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RYAN REED

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Scissor Sisters | Magic Hour

Casablanca (2012)
"Twist and shout/Boobies hangin' all out," sings Scissor Sister Ana Matronic on the futuristic sci-fi funk of "Keep Your Shoes On," her robo-tastic chirp swallowed in a maze of mind-numbing video-game synth runs and digital blips.

By: RYAN REED | May 22, 2012

Here We Go Magic | A Different Ship

Secretly Canadian
On paper, at least, it's a match made in psychedelic alt-rock heaven.

By: RYAN REED | May 08, 2012

Beach House | Bloom

Sub Pop (2012)
For most bands, being labeled "formulaic" is an insult.

By: RYAN REED | May 01, 2012

Brendan Benson | What Kind Of World

Readymade (2012)
"Crank it up for me," mutters pop-rawk craftsman Brendan Benson on the intro to "Here in the Deadlights."

By: RYAN REED | April 24, 2012

Jack White | Blunderbuss

Third Man/Columbia (2012)
The White Stripes — the candy-coated, Delta blues-worshipping duo responsible for some of the 2000s' greatest rock albums — recently broke up.

By: RYAN REED | April 23, 2012

Alabama Shakes | Boys & Girls

ATO (2012)
In 2012, every other mainstream female pop singer is trying her hand at honest-to-God soul, shooting stylistically for Aretha Franklin (by way of Adele's 21) but usually winding up closer to early-Nelly Furtado.

By: RYAN REED | April 10, 2012

Nada Surf look to the galaxy for answers

Star-struck
For Matthew Caws, songwriting isn't exactly fun. In fact, it's more like agony.

By: RYAN REED | April 04, 2012

M. Ward | A Wasteland Companion

Merge (2012)
"Jump inside this tidal wave with me," sings ash-voiced cherub Matt Ward on his stunning seventh album.

By: RYAN REED | April 03, 2012

Great Lake Swimmers | New Wild Everywhere

Nettwerk Records (2012)
On their fifth full-length, veteran Toronto quintet Great Lake Swimmers specialize in breezy, monochromatic Sunday-school folk.

By: RYAN REED | March 28, 2012

Choir of Young Believers | Rhine Gold

Ghostly International (2012)
On their jaw-dropping debut, 2008's This Is for the White in Your Eyes, Denmark's Choir of Young Believers sounded like an actual choir, or maybe a musical militia — angelic voices ascending in ghostly rings of reverb, enveloped by orchestral flourishes and indie-rock thrust.

By: RYAN REED | March 21, 2012

Dr. Dog is the drug

Psychedelic prescription
On their current trek, promoting their playful and raw seventh album, Be the Void (Anti-), Dr. Dog have reached headliner status, playing the biggest, most tightly packed rooms of their career.

By: RYAN REED | March 14, 2012

Tanlines | Mixed Emotions

True Panther Sounds (2012)
Mixed Emotions is a shiny bear-hug of an album — sometimes short on fresh ideas, but never lacking in heart.

By: RYAN REED | March 13, 2012

Andrew Bird | Break It Yourself

Mom + Pop (2012)
Big freaking surprise: Break It Yourself, Andrew Bird's seventh collection of intimate chamber-pop, is . . . beautiful.

By: RYAN REED | February 28, 2012

Poliça | Give You the Ghost

Totally Gross National Product (2012)
R&B, meet prog.

By: RYAN REED | February 21, 2012

Craig Finn | Clear Heart, Full Eyes

Vagrant
In the near-decade he's spent as frontman-lyricist of bar-rock saviors the Hold Steady, Craig Finn has hardly been labeled a happy camper.

By: RYAN REED | February 14, 2012

Inside the theatric folk appeal of You Won't

Willing Participants
"It's about trying to let things come without judgment," says You Won't frontman Josh Arnoudse.

By: RYAN REED | February 07, 2012

Tennis | Young & Old

Fat Possum (2012)
Denver's Tennis, the husband/wife duo of Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, are back with another slab of dreamy, feather-light pop.

By: RYAN REED | February 07, 2012

Dr. Dog | Be the Void

Anti- (2012)
With Be the Void , their sonically raw sixth album, these Philly psych-pop oddballs have pulled a fussy, self-conscious about-face, indulging in their weirdest ideas in years.

By: RYAN REED | January 31, 2012

Hospitality | Hospitality

Merge (2012)
On their homonymous debut, Hospitality sound like 800 different trendy bands at once (from Twin Sister to Tennis to TV on the Radio), so if it's pure originality you're after, you've come to the wrong department.

By: RYAN REED | January 24, 2012

Chairlift | Something

Columbia (2011)
"You lost your focus, but I got a plan for it," sings Caroline Polachek in a crystal-clear chirp on "Amanaemonesia," hovering over a dark, winding bassline and iceberg synths.

By: RYAN REED | January 17, 2012

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[ 05/24 ] "Adbusters & the Art of Modern Activism" @ Harlow Gallery

[ 05/24 ] Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real + Mallett Brothers Band @ Empire Dine And Dance

[ 05/24 ] No Exit @ College of the Atlantic