Future is one of those artists that the professional critics rave about, while the amateur critics generally dismiss him as an overrated no-talent. I myself have actually learned to respect him: he doesn't have the kind of talent we generally … [Continue reading]
“A Thousand Suns” by Linkin Park
Say what you will about Linkin Park, they’ve always been a band that arouses passions: they've seen their share of detractors and scoffers over the years, but almost no-one has ever been indifferent to them. I've always had mixed feelings about their … [Continue reading]
“The Messenger” by Bizzle
There are two Christian Rappers that stand out from the usual pack of bland diet substitutes, but for very different reasons. Lecrae actually gets a fair amount of respect in the Rap community, mostly because he really is a fairly legit Underground … [Continue reading]
“I Can’t Live Without My Mother’s Love” by Sun Kil Moon
Sun Kil Moon were originally called the Red House Painters, till at one point they changed their name on a whim, despite the fact that, at the time, the "new band" had exactly the same lineup and musical style. Now the "band" is basically just the … [Continue reading]
“Oxygen” by Swans
Swans were among the earliest pioneers of Noise-Rock in the Eighties, but unlike their peers in that era of the genre like Dinosaur, Jr., Sonic Youth, and Jesus and Mary Chain, they didn't fall into the 'fun', relatively Pop-friendly form of the … [Continue reading]
“Hunter Hayes” by Hunter Hayes
Hunter Hayes was the ultimate music-industry Wunderkind...a versatile multi-instrumentalist virtuoso and exceptionally gifted songwriter who was only twenty years old when his first album was released. As of this writing, he seems to have turned out … [Continue reading]
“Blueberry Boat” by The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery Furnaces were a polarizing Indie Pop band from the depths of the Twee Pop era. This song, the title track and centerpiece of the album that most of their fans regard as their magnum opus, is one of the most ridiculous Indie Rock tracks this … [Continue reading]
“Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson
Given that this album produced two huge pop hits and won a Grammy for Best Pop Album, it gets surprisingly little attention as an album, even by mainstream pop standards. Of course, when this happens to acts like Rihanna or Katy Perry, it's obviously … [Continue reading]