Strong, worth picking up unheard
923027
The story is sound, the art is clean and some of the best in the business.  It's arc leaps around a bit and makes it a little challenging for people not used to the style, but long-time readers are likely to embrace the refreshing pace and bounds.  The characters (mostly teens) and their situations (also mostly teen) are kind of stock, but thrust into a really strong story.

Looking forward to further editions!
1633861
This was the first album, from any artist, that I ever bought on the release date. And it certainly was worth the trouble. This album builds on Mariah's vocal strengths and delivers a powerful, romantic feel. Gone are  the dog-whistle shrieks that were growing annoying by this time (1993); it  is all about a good, tasteful (something not too common in Mariah's  catalog) use of Mariah's entire vocal range.
"Hero" is a very  powerful inspirational song, and the stories of "I was on the brink of  suicide when I heard this song and got the courage to live" are so  common they border on being cliches now. "Without You" is my  other favorite track; it was a favorite song of mine beforehand, and I was  pleased to hear a good Mariah rendition of it. "Without You"  sadly did not top the charts in the US, but it did in most countries and  really cemented Mariah as an international superstar, ensuring that  whenever I travel abroad, I can expect to hear Mariah's voice (from  occasionally to constantly).
My only gripe is that Mariah has a tendency  to overwork the vocal delivery in the studio albums. I do get jaded with  some of the tracks in this album, and also when I listen to it repeatedly.  But listen to the live versions of the same songs (or better yet, just bite  the bullet and go to a concert), and all of a sudden Mariah's voice comes  across as fuller, more natural, more emotional, and more powerful. I could  be yawning through most of this album, but play a live version of  "Hero" or "Without You," and I'll burst into tears. And  as mentioned in another review, "Everything Fades Away" found in  non-US releases is a gem in itself.
Too bad Mariah no longer delivers  work of this caliber today, concentrating on cheesy teeny bopper hits  instead.
4908013
It is very refreshing to come across a band unknown to you, purchase their CD and be rewarded by an amazing collection of fine songs.  More than refreshing: surprising.  Often what is considered new and  "exciting" in rock music is in fact not.  So much is one artist  doing their best imitation of another, or trying to be the most outrageous  "new" sound.  I found Caroline's Spine "Attention  Please" to be a welcome revisiting of the days of good solid rock and  roll songs with an interesting and infecting new feel.  I've found myself  asking "Where was this band when I was in high school?"  Powerful  guitar and rhythm fueled instrumentals that were at the same time melodic.  Thoughtful lyrics delivered by a vocalist who actually uses his natural  voice rather than studio enhancements.  Many new artists will catch the ear  of the public for a time.  Fewer will endure. Not since the advent of bands  such as Pearl Jam, Soul Asylum, and Dave Matthews Band have I heard  something new that gets my attention the way Caroline's Spine has. I will  now have to buy "Monsoon" and any other available material by  them.  I have a feeling it will be worth it. Disappointing as their lack of  radio airplay may be (this being the reason I am so late to pick up on  them) it is definitely no testament to musical ability. This band is truly  Another Great Talent.
2065372
Whether you're reading this because you like Frou Frou, saw Garden State, or heard Imogen on the O.C., you're here because you're not afraid of bold and unusual music.  Imogen's is a highly unusual voice, and "Speak For Yourself" echoes that quality in its composition.

Imogen truly does speak for herself on this album, writing, singing, and producing each track herself, lending her talents, emotions, and artistic interpretation to all aspects of the album.  As a result, the lyrics are interesting, the vocals are breathtaking, the musical arrangements are staggering, and the sound production is unstoppable.  Imogen creates compositions worthy of a symphony with the strangest array of synthesized vocals and distortions, weaving them together to create songs that, while following a standard verse chorus verse pattern, are constantly building and changing in logical and satisfying, yet unpredictable ways.  Such evolutions in each track make every second more interesting than every second that came before it.

