***1/2 Trent Reznor’s latest 5-track EP starts out strong in a new direction before resetting and heading down the same beaten path of chaotic synth crunchiness that he’s walked since the ’90s. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s hard to fault one of the greatest artists of all time for sticking to his guns.…
*** I’ve always heard a lot about Sleater-Kinney. From everything I had read about them, I expected to hear an ass-ripping record from an apparently very successful overseas concert that would make me a lifelong fan after years of hype, similarly to what I experienced with The Ramones and their Live Musikladen record that came…
Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I listened through several Bruce Springsteen albums and by proxy revisited a significant swath of the greatest music ever recorded. But just as I was planning on publishing an entire list of Springsteen’s best, we received another life-altering sermon from none other than Father Kendrick Lamar.…
**** Arguably The Beatles’ most prolific (and one of their most beloved) albums, Abbey Road is an enjoyable collection from a veteran band of hitmakers reaching one last peak before heading separate ways. Rather than phoning it in, though, The Fab Four delivered an excellent set filled with hits, trippy ballads, and sunny harmonies without…
It’s been a hectic couple of weeks for me as I’ve moved into not only my first house, but a different state. But through it all, I’ve had some great music to accompany me as I’ve trekked through a considerable swath of Bob Dylan’s discography, continued to enjoy the magic of one of music’s most…
No band has had a greater impact on my musical taste than Aerosmith. The first time I ever remember actively listening to music and enjoying it was when my dad got into Aerosmith and made me a mixed CD full of his favorite songs from them and other Soft Rock acts like Bryan Adams Don…
**** It’s not uncommon to read that Revolver is not only the greatest Beatles album, but by virtue is the greatest album of all time. Nonsense. While Revolver is a consistently great album that finds The Beatles really delving into the weird, drugged out psychoses of their minds, there’s no way an album with a…
**** Despite my rather substantial knowledge of them and their work, I often have a bit of a difficult time writing about The Beatles. On the one hand, they’re one of the greatest bands of all time with a rich catalog of great songs boasting a startling variety and development over the course of their…
**** Though The Beatles would go on to revolutionize the music industry with their later albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver, their debut LP is made up of much simpler Pop songs almost half of which are covers. Though many may prefer the diversity of their later work, I find Please Please Me‘s simplicity to be…
**** When I think about ’80s Rap, my mind first turns to Public Enemy and N.W.A. Both groups have classics to their name and landmark releases within the decade, yet neither helmed an album as diverse, well-rounded, and timeless as Licensed to Ill by the Beastie Boys, which came a full two years before It…
The Soundtrack Online 