2010 In Brief: The First Half
Janelle Monáe – The ArchAndroid (BadBoy)
Kansas City diva opens doors to new genres throughout this sci-fi labyrinth.
Rating: 8 out of 10 sassy robots.
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The National – High Violet (4AD)
We don’t always listen to rock, but when we do… Stay thirsty, my friends.
Rating: 9 out of 10 sautéed brains.
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The New Pornographers – Together (Matador)
Canadian supergroup offers more gleeful glam-rock gems.
Rating: 8 out of 10 indecency charges.
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Owen Pallett – Heartland (Domino)
Canadian string-bower goes metafictional, epic.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Lewis revenge fantasies.
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Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy (Dead Oceans)
Big and brassy Nashville country-rock like nobody makes anymore.
Rating: 8 out of 10 sunset Harley rides.
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Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (4AD)
Eccentric L.A. psych-popster whips up a stunner.
Rating: 9 out of 10 spraypainted ghosts.
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The Radio Dept. – Clinging To A Scheme (Labrador)
Charming dream pop through an infectious Balearic disco filter.
Rating: 8 out of 10 springtime daydreams.
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Robyn – Body Talk pt. 1 (Konichiwa / Cherrytree-Interscope)
Swedish diva’s groovin’ dance odyssey: part one of three.
Rating: 8 out of 10 fembot feelings.
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The Roots – How I Got Over (Def Jam)
Philly’s long-running hip-hop band jams with Jim James, gets funky.
Rating: 8 out of 10 sticks of illa-fifth dynamite.
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Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here (XL)
Industrial production, Kanye samples, Smog cover and still the coolest voice ever.
Rating: 8 out of 10 untelevised revolutions.
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Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago (Matador)
Gorgeous art-pop, geographical concept, and, hey! Cool dossier!
Rating: 8 out of 10 islands in a chain.
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Spoon – Transference (Merge)
A series of moonlight fiction.
Rating: 8 out of 10 inexplicable vocal edits.
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Suckers – Wild Smile (Frenchkiss)
An arty indie rock record that hits all the right notes.
Rating: 8 out of 10 ape cover models.
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Titus Andronicus – The Monitor (XL)
We the people, in order to form a more perfect union, rock the fuck out.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Ulysses S. Grant commemorative plates.
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Vampire Weekend – Contra (XL)
Upper West Side Soweto matures, plugs in. Nice work, preppy!
Rating: 8 out of 10 obscure nouns that rhyme with “Horchata.”
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Yeasayer – Odd Blood (Secretly Canadian)
Ethereal and weird, but with a much stronger pop edge this time around.
Rating: 8 out of 10 NSFW music videos.
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