Mariachi El Bronx, 'Mariachi El Bronx' (Swami)
Caustic L.A. punks make a run for the border.
By Mikael Wood 10.02.09 5:19 PM
How do you follow three self-titled albums of cranky punk shenanigans?
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Paramore, 'brand new eyes' (Fueled by Ramen)
Pint-size Tennessee titan makes a convincing case for sincerity.
By Mikael Wood 09.28.09 4:07 PM
Brand New, 'Daisy' (Procrastinate Music Traitors/DGC/Interscope)
Fuzzy guitars? Check. Pork and beans? Nope.
By Mikael Wood 09.24.09 6:48 PM
Phish, 'Joy' (Jemp)
Vermont jammers revive themselves (sorta).
By Mikael Wood 08.31.09 4:27 PM
Phish's first studio album since 2004 suggests that what brought these jam-scene kings back together after a five-year breakup wasn't unbridled passion, but faith in their well-oiled machine. If the band's goofy fusion of boogie-roots rhythms and neo-prog guitar wizardry sounded snoozy to you back in the circa-'96 Billy Breathes days, well, Joy won't change your mind.
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Daniel Merriweather, 'Love & War' (Hometapes)
Protégé no longer taking requests, but should be.
By Mikael Wood 08.31.09 3:57 PM
Merriweather first turned heads outside his native Australia when Mark Ronson featured the blue-eyed soulster on a cover of the Smiths’ “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before,” the lead single from Ronson’s 2007 debut album.
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Brad Paisley, 'American Saturday Night' (Arista Nashville)
Another Music City class is now in session.
By Mikael Wood 08.25.09 3:29 PM
Nashville’s number-one guy is its most consistent superstar: On American Saturday Night, Paisley extends a hot streak began with 2003’s Mud on the Tires, singing about regular life in the USA wit and charm that make suburbs sound like heaven on earth.
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