Cool rockin’ granddaddy Willie Nile glorifies untamed aging

Willie Nile is loud and proud. While other rockers merely strut around leathered and weathered, Nile takes one giant leap for mankind: glorifying the aging process with the party-hearty song “Grandpa

Cheap Trick still wants you to want them – and you will

Some classic rock bands limp into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the basis of past reputation. On the other hand, Cheap Trick — the hard-charging, melodic rockers

Bob Mould deepens the search on ‘Patch the Sky’

Bob Mould says "Patch the Sky" is the darkest and catchiest album he's made recently ("Silver Age" and "Beauty & Ruin" are the others in this cycle) and he's right

Pete Yorn splendidly miserable on ‘ArrangingTime’

Pete Yorn returns after an extended hiatus with "ArrangingTime," his sixth and lushest solo studio album since his 2001 debut. "ArrangingTime" shares more than just space bar anemia with his first

Assassin shows versatility on 1st album in years

One of Jamaica's most underrated yet diverse and creative lyricists, Assassin A.K.A. Agent Sasco releases his first studio album in almost a decade. In a transition from dancehall, the artist turns

Brit rockers the 1975 funky on sophomore album

British pop-rockers 1975 get downright and reasonably funky on its latest album with a title so long it will barely fit anywhere. For the record, the 17-track release is called

Dio bandmates line up to carry on singer’s legacy

Since the death of singer Ronnie James Dio in 2010, something of a cottage industry has sprung up, dedicated to keeping alive the memory and spirit of the vocalist who

Kanye West evolves again on ‘TLOP’

Some two decades ago, Prince re-named himself with an unpronounceable symbol and scrawled "SLAVE" on his cheek in a feud with Warner Bros Records. He spent lavishly on unreleased creative

The Cult deftly climbs new heights on ‘Hidden City’

The Cult has had its ups and downs over the more than 30 years since its debut. "Hidden City" shows the band climbing new heights. Led by mystically inclined singer and

Various Artists, “Cold Chilling: Compton” (PRMD)

California knows how to party. So goes the refrain on 2Pac's enduring rap favorite "California Love." That love is on display in the form of an homage on "Cold Chilling:

2 guitars, spiritual feel to Charles Lloyd’s latest

The guitars flanking saxophonist Charles Lloyd on his latest album nudge him in a more spiritual direction. There's a prayerful feel even to the pop tunes "Masters of War" and

Country duo Brothers Osborne shine on debut album

Brothers Osborne open their first full-length album, "Pawn Shop," with the slinky sting of John Osborne's slide guitar set against younger brother T.J. Osborne's sinewy baritone, which finds a slow-rolling

David Bowie’s last album fitting epitaph

On "Blackstar," he transforms himself once again, proving that at 69, he still had plenty of surprises up his musical sleeve. Recording primarily with an avant-garde jazz quartet and with

Kentucky psych crew gives Nuggets sounds a perfectly unsettling modern spin

On their fourth album, Kentucky band Cage the Elephant refurbish mid-Sixties retro-rock with a 21st-century studio vividness – creating something akin to watching old footage of Sandy Koufax or Bill

Chris Brown is multi-dimensional on ‘Royalty’

Chris Brown knows his strengths, and on his seventh studio album, “Royalty,” the singer plays to them with solid success. It’s a feat worth applauding, considering how disparate the multi-dimensional

Grammy-nominated country singer Cam shines on debut

A Southern California native who spent time shoveling manure on her grandfather's horse ranch, Cam — born Camaron Ochs — blends earthy, from-the-heart sentiments and urban pop rhythms on her

Coldplay has a dance party on new album

Get out your disco ball. Coldplay has dabbled with dance music before but on the band’s new set, “A Head Full of Dreams,” Chris Martin and co. have gone full

Wainwright Sisters keep it in the family

There can be something magical about the voices of siblings singing together, as a listen to the Beach Boys or the Everly Brothers shows. More proof comes in this subtly haunting

Chris Isaak consistent, too casual on ‘Night’

Chris Isaak's latest album, "First Comes the Night," delivers a full flight of songs directly in his Roy Orbison-esque wheelhouse, featuring Isaak's smooth voice, twangy guitar work and surf-rock-tinged melancholy. And

Sorry not sorry: Justin Bieber’s new album is really good

Justin Bieber’s new album is peppered with songs full of apologies and redemption. The troubled star claims he’s changed. And maybe he has. Or not. But one thing’s for sure —

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