The common thread that brings everything together on this outing is Estefan’s passion for Brazilian, Bahian and South American sonic styles.
Read moreArlo McKinley Strikes a Beautiful Balance on Dynamic Solo Debut ‘Die Midwestern’ | Album Review
McKinley understands that great songs land more easily when they're cushioned by musical accoutrements, which is what makes his solo debut album so enjoyable.
Read moreAlanis Morissette Traverses Life’s Vicissitudes with Candor and Compassion on ‘Such Pretty Forks In The Road’ | Album Review
A heady mixture of stories and sonics to tangle with, Morissette’s first album since 2012’s ‘Havoc And Bright Lights’ is her most inward-looking and outwardly forthright effort in years.
Read moreBrandy Embraces Substance Over Artifice, Delivers Watershed Moment with ‘B7’ | Album Review
With her seventh LP, Brandy proves that she has transcended the limitations of chart commerce to enter that rare breed of creatives that appeals to multiple generations of R&B devotees.
Read moreTaylor Swift Conjures Stories Destined to Endear and Endure for Generations to Come on ‘folklore’ | Album Review
The songs contained on ‘folklore’ are beautifully outlined by Swift’s voice, which has always been pleasantly competent, but here it displays a gracefulness and passion never heard before.
Read moreThe Danberrys’ Symbiotic Songcraft Radiates on ‘Shine’ | Album Review
On ‘Shine,’ the two singer-songwriters go beyond solid songs, creating a captivating album that mirrors the work of another famous songwriting duo.
Read moreLianne La Havas Seizes Creative Control on Transcendent Third Album ‘Lianne La Havas’ | Album Review
If this truly is a full portrait of the artist, then it reveals an artist freed from the shackles of following anyone else’s imprint for her career. Freedom looks good on Lianne La Havas.
Read moreS.G. Goodman Merges Nostalgia with Progressive Ideas on Dynamic Debut ‘Old Time Feeling’ | Album Review
Together with producer Jim James (of My Morning Jacket fame), the Kentucky-bred singer-songwriter has crafted a compelling, cohesive set of nuanced ideas and exceptional songs.
Read moreArt Blakey & The Jazz Messengers’ Unearthed ‘Just Coolin’’ Elevates the Ensemble’s Untouchable Legacy | Album Review
While never eclipsing the era-defining ‘Moanin,’’ this previously shelved album offers further testament to what may be hard bop’s finest group doing what they do best.
Read moreEgo Ella May Embodies the Healing Power of Music on Dynamic Debut ‘Honey For Wounds’ | Album Review
The South Londoner’s debut is revealing of a multi-faceted force to be reckoned with. Not at some point in the future, but right now.
Read moreJessie Ware Returns in Impeccable Form with Scintillating ‘What’s Your Pleasure?’ | Album Review
As with Ware’s three albums prior to her fantastic fourth, she casts a wholly singular aural space accessible to everyone—the loyalists, the uninitiated. But now, she’s totally in sync with her power.
Read moreJapandroids Elevate Their Dynamic Sound, Capture the Magic of Live Performance on ‘Massey F**king Hall' | Album Review
Japandroids keep close to their studio work, mostly playing with the intensity of the performance and occasionally inserting some of their rhythmic jamming, which can be positively hypnotic.
Read moreCountry Westerns Transcend Their Name with Eclectic, Electrifying Eponymous Debut | Album Review
The most striking thing about Country Westerns’ self-titled debut is their crafting of a perfectly balanced mix of pop, grunge, ‘70s punk, and just the right hit of country.
Read moreSAULT’s Powerful ‘Untitled (Black Is)’ Embodies the Soul, Spirit & Sanctity of Revolution | Album Review
The titles on SAULT’s ‘Untitled (Black Is)’ reveal the narrative at play and the scope of its ambitions, fully realized through a dazzling distillation of the constituent elements of soul and hip-hop.
Read moreBob Dylan’s ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’ Magnifies the Enduring Mystery Behind His Words | Album Review
The music is almost simple, mostly acoustic with thick blues stuffed in every wrinkle. Dylan doesn’t sing. It’s poetic delivery that plants every sentence firmly in the ground.
Read morePhoebe Bridgers Floats in Unsettled Space on Magnificent, Melancholic ‘Punisher’ | Album Review
While the author can’t say he was prepared for ‘Punisher’ to ask as much of him as it did, he’s still moved by it, unsettled by it, and captivated by it.
Read moreNeil Young Resurrects Long-Lost ‘Homegrown’ From the Vaults and It’s Well Worth the Wait | Album Review
‘Homegrown’ was recorded during the same two years as ‘On The Beach’ (1974) and ‘Tonight’s The Night’ (1975), and sonically, the three records are sisters. But each tells its own story.
Read moreRun the Jewels Encapsulate the Zeitgeist of America on the Brink with ‘RTJ4’ | Album Review
The fourth album by the team of Killer Mike and El-P couldn’t have arrived in a more timely and topical manner. It’s raw, politically charged, aggressive, and confrontational.
Read moreNorah Jones Navigates The Darkness And The Light On ‘Pick Me Up Off The Floor’ | Album Review
Jones reinforces once again that somewhere in the darkness, uncertainty and disillusionment we feel, music can heal and imitate life.
Read moreLady Gaga’s Captivating, Cathartic ‘Chromatica’ Emodies the Powr of Music to Heal and Inspire | Album Review
‘Chromatica’ harks back to Lady G’s dance floor driven roots, while proving to be yet another feather in her already incredibly accomplished “cap” of artistry.
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