This is a must have for anyone looking for a fresh new album to listen to from start to finish.  Many of the tracks have serious single potential (Headlock, Goodnight and Go, Have You Got It In You, Hide and Seek, Clear the Area, The Walk) but the songs all flow together best as a coherent album, with strong emotional and musical themes running throughout.  This isn't Frou Frou, and it definitely isn't I Megaphone, but it's absolutely worth a listen.
3319970
Before this album, I wasn't familiar with Haitian music characteristics. But if Vewonik's voice is any indication of the genre, I'm sold. I didn't know what to expect with this set, but I loved it and it's joined my very selective rotation. At times, I have no idea what words Vewonik is singing, but her emotion still takes me there and the production value is on point. This isn't just good Haitian music. This is good music.
3084898
This album is by no means perfect, but it contains some of the strongest material Jimmy Eat World every wrote. "Lucky Denver Mint" is the highlight of the album, but "Sunday", "Ten", and "Just Watch The Fireworks" also have a special place in my heart. "Goodbye Sky Harbor" while listenable, tries to be an epic lasting over 16 minutes. Lasts about 10 minutes too long, in my opinion. The overall feel of the album early 2000's emo, but not the ilk of My Chemical Romance or the Used. Highly recommended; "Clarity" gets more listens from me than "Bleed American".
195421
"Music In The Rafters" begins unassumingly, then sweeps you up in its harmonies and universal message.

I could go on and on about it, but believe it stands on its own strengths. Give it an open-hearted listen, and let it work its magic on you.

Recommended if you like Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Peter Paul and Mary, Nanci Griffith, or David Wilcox.

(Also consider that the entire album it comes from, M O O N, purchased in its entirety is ~40% off the amount to purchase all its fine songs individually. The link to the complete mp3 M O O N album is at top of this page, "From the Album Moon".)
3690717
Like many, I first heard of this band thanks to The Colbert Report. After listening to a few songs on YouTube I was hooked. There is a good variation of music style, so you don't get bored with the same songe played 13 different times on one album.

Give it a listen, and if you like what you hear it is well worth purchasing.
4845872
Pearls to Pigs is not a perfect album, but it has enough high points and original ideas to captivate. Modwheelmood suffers from a bit of Radiohead envy, but these days who doesn't. Infusing techo beats and a drum machine with guitar and other traditional instruments is hardly new, but Modwheelmood does is better than most. Alessandro Cortini (one of the band's founders) toured with Nine Inch Nails and the house and electronica influences are put to good use here.

MHz and Crumble are the standout tracks of the album. Mhz is a solid 5 minute rocker with a great synthesized bass line and enough electronic flourishes layered in to make the song more rewarding with each listen. Crumble takes advantage of harmonies and a simple guitar riff to make a catchy and uplifting song. The vocals are on the higher side and are similar in style to Thom Yorke and Matthew Bellamy, but less whiny (which is a good thing).

MHz and Crumble are by no means the only good songs on here. Bellevue Ave., Sunday Morning, If I Was You, and Lie are all wonderful songs that would be the highlights of most other albums. And while not every song is a masterpiece (Thursday is a rather boring instrumental), the good is good enough to outweigh the bad make the album deserve a five star rating.

The bottom line is that this an exceptional album that is worth more than the $8 price.
3273805
Solid can be damning praise for something, but in this sense, I intend it as high praise.  POST WAR is not the sort of album that will "Change your world", but will reward you everytime you play it.  It has a timeless quality, that makes me think I'll still be into it a dozen years down the road.  All the songs are of high quality, but MAGIC TRICK, CHINESE TRANSLATION, REQUIEM and ROLLERCOASTER stand out in my book as potential classics.  It's not cutting edge, it's just really good, and that's a worthy investment in my book.
2088407
Silversun Pickups are yet another band that I was introduced to on the Tonight Show. I didn't hear their debut EP, but I still decided to check out their full-length album, Carnavas.

Let me just say right away that this band is definitely not for everyone, as lead singer Brian Aubert's voice has a VERY acquired taste (and I really don't understand the Billy Corgan comparisons). Not only that, but he also has a habit of doing hard-rock-induced screaming at odd times during songs that aren't even loud, which ruins otherwise good tracks like "Future Foe Scenarios" and especially "Lazy Eye". But there are still good songs like "Three Seed", "Checkered Floor" and "Rusted Wheel".

The rest of the songs are okay, but there are also small slip-ups in the production department with the first and last track ("Melatonin" and "Common Reactor", respectively). The former has some bizarre instrumentation, and the latter ends with one full minute of what sounds like the kind of feedback you hear when your dial is stuck between two AM radio stations. While I don't think that Silversun Pickups are worth ALL the hype, Carnavas is still worth picking up.

Anthony Rupert
1378973
It's strong, mellow, and moving.  "Crash," "41", and "Too Much," have all been played--sometimes too much, but still the cuts endure.  A good album and a solid contribution to any collection.
1739683
This band has some of the strongest base lines I have heard in a long time. Lyrics are original and explicit and might turn off more people than it attracts but unlike most Pop crap out there this music actually has something to say.

