- Wyclef Jean- Carnival, Vol.2: Memoirs of an Immigrant

Wyclef Jean definitely caught the public off guard with the release of "Carnival Vol. II." It's been ten years now since the release of "The Carnival," an album upon which opinion has always been widely divided. Opinion was not divided when it came to The Fugees, where Lauryn Hill was always considered to be the breakout star, while Pras was considered to be lyrical weak link. Wyclef fell somewhere between the two - a charismatic and engaging personality who at times seemed to have trouble finding or staying on beat with his flow.    Continue

- April's Motel Room- Black 14

The band, April's Motel Room, the CD Black 14. The CD was released durring the height of the Alternative "revolution" while acts like Ween and The Flaming Lips took center stage with foolish lyrics and a rehashed overused sound of the day. April's Motel Room must have been deemed, too intelligent, too creative, or not angry enough, because the rational behind the lack of support this CD received is not understandable. From the mass combination of sounds to the splashes of catchy yet intelligent lyrics this CD stands out as a winner.     Continue

- Absinthe Blind- Rings

To say that Absinthe Blind have elements in common with their fellow Champaign, Illinois space-rockers Hum would be an understatement as both utilize sweeping guitars and distorted melodies to completely overwhelm the listener, but to say that Rings has any glaring similarities to You'd Prefer An Astronaut or Downward Is Heavenward would also be completely off base. Hum's primary songwriter Matt Talbott actually recorded the tracks for Rings but the album doesn't come across as syrupy as some of his past engineering works like Shiner's The Egg. Instead Rings boasts a very full, rich sound of otherworldly guitars that are perfectly balanced with the intricate synthesizer melodies and the crisp indie rock percussion to an end that is quite remarkable when taken in with perspective.     Continue

- Led Zeppelin- Physical Graffiti

Of late, there has been a lot of attention drawn to their sixth album (and only studio effort that was a double-album), 1975's Physical Graffiti. While most fans will point to "Stairway To Heaven" as being the most influential Led Zeppelin tune, other critics have looked towards "Kashmir" as being the ultimate song that defined the band. Whatever side of the fence you stand on, there's no denying that Physical Graffifi is a highwater mark for a band who prided themselves on excellence.       Continue

- Jeff Buckley- Grace

Jeff Buckley's tragically early death surely did something to immortalize his one and only full-length album, but even so, Grace is without doubt a truly musical monument, spanning time and space and perpetually blowing fresh minds round the globe (and quite possibly somewhere beyond).

His voice is multi-textured and he uses notes to dramatic effect - the agony and the ecstasy of it hitting you straight in the gut. His music is so extraordinary, in fact, that it's impossible to put this album on in the background without being drawn into its psyche. Don't just listen -experience, be mesmerized, take a trip.       Continue

- Afghan Whigs- 1965

How fitting that Whigs' singer Greg Dulli is an aspiring actor and filmmaker as well as a rock musician. Since the Sub Pop years, he's conjured a theatrical image for the Whigs" through their old-fashioned suit uniforms and B-side covers of soul tunes such as "The Dark End of the Street" and "Come See About Me" as the baddest, blackest band in Eddie Vedder's white alt-rock world. Like Quentin Tarantino, who swiped blaxploitation trappings for his oeuvre, Dulli used his R&B image to separate the Whigs from the flanneled hordes in the early 90s, and this has carried Dulli and crew's bad-boy street cred since.      Continue

- Bob Dylan- S/T

His first 'have-at-it' try; it's got only two of his own compositions ('Talkin' New York', a funny spoken commentary on his being received in Big Apple, and 'Song To Woody' which could be regarded as a kinda 'dedication' of his entire creativity to that ol' man folker), but you even hardly notice - they sound oh so derivative from the rest of the folk stuff he's covering on here. In fact, this album is not very significant musically, but it sure provides a lot of insight into Bob's roots: after listening to it a few times you begin to understand all those incessant country and folk cliches of which his early acoustic albums are chock-full. Songs like 'Highway 51 Blues' were certainly the inspiration for 'Highway 61 Revisited', and I've always thought the melody of 'It's Alright Ma' was pure Dylan until I've heard its origins on this LP.     Continue

 Monarch- The Grandeur That Was Rome

The latest band with atmospheric and melodic tendencies deserving of an ear from the discerning listener is Monarch. From Pittsburgh, the band recently signed to Northern Records where they have released their debut album. The band members are still in college, but one listen is all it takes to understand that good music transcends age.    Continue

- Bernard- A View Beyond The Cave

I don't even know where to start. This is one of those cd's thatyou just can't get enough of. Bernard has this kind of great emotype thing going on. But they seem to take off where most emo bands leave off at. Their great piano heavy guitar rock hits a nerve. With this deep of a sound it's hard to believe these guys are a three piece. Some might only be able to handle these guys in small doses. It's hard not to deny the flashes of dynamic genius these guys display.    Continue

- U2- How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

New U2 albums are never quite what I expect them to be. I generally consider that a good thing. Every second or third release from this band seems to represent a landmark of sorts in the evolution of their sound. Case in point are the likes of War, Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby and All That You Can't Leave Behind  all highly successful, defining entries in U2's discography. The steps in between include both live releases (Under a Blood Red Sky and Rattle and Hum) and less commercial, more experimental dalliances (Passengers: Original Soundtracks, Volume 1 and Pop come to mind). Then there are those albums where you can almost tangibly sense the band in mid-transformation  albums like The Unforgettable Fire and Zooropa. U2's latest, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, falls squarely into this last category.       Continue