One of my favorite albums of last year is finally coming out in the U.S. Amy Winehouse’s husky voice is a textured, powerful weapon. Her music could easily be mistaken for kitschy R&B, except her lyrics are intelligent, funny, and heartfelt. She’s a skinny white girl with a big black woman’s voice, and she knows […]

[Read more →]

Not to be confused with the Pipettes or even the girl-group throwback inherent to its name, The Noisettes rush through its garage-style machismo like a slightly wiser Be Your Own Pet but with loads more versatility and soul thanks to bassist/vocalist Shingai Shoniwa’s frenetic yelping. The Noisettes – Mind The Gap

[Read more →]

I saw this band open for Deerhoof the other night. It’s a mix of Phil Spector-sytle pop, Beach Boys harmonies, and nerdy indie rock with intelligent lyrics and instantly catchy, memorable melodies: Harlem Shakes – Red Right Hands

[Read more →]