The Bruce Arnold Trio / A Few Dozen / Muse-eek There are many powerhouse tracks on this disc, but my favorite is the haunting opus "Numbers". It is split into two parts, a prelude and a piece-proper. The prelude establishes a distinct, brooding mood. Its washy synth pads gain forward motion thanks to the momentum of a pulsing tabla rhythm. When the piece-proper begins, a subdued bassline mumbles dejectedly, underpinned by sporadic, spastic percussion hits. In short order a sparse, angular guitar phrase establishes itself as a sort of structural base from which Arnold engages in his flights of melodic fury...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		For Stars / Windows For Stars / Future Farmer I admit that on first listen, I wasn't that impressed. My first thought was "The Dead Milkmen doing covers of Galaxy 500 tunes", mostly because what I heard was a slightly whiny voice awash in slowish, ambient sounding guitars. Apparently I wasn't paying much attention. The CD player was in repeat mode, and while I was in the kitchen the CD started again at the beginning. It kept playing the rest of the night -- I must have listened to this thing five or six times in a row! It's that good...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		Blonde Redhead / Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons / Touch & Go I'm hesitant to call this a concept album, but it comes close. Almost all of the songs are drawn from the same elliptical story of a relationship that, though very loving, might not be the best for those involved (there are also several seemingly autobiographical references, perhaps giving some insight into the inner dynamic of the trio). The songs also share a similar set of melodies and musical themes. Producer Guy Picciotto and Blonde Redhead have put more emphasis on the voices on Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons than previous albums...more»
		Camden / Reel Time Canvas / Grand Theft Autumn Over the last nine months or so I have recommended that you go out and purchase quite a few albums, but Reel Time Canvas compels me to urge you to crawl across broken glass -- if necessary -- to get this record. It is a aural tour-de-force, blending elements of punk, early 90s shoegazer rock, pop and soul into a sonic stew the likes of which you have never tasted before. Lead singer William Seidel’s voice is angelic, sweeping and majestic; this is the instrument that propels Reel Time Canvas into the stratosphere...more»
		Great Lakes / self-titled / Kindercore The group's 70s influences become apparent almost immediately on the sumptuous opener "Storming"; you will undoubtedly picture the band on stage in matching sky blue jumpers, their names written across their backs in gold lamé. This retro-minded attack is far from over. "Storming" is followed by the swooning piano and gentle back-beat of "A Little Touched," the warbling orchestration and piping horns of "An Easy Life" and the Vaudevillian grandeur and banjo picking of "Come Home and Come True"...more»