pin down.
Cons: For a band that delighted in challenging listeners, this is a low point.

Pros: The theme of conflict is explored well; nice to hear musical references back to (m)orning.
Cons: The segues and jam sessions take up a bit more space than they need to.

Pros: some of the nicest production I've heard in a while
Cons: inauthentic, vulgar just to draw attention, too long, faux feminist

Pros: Inexpensive, sung by kids which appeals to young children, nice selection of songs
Cons: Sung by kids which can be grating to adult ears, average production quality

Pros: two jazz guitar greats playing together; nicely recorded by Telarc Jazz
Cons: almost too mellow at times

Pros: Vocals, relaxing, easy to listen to.
Cons: Very...samey. Kind of dull.

Pros: These are the best of the best remixes of Sarah's songs.
Cons: One song is not good.

Pros: A good look at her late-80s career.
Cons: Only twelve songs and three of them are remixes. A lack of 1990s material.

Pros: An enduring pop album made even better through an extra disc filled with music!
Cons: A bit repetitive in the content.

Pros: A wonderful collection of emotional material, Furtado's adventurous spirit.
Cons: Translation work required to know the full meaning.

Pros: A slew of classic singles
Cons: A string of filler

Pros: Decent instrumental work, Good lyrics, Generally good sound
Cons: Shorter than I'd like, Somewhat repetitive vocal sound.

Pros: A great Peter collection for casual fans.
Cons: In Your Eyes is missing.

Pros: still capable of crafting a genius dance groove, lyrically interesting (mostly)
Cons: the ballads are comatose and boring, the S&M schtick wears thin, interludes

Pros: Have I ever mentioned that I'm in love with Peter Gabriel?
Cons: With all the different versions, you'd think one would be perfect.

Pros: All the excellence that is and was the original Seven Songs, with six bonus tracks.
Cons: Like all things Skidoo, it'll probably be impossible to find a year from now. 

Pros: "The People Shall Hear, and Be Afraid," "The Lord Rebukéd the Sea"
Cons: I prefer less lean/period forces

Pros: Entire album, from composition to performance, is magnificent
Cons: None

Pros: Great lyrics, Decent musical sound, Creative, Vocals are fine
Cons: Many of the songs sound similar, SHORT!

Pros: Great songwriting, many standout tracks
Cons: Similar sounding songs, commercial

Pros: Well, it is SheDaisy 
Cons: Too trendy, too new, too cutting edge.

Pros: Pretty Consistent, Strong Material, Artistic Vision
Cons: Some Missteps But Forgivable

Pros: A "Sountrack of your life" sort of album.
Cons: Not blast in your car while sitting next to your boyfriend type of music.

Pros: Michele is a fantastic singer given good songs
Cons: None really.  This girl could sing the yellow pages and sound like a dream.

Pros: Beautiful instruments playing beautiful arrangements expertly.  Magical.
Cons: Not a one.

Pros: Excellent vocals, some really catchy songs, great instruments
Cons: Occasional hints of Shania Twain which scare me

Pros: A beautifully reverent blend of classical and post-modern sounds.
Cons: Only 5 tracks. Folks who don't like long, drawn-out arrangements might get impatient.

Pros: Dark, penetrating, haunting.
Cons: A few too-similar tracks.

Pros: Two decent songs
Cons: Terrible use of medium, No alternate renditions

Pros: Very diverse musically.  Fun to listen to.
Cons: None.

Pros: Not quite as hard on the ears as the first album. More lyrics and singing.
Cons: Seems tamer to me than This Heat. Sleep is just not a good number.

Pros: A consistently enjoyable piece of grandiose rock
Cons: May be too much for some

Pros: cello concerto from "Deception"
Cons: vocal bits of "The Sea Hawk" score

Pros: Some good dance music. "Crawl" is a beautiful song.
Cons: Lots of so-so songs and pity parties.  2 disc edition wasn't necessary.

Pros: A near-pefect pop record that blends synth with rock.
Cons: A couple of musically Phil-centric moments.

Pros: Tolerable
Cons: Guest Appearances, Too Much Auto-Tune, The "Britney" Approach

Pros: typical Shakira wackiness, flashes of her "old self", mostly okay transition to dancier material
Cons: Men in This Town, a little all over the place stylistically

Pros: There's some surprisingly good songs that you wouldn't expect Young do have even attempted.
Cons: There wasn't a good reason for those two 10 minute tracks to be so long.

Pros: Mario takes some chances and produces a handful of intriguing songs
Cons: Mario still has no personality and follows current trends a little too closely

Pros: "Urgent" and "Night Life" are pretty good.
Cons: The rest is a snooze-fest.

Pros: Adorable story and surprisingly non-irritating music! Perfect length for this (32 min).
Cons: None that I can find!

Pros: Mix of common and infrequently-collected male vocalists.
Cons: Mostly tired old songs and typical arrangements.

Pros: Brilliantly mixed, great track slection.  Captures the essence of live performances.
Cons: Not the whole set from that night but still great.

