Album name: Fever Ray Artist name: Fever Ray Genre: Electronica Released: March 24 2009 Label: Mute ZME Rating: 7/10 Website: feverray.com I’ll admit that I was probably not the obvious choice to review this album. Not only is the world of electronic music a distant, confusing galaxy to my feeble, earth-bound, two-guitars-and-the-truth brain, but I’m also overcome by an unhealthy amount of uncontrollable hate when confronted by the vast array of commericial “chillout” electronica, all…
Album name: All I Ever Wanted Artist name: Kelly Clarkson Genre: Pop Rock Released: March 10, 2009 Label: Sony BMG ZME Rating: 8/10 Website: kellyclarkson.com Well to sum it up pretty well, I’d have to say that this album, just as her previous releases, is made of pop rock that doesn’t suck; quite the contrary. Kelly Clarkson manages to put her lovable self into her songs and face it, that’s why we listen to her….
Album name: Party Intellectuals Artist name: Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog Genre: Rock/Experimental Released: 24 June 2008 Label: Pi ZME Rating: 8/10 Website: marcribot.com Hello, yes? I know. I understand exactly why you bought the Kings of Leon’s last record. Honestly, I do – I bought it too, after all. And, yes, it’s a fine record, where the band finally jumped to the left-hand side of the pop/rock divide, which they’ve been aiming for since forever….
Recorded: September 1979 / Genre: Punk rock, post punk / ZME Rating: 7/10 Criminally underrated or obscenely overrated? Regardless of your answer, punk outfit The Slits left a remarkable legacy in their wake. Precisely what their legacy represents is up for discussion more now than ever as 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of their debut Cut. The Slits are, or rather were, a British punk band who came together at the climax of the UK…
Album name: Scream Artist name: Chris Cornell Genre: Rock/R’n’B Released: March 10 2009 Label: Interscope ZME Rating: 2/10 Website: chriscornell.com Let’s not beat around the bush here. What we have in Chris Cornell’s Scream is possibly the most misguided, counterintuitive, magnificently awful record Cornell, and producer Timbaland, will ever make. It’s suffers from both hideously outdated production – it sounds like what Cornell, in 1996, might have imagined r’n’b would sound like in 2009 -…
Artist name: U2 Album name: No Line on the Horizon Label: Interscope Genre: Rock Release date: 27 February, 2009 ZMErating: 9/10 Website: www.u2.com Now, if I were to describe my feelings towards No Line on the Horizon, before spinning it, I’d definitely disapprove of anticipation and call for skepticism. Few albums were given in the past years, that promised to become huge slumps, only to transcend to classic LP status. I almost was prepared to…
Album name: I Just Want To Feel That Way (EP) Artist name: Ryan Smith Genre: Pop/Rock Released: 2008 Label: n/a ZME Rating: 4/10 Website: ryansmithonline.com I seem to be falling into a pattern of reviewing every EP from every little-known artist that falls across my lap, looking up at me with lonely eyes, begging for some loving attention and a little recognition. Which is fine – I’d like to think that years from now, at…
Album name: The Ride Across Lake Constance (EP) Artist name: Evening Magazine Genre: Indie/Alternative Released: January 2009 Label: n/a ZME Rating: 7/10 Website: www.myspace.com/eveningmagazinemusic I’m sorry. I apologise in advance. I should be able to do better. I pride myself on being able to do better. And yet, here I am, standing on the precipice of my own self-destruction; doused in metaphorical gasoline, and about to strike the match. I never thought I’d stoop so…
Album name: Alice In Chains Artist name: Alice In Chains Genre: Grunge/Alternative Rock Released: 1995 Label: Columbia ZME Rating: 8/10 Website: aliceinchains.com The final full length release by Alice In Chains has often been overlooked, if not criticised as their weakest offering. Despite reaching the number one spot in the U.S. Billboard chart, the eponymous finale by Seattle’s finest lacked the bite of Dirt or the understated beauty of Jar of Flies. This collection of…
Artist name: Eagles of Death Metal Album name: Heart On Label: Downtown Recordings Genre: Indie Rock/Glam Rock Release date: October 28, 2008 ZMErating: 8/10 Website: eaglesofdeathmetal.com The self-confessed Dream Boys have produced a third offering to remind us why Eagles of Death Metal are everyone’s favourite old school rock outfit. Following the ludicrously superb Death By Sexy is no mean feat but Heart On just about pulls it off and is further proof of Joshua…
Al Byrne
Andrei Mihai
Lisa Hughes
Tibi Puiu