Coldplay X EMI By: Eric Greenwood For me, Coldplay has always seemed stuck inside Radiohead's 1995 classic "Fake Plastic Trees." The falsetto, the nuanced acoustic sway, and the general malaise of that song sort of lazily encompass Coldplay's entire worldview. I didn't give the band's safe, girlfriend rock much credit until I heard "Clocks" off […]

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Weezer Make Believe Geffen By: Eric Greenwood If you've heard Weezer's comeback single, "Beverly Hills", and think it's good, please stop reading now. You're obviously a glutton for aural punishment, and there's nothing I could say to fix your taste. For the rest, who full-body cringed at the embarrassing lyrics, the lame, chant-along chorus, and […]

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The Nein Wrath Of Circuits Sonic Unyon By: Eric Greenwood The Nein's brand of sound-effects-laden, angular rock hints at the dance-punk trend but never fully embraces it. The hooks are there, off and on, but they aren't nearly obvious enough to get commercial radio play. Instead of catering to prospective playlists, The Nein explores a […]

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DJ Spooky Vs Dave Lombardo Drums Of Death Thirsty Ear By: Eric Greenwood Pretentious intellectualism can suck the fun right out of music in a hurry, and DJ Spooky has always straddled the line of pedantic condescension and envelope-pushing experimentalism. His collaborations are always intriguing, though, having worked with such diverse artists as Metallica, Dr. […]

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I Love You But I Have Chosen Darkness According To Plan 12 Inch Artikal By: Michael Jones Austin, Texas’ I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness follow up their highly acclaimed 2003 EP with a two-song single on soon-to-be It label Artikal, and quickly live up to the promise of their brooding and marquee-busting name. […]

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New Order Waiting For The Sirens' Call Warner Bros. By: Eric Greenwood The musical ingredients are practically identical to any great New Order album, but Waiting for the Siren's Call is as tepid as tap water. New Order's hybrid of overtly danceable electronics overlayed by organic instrumentation has been its call to arms since it […]

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Beck Guero Interscope By: Eric Greenwood After a decade of wringing his junk culture-soaked sponge on the masses by way of the hipster elite, Beck has decided to step back and make sure that we understand what he's been about all along. Guero follows Beck's achingly beautiful break-up record, 2002's Sea Change, with a return […]

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