Pros: Good vocals, Decent instrumental accompaniment, Lyrics
Cons: Short, Very simple instrumentally

Pros: Top notch rhymes and production, nostalgic 1990s boom bap vibe.
Cons: Too short, missing key clan members.

Pros: The majority of the album is refreshing.
Cons: A few songs are filler and are not consistent with the album's theme.

Pros: Em's flow is typically dynamic.
Cons: Terribly banal.

Pros: The noodling is as dazzling as ever! This is their most entertaining release.
Cons: It doesn't have quite the minblowing moments of the two earlier Mahavishnu albums.

Pros: A near perfect balance of studio wizardry and actual songs. Triumphantly and unapologetically black.
Cons: The stretches of noise and experimentation might trouble some ears. And boy, is it bleak.

Pros: Decent, but average 1980s rock
Cons: There's nothing mindblowing here, and it's definitely not like later MBV releases

Pros: I like the J-Lo song (regarded as an abomination by salsa aficionados)
Cons: monotony

Pros: A darker, more haunting Microphones record filled with great composition
Cons: The approach and instrumentation used here probably wouldn't appeal to some listeners

Pros: A blend of intricate beats, varied jazzy melodies and experimental soundscapes.
Cons: Over-tweaking disrupts the ambience occasionally. No mainstream appeal. Some tracks don't work.

Pros: Consistently enjoyable; accessible yet original
Cons: No song strikes me as absolutely stunning

Pros: retro feel to it. the album is a mixture of everything they've done before.
Cons: the new game feel to it: lyrics, 90% dreadful guitar solos.

Pros: Amazing voice, good experimentation, fun listen
Cons: "Shakin' It For Daddy" is officially the worst Thicke track ever.

Pros: Two interesting sonic experiments
Cons: Very short and not really appealing to those accustomed to pop music

Pros: It’s P!nk, great covers, awesome DVD
Cons: The CD is a tiny bit too condensed

Pros: Some classic pop moments. She stepped out of her comfort zone. Slash.
Cons: She's overextending and trying to hard in some spots.

Pros: Great soloing! Great atmospheres!
Cons: Contains a number of slightly dull spots.

Pros: Raekwon's hunger, focus, descriptiveness and flow; strong guest appearances; a handful of beats
Cons: Lack of cohesion/collective power; Dre's beats

Pros: Great voice, Wonderful lyrics, Decent instrumental accompaniment
Cons: SHORT (poor use of the medium).

Pros: Vocals, Production. . . I suppose
Cons: Bland pop-rock, Some truly terrible lyrics, Short

Pros: Incredible voice and passion of David Phelps captured well
Cons: Two songs that didn't work 

Pros: Hansard and Irglova take on a bigger, fuller sound, with remarkable results.
Cons: You may be disappointed if you prefer the more spare, acoustic sounds from "Once."

Pros: Great music, strong lyrics, Ani = greatness.
Cons: While great, the lyrics aren't all that original; same old same old, really.

Pros: A natural and mature expression of deep emotional pain
Cons: It's not exactly a fun listen.

Pros: Surprisingly eclectic; effectively glossy beats; mostly strong first half.
Cons: Overindulgent, unfocused, and simply not as exciting as previous albums.

Pros: Catchy, Simple, Ryan Leslie Is One Mean Producer
Cons: Weak Vocals, Some R&B Throwaways

Pros: Excellent voice, enjoyable songs, good emotion in her vocals
Cons: Sounds like Pink too much at times....song choices often accentuate this.

Pros: There is nothing positive about this record.
Cons: Classless, trashy, musically inane, too comical for words.

Pros: Some surprising musical diversity displayed by dobro player, Jerry Douglas.
Cons: None.

Pros: plenty of Jackson 5 versions of popular - and less familiar - Christmas songs
Cons: a few filler tracks, especially the medley at the end

Pros: Raucous energy and some nifty sonic ideas lift a few standouts above the status quo.
Cons: Switchfoot still hasn't escaped the "vaguely life-affirming" trap. "Yet" and "Red Eyes" are rather boring.

Pros: Great voice
Cons: Short, Familiar, Awkward sound on some songs, Derivative instrumental accompaniment.

Pros: The second cd.
Cons: The first cd.

Pros: Edgy, intense, sexier, the Rated R Rihanna!
Cons: Just 3 small tracks.

Pros: Decent vocals, Some good lyrics, Decent instrumental accompaniment
Cons: Some of her takes are troublesome (to say the least!).

Pros: No Exact Filler, Catchy, Enjoyable
Cons: Nothing Really Special, Maybe A Bit Too Grown-Up For His Age

Pros: several classics; some other sweet country-influenced tunes; cool rhythmic shifts on Words, well-recorded overall
Cons: a couple of throw-aways; lyrics are pretty dark

Pros: An uncompromising, visionary album
Cons: Not for everyone; dense, demanding, and uncompromising

Pros: Fun versions of classic songs but three great original tracks
Cons: The medley of "Away in a Manger/Silent Night"

Pros: These guys are totally dazzling.
Cons: Some tracks lack an emotional connection, but that's a nitpick.

