Atoms For Peace
Amok
XL Recordings (2013)
Every so often an unusual group of veteran musicians gather to form what was coined in the late ‘60s as a supergroup. There have been exceptional creative ventures, from the early Crosby, Stills & Nash, to the more recent Them Crooked Vultures and various Jack White endeavors, while others were better left to inebriated jam sessions at rock star house … Read more
M.I.A.
/\/\ /\ Y /\ (MAYA)
XL Recordings (2010)
The hipsterati and the New York Times may have set their sights on MIA but, frankly, I don’t have the time to care what she eats during an interview. Besides, her music is largely a studio product anyway, which gives it an insulating layer from its creator’s personality. <i>Maya</i> is the Indo-British singer’s third record and her first since becoming … Read more
M.I.A.
Arular
XL Recordings (2005)
Superfluous. If I could describe the music press' fawning over female Sri-Lankan/British emcee M.I.A. in a single word, that would be it. This excessive praise for a new artist is not unique to her, of course. In 2004, it was Franz Ferdinand. In 2003, it was the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. To be honest, M.I.A.'s Arular does not live up to … Read more
Radiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool
XL Recordings (2016)
A Radiohead album release has become akin to finding folding money under a seat cushion. It doesn't happen often and when it does, it's usually a surprise.Such was the release of A Moon Shaped Pool. No one expected it, but then...it was just there. More specifically, the announcement of it came only a week before the release and was accompanied … Read more
Ratatat
LP3
XL Recordings (2008)
Even if you haven't heard of Ratatat, you've heard them. They boast an impressive list of their songs featured in endless commercials and movies. Ratatat is everywhere. Beginning in 2004 as simply a guitar and synth, they recorded their entire debut album on a laptop. With their fortunate connections they released Ratatat in the U.S. and the U.K., and quickly … Read more
Ratatat
Ratatat
XL Recordings (2004)
The hype machine works in interesting ways. It can make or break a band even if the wind changes direction. Music critics go from band to band and suck every little ounce of creativity and humanity they had left inside of them like the leeches they are, then they move on to the next wave of hyped bands. Bear in … Read more
Sigur Rós
Kveikur
XL Recordings (2013)
I came to know Sigur Rós through their early material, all very long, dreamy recordings with just a hint of pop rock bliss to ground them. Ágætis byrjun and ( ) are the albums that made the band a household name, and it's difficult not to look back on them and feel like, in some capacity, that's what the band should still be doing. … Read more
The Raconteurs
Broken Boy Soldiers
XL Recordings (2006)
A raconteur is defined as "one who tells stories and anecdotes with skill." A skillful storyteller draws in his audience with an introduction that makes them want more. "Steady, as She Goes," the first single from The Raconteurs debut album Broken Boy Soldiers, is this introduction. At first listen to "Steady, as She Goes," you may think, "Oh, it's The … Read more
Thom Yorke
Anima
XL Recordings (2019)
There’s a kind of anxious immediacy that bleeds through every song on Anima, Thom Yorke’s latest solo album. Normally this would signal a lack of cohesion or at the very least an uneven listening experience, but somehow Yorke manages to pack all his troubles in his old kit bag and smile, giving us his strongest solo album to date.The whirring, … Read more
Thom Yorke
Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino film)
XL Recordings (2018)
Taking a page from bandmate Jonny Greenwood’s songbook, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke has thrown himself into the breach of film scoring and it really takes only 1 minute and 47 seconds - or roughly the length of opening track “A Storm That Took Everything” to wonder why it ever took this long to begin with?For the uninitiated, Suspiria is an iconic … Read more
Thom Yorke
The Eraser
XL Recordings (2006)
I'm pretty sure Thom Yorke needs no introduction. As part of "that" band Radiohead he has helped make some the most beautiful, challenging and plain odd music of the last decade. So when it was announced that he had decided to release an album all by himself (he won't call it a solo project) it seemed like a bolt out … Read more
Tyler, The Creator
Goblin
XL Recordings (2011)
By definition, a goblin is an ugly, evil creature of legend; a lowly monster of sin and filth, and represents the anti-culture of the teller. Even though these creatures are fabrications, not to be taken literally, their place in stories is telling of something. They are the scapegoats, the downtrodden, and the easy fix. Tyler, the Creator, the ringleader or … Read more
Vampire Weekend
Modern Vampires Of The City
XL Recordings (2013)
When the hoax artwork claiming the group’s next album was to be “Lemon Sounds” appeared, it is perhaps unsurprising that so many people were convinced it was real. For the band’s detractors it was confirmation that Vampire Weekend were content to rest on their laurels and produce a Contra II. For fans it meant approximately the same thing; they were just … Read more
