ENIGMA - Seven Lives Many Faces

As the driving force behind German band ENIGMA, Micheal Cretu has spent the majority of his 18 year long career as a recording artist creating some of the most culturally diverse music on the planet. But its not without avail. With more than 40 million albums sold worldwide, 50 number one chart positions, and 100 platinum sales around the world, ENIGMA is Germanys most successful export in the last 20 years. ENIGMA has always had a by the wayside reputation.

For music as spiritually diverse and unique, its almost a shame to see a flower growing up from proud and strong from the concrete, only to get ran over by a school of rush hour traffic. Read more

Lenny Kravitz - It’s Time For a Love Revolution

In case you didn’t know, Lenny Kravitz put an album out earlier this year. The theme of Kravitz’ latest It’s Time For a Love Revolution is - you guessed it - love; as evidenced by tracks with titles such as “I Love The Rain”, “Love, Love, Love”, and the title track “Love Revolution”, which was recently featured in an advertisement for the clothing brand Kohls (which is SO not rock ‘n roll). Read more

Metallica - Death Magnetic

The first notes of “That Was Just Your Life” snake in and out, making the new Middle Eastern influence upon Metallica immediately apparent, and then their sound hits - fast and heavy, frenetic and intense - and you know that Metallica is back. The recent bad albums and the mp3 fiasco should rightly be ignored, as Death Magnetic is all about the classic Metallica sound, albeit produced in 2008 rather than 1988. From start to finish this is a truly enjoyable metal album, and regardless of how much credit may need to go to producer Rick Rubin for shaking things up, it is quickly apparent that Metallica definitely didn’t phone this one in: the riffs and solos are powerful, the vocals and lyrics are passionate, and the rhythm section is appropriately intense. Read more

Chairlift - Does You Inspire You

One might find it difficult to accurately describe Chairlift’s vocalist Caroline Polachek’s voice. On the band’s debut album Does You Inspire You, it has the lilt of Leslie Feist’s; however in person it has the clarity, and superb range of Sinead O’Connor.

While Does You Inspire You, which is heavily inspired by Cocteau Twins is stellar, it fails to do her voice justice. Polachek does manage to hit quite a few high notes on the bouncy, eighties-inspired numbers “Evident Utensil”, and “Bruises”, which is currently being featured in a commercial for the new Ipod nano-chromatic. Read more

Ne-Yo – Year of the Gentleman

There is no better way to describe Ne-yo other than the title itself. The songwriter/singer/executive producer has turned up the heat on his latest album, “Year of the Gentleman.” Ne-Yo is a multitalented artist whose not afraid to be different, nor shy when expressing his sensitive side. He has written songs for many artists including “Take a Bow” for singer Rihanna whose also on Def Jam. Read more

Brooklyn Academy- Bored of Education

For those of you that are from the tri-state area and neighboring states, you are probably familiar with the catch phrase “Brooklyn’s the borough that keeps it thorough”, and indeed it is! Brooklyn has a well known reputation and one of those being known for its Hip-Hop. The 718 stays on radar and Brooklyn Ac is making damn sure of that. Brooklyn Academy consists of 3 native brooklyn-ites who are Block Mcloud, Mr. Metaphor and Pumpkinhead. Individually as well as together, each member has a track record dating back to 1995, consisting of single albums, mix tape releases, guest appearances as well as opening acts for renowned artists. Read more

Minus the Bear - They Make Beer Commercials Like This

This is a re-mastered and enhanced version – with one song added - of a 2004 EP from this Seattle-based bubbly rock band. Featuring members of Botch and Sharks Keep Moving, among others, Minus The Bear is a fantastically catchy indie-pop quintet that has always had the ability to get a listener’s attention with dancy rhythms and powerful guitar work. The guitar is the basis of the band. It is neat and wildly expansive, it twists and turns, lays low and paints a beautiful picture unnoticed and then taps you on the shoulder to offer you a beer, before going back to work. The band is more rockin’ version of Joan of Arc or a slightly laid back version of Radiohead. Read more

Spearhead - All Rebel Rockers

Frontman Michael Franti and his band, Spearhead, have never been known for being subtle. Political, spiritual, peaceful, and completely conscious - in every sense of the word - Franti is a unique mix of Bob Marley and Bono. His music primarily fuses reggae, roots, hip-hop, and funk, although he’s not afraid to slow it down for sentimental songs either. A passionate independent, both musically and politically, Franti makes music to challenge the listener’s mind. Veteran artists always walk a line between recycling their own sound and straying from what’s made them successful, and just like on 2006’s Middle East-inspired album Yell Fire!, Franti & Spearhead walk it well. Read more

Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

Kevin Barnes, lead singer of the band Of Montreal is indie rock’s weirdo step-brother. The persona he presents on stage and in his songs is that of a sexually complex, ambiguously gendered theatrically-minded individual, who is not afraid to bare all in the pursuit of a highly idiosyncratic take on what the artistic process is.

This persona has never been more evident than on Of Montreal’s latest release, Skeletal Lamping. “We can do it soft-core, if you want. But you should know that I go both ways,” he croons on “For Our Elegant Castle,” in his bizarre falsetto. Read more

These Arms are Snakes - Easter

Rambunctious, obnoxious, highly versatile, danceable, enjoyable, can you see where I am going with this? It’s time to get down with the Snakes and take pleasure in the seduction while the venomous poison that infiltrates the mind—filters—and out comes the music with no predetermined trend set in the bands consciousness, lurking wildly back and forth giving shape in standard to oblique forms with clashing guitars, untamed ravaging effects, in addition to the range of seductive cries and clamored vocals bringing out the punk in These Arms are Snakes. Read more

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