Pros: Production, Performance, Musicianship, Versatile Styles, Dylan Cover, Lyrics, & Vocals.
Cons: Not Up to Par with Jack White's Other Projects.

Pros: Audible cotton candy--no substance, but man, is it fun to consume!
Cons: I'm wondering how long I can stomach the lack of substance. A few dull songs.

Pros: Good recording quality; some alternative elements to the familiar tracks
Cons: How many times can various record producers release the same material from this group?

Pros: A near-perfect guitar pop album
Cons: The Chameleons are tragically one of rock's more under-appreciated bands

Pros: It's definitely unique and quite artistic
Cons: Definitely too experimental both in song composition and album construction for most listeners

Pros: A brilliant modern update on 60s California pop
Cons: None

Pros: Some Strong Tunes, "Everytime" Remains Her Only Artistic Tune
Cons: Hardly Any Contribution To Anything, Enjoyable But Still Filler

Pros: Robin plays the contemporary R&B game better than most. Jay-Z and Snoop aren't bad.
Cons: A couple of lame retreads, idiotic interludes, and the dreadful "Shakin' it for Daddy".

Pros: beautiful, evocative music
Cons: none of the pieces seem particularly relevant to Christmas

Pros: Brilliant use of personal chaos to make a powerful album, Rihanna is compelling and captivating
Cons: "Te Amo" is only okay.  Its a heavy album.

Pros: It's a concise album. Short, but no filler.
Cons: "Speechless" & "Teeth" don't fit the 80s vibe of the album.

Pros: Led Zeppelin are awesome. Duh.
Cons: There are two songs that seem to start getting somewhat boring to me.

Pros:
good themes, layered sound
Cons: some weaker tracks with the good ones

Pros: Just everything. The engaging and varied instrumentals, the beautiful moods and melodies...
Cons: "Can-Utility and the Coastliners" doesn't seem as well executed as the rest.

Pros: Soothing subtleties
Cons: Lack of experimentation with one guest appearance vocals.

Pros: Experimental and beautiful, lyrically haunting, every song is flawless
Cons: This is Elliott's final bow

Pros: 2 Luv Birds, Diamonds, some great melodies, Jazmine Sullivan's back-up vocals
Cons: too guest-heavy, Thicke becomes a parody of himself, not original enough

Pros: Decent vocals, Fun lyrics, Interesting sound
Cons: Repetitive lyrics, Poor use of medium

Pros: The new direction in sound, the lyrics, the hooks.
Cons: A few lame moments, but they are quite miniscule in comparison.

Pros: Fast, raw, old-school metal
Cons: none

Pros: Some really catchy dance music.
Cons: Themes are scattershot. Quality rather inconsistant. More like a 3.5/5 album.

Pros: Very little. A few good hooks.
Cons: Her voice is HORRIBLE. Expensive production with a lack of originality.

Pros:
good ominous mood
Cons:
nothing distinct, low levels

Pros: Tells a story the listener has to create.
Cons: Just a few dull moments in the middle.

Pros: No Godrich, just Hannon throwing a party. Victorian style.
Cons: Not as cohesive as, say, Absent Friends.

Pros: The emotion, the atmosphere, the passion.
Cons: Some really annoying parts. Can't decide if it's melodic or straight-up punk.

Pros: Everything about this album is what makes it so amazing!
Cons: I can't think of anything!

Pros: It's evil, awkward, provocative, primitive and frequently off key. And those are PROS!
Cons: A few spots seem a bit dead to me.

Pros: Her warm voice, good songwriting, accessible but not mundane
Cons: A little long.

Pros: Some creative production...likable if you don't stop to really analyze it.
Cons: Some pretty lame lyrics, creative impulses gone wild.

Pros: huh huh. bugs.
Cons: Leave industrial alone, nu-metal fools.

Pros: Beautiful, uplifting trance, song selection mixing, sense of escape
Cons: None

Pros: Well-written songs that span a variety of moods and sounds.
Cons: A completely unnecessary Beyonce duet.

Pros: Zadok, Inditing, the conqu’ring hero
Cons: less than 43 minutes of music

Pros: Jackie Ryan's singing, great musicians and wonderful songs
Cons: Not one

Pros: A true classic of Christian metal; gripping, original, emotional and musically sound.
Cons: Doesn't quite compare with the musical epic that is their Legend series.

Pros: Fast, fun, catchy, and interesting
Cons: none

Pros: Gangster Lub
Cons: This album is awful, Lack of passion, boring, No Bassing Capabilities

Pros: Some great funky R&B.  Amerie's muscular alto does a great job with those upbeat songs.
Cons: There is still a little too much filler.

Pros: It can calm a baby down, some good tracks
Cons: Not professionally done, Poor Passion, Lack of Full Orchestra

Pros: Great instrumentals, Baby is soothed by this, We like it, Sound Quality
Cons: Its a bit pricey of $17 at baby stores