One of my favorite albums
3233200
This band contains four fantastic talents and they need to be seen live to be believed.  Rachel Price gets the headlines, as well she should.  However, the songwriting (mainly by the drummer), is first rate.  We coaxed some friends to come along with us (one a bass player in a current band) to see them live, and he was awestruck by the bassist's virtuosity, taking jazz/pop/rock songs and rasing them to a higher level in the rythme section.  So it isn't just the lead singer's voice and her presence on stage.  It is the rest of the band's muscial talents as well, making this one of the most refreshing finds I have heard in 10 years. I have to believe their "genre" somewhat falls between the cracks, because even though they seem to sell out every small venue in the NYC area from Hoboken to Mahhattan to Williamsburg, they just don't seem to get that much airplay -- even on "alternate" stations like WFUV.  I hopefully won't be complaining about this lack of recognition in a year or two, because I hear from friends I've contacted to attend concerts in other cities that they come back with the same "high musicality" "high virtuosity" and Rachel Price voice + presence that I have experienced.
488349
Let's cut to the chase, here: Jennifer Kimball is missed on Jonatha Brooke's third effort within The Story (before she moved on as a purely solo-artist).  Even so, it doesn't destroy the album - on the contrary, Jonatha more than rises to the challenge.

PLUMB starts out well with the alternating moods of "Nothing Sacred".  Then we've got the somewhat country-rock animal that is "Where Were You?", which has a little edge but is nothing remarkable.  In "Inconsolable", we find a quiet, soulful number that stands on its own two feet.  But once we get to "No Better" and "West Point", to me, this is where we begin to hit The Story's signature vibe; a little jangling, with floaty acoustic guitars married to those gorgeous vocal harmonies.  I'd say "War" is a nice, soft ballad, but mostly forgettable; the guest vocalist certainly is.  "Made Of Gold" is more classic Story in all its goodness: a little dark, but with that undercurrent of light.  Then "Is This All?" plays like "War", only somewhat improved; nice harmonies there.  The rich percussion in "Full-Fledged Strangers" helps it keep things fresh.  Suddenly, for no reason at all, we've got this odd kind of suspensful, art-cin sort of song ("Paris") - not that it's bad or anything.  Lastly, "Charming" is The Story at its best, with a little folksy energy pulsing beneath the gentle surface - and, of course, the harmonies.  "Andrew Duffy's Jig" is just a short bonus track: little Irish ditty, it's kind of fun.

Would I recommend you buy PLUMB immediately if you're not familiar with Jonatha/The Story's body of work?  Not so much - first timers may want to get their feet wet with "Angel In The House".  However, if you do go ahead and grab this, I don't think you'll be disappointed; you'll still end up with a really solid album that showcases Jonatha Brooke's incredible talent and vocal quality.  Overall, it's worth your dime.
4317637
Rebecca St. James' fourth album is strong from start to finish.  My own copy is worn out from heavy use.  Standout trax include "Come Quickly Lord," and "Omega," the remix of which unfortunately spoiled it for radio airplay.  She has included a hidden track after Omega, so those who aren't aware of this should listen to it.
1697606
Like many others, I have been a fan of The Alarm since 68 Guns was released and followed them through some ups and downs along the way. For some reason I missed out on Mike Peters solo stuff but picked up again when 45 RPM was released.

This album has all the strength of the early Alarm albums. On the whole the lyrics are heartfelt and personal without slipping into sentimental territory. Unlike previous reviewers of this album, I don't rate One Guitar very highly and think that it is a song that would benefit from losing the tacky spoken intro. The other weak link for me is Plastic Carrier Bags.

The album opens with a couple of extremely strong tracks and despite dipping slightly in a couple of places, the band keep the pace and the energy high. There is enough variety in the songs and their delivery to keep the album sounding fresh and compelling. The band are on great form and Mike is certainly in great voice. I'm not sure who's playing the lead parts but it certainly sounds like the classic Alarm sounds that Dave Sharpe provided back in the day.
About halfway through the album, there is a noticeable shift in intensity that starts with the amazing Come Alive (maybe Mike Peter's finest moment yet) and continues with a trio of fine songs: Badge of Honour I, Higher Call and Badge of Honour II. Sheer brilliance!

Making an album that is this strong, when the band could merely tread water at this point in their career, is an acheivement in itself. Since the revival of the band name some years ago, they've gone from strength to strength but I certainly didn't expect this...how will they follow this up? Time alone will tell.