Sleep Well Beast by The National
The seventh album by gloomy Brooklyn dads, The National, is to my ears their best since “Boxer”. The National rock harder here on a few tracks than usual giving “Beast” an energy and urgency not...
Masseduction by St. Vincent
Fifth full-length album by singer-songwriter & wunderkind guitarist Annie Clark (As St. Vincent) is one of 2017’s best albums. Like two of her heroes, David Byrne & David Bowie, Clark is never...
A Deeper Understanding by the War On Drugs
The fourth album finds Philadelphia’s The War On Drugs really settling into a groove after 2014’s incredibly well received “Lost In The Dream”. With a sound and production deeply indebted to...
In Mind by Real Estate
Fourth full-length by Northern Jersey bred indie jangle pop act is another winner, making a strong if subtle case that Real Estate is one of the best and most consistent rock groups of this decade. Founding...
Hot Thoughts by Spoon
The always-reliably great Austin indie-rock institution comes up with yet another winner in “Hot Thoughts”. The title track, “Can I Sit Next To You” and “Do I Have To Talk You Into It” and...
This Old Dog by Mac DeMarco
Over the past decade, singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco has developed a reputation as a goofy, albeit talented and prolific, millennial slacker slob. “This Old Dog”, his third full-length album, finds...
A Crow Looked at Me by Mount Eerie
The saddest but most beautiful album of the year, “A Crow Looked At Me” is a concept album about the untimely death to cancer of singer & songwriter Phil Elverum’s spouse (fellow musician Geneviève...
What now by Sylvan Esso
Follow up release to the surprise break-out self-titled debut album, Durham, N.C. duo Sylvan Esso’s “What Now” continues their successful brand of minimalistic, catchy electro-pop for the...
A Man Alive by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down
Fourth album by Thao Nguyen, which is produced by co-collaborator and friend Merrill Gaubus of tUnE-yArDs. “A Man Alive” is the first release I’ve ever heard by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down and it is...
22, A Million by Bon Iver
“22, A Million” is Bon Iver’s third album and its first in five years; showing a band who refuses to rest on its laurels; changing its sound almost drastically with every album release. “22,...