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Teenage Fanclub, "Shadows"
June 25, 2010 12:36 PM EDT 0 0 0 Anyone still waiting around for Teenage Fanclub to deliver "Bandwagonesque Part II" hasn't been paying attention to the deeply satisfying latter half of the Scottish rock band's career. "Shadows," only the third Fanclub ...
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Blitzen Trapper, "Destroyer of the Void"
June 25, 2010 12:25 PM EDT 0 0 0 Bringing back the ersatz brand of Americana that defined 2008 release "Furr," rock act Blitzen Trapper again channels a variety of sounds from the '60s through the '80s to meld its own genre on its latest release, "Destroyer ...
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Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, "Grace Potter & the Nocturnals"
June 25, 2010 12:14 PM EDT 0 0 0 Grace Potter & the Nocturnals ' new self-titled release finds frontwoman Potter and her band in full bloom, hammering out hook-heavy rock tracks with a confident, natural sound. Opening track "Paris" sets a feisty tone, proving th ...
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Lil Jon, "Crunk Rock"
June 25, 2010 11:56 AM EDT 0 0 0 "The ladies say there ain't enough songs for them to dance to," Atlanta rapper Lil Jon exclaims on "Work It Out" (featuring Pitbull ), an aptly upbeat track off his often-delayed new album, "Crunk Rock." And he ...
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Hanson, "Shout It Out"
June 25, 2010 11:38 AM EDT 0 0 0 Long before the first Jonas Brothers album hit the shelves, another sibling trio reigned supreme. Hanson brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac may still be widely known for their playful 1997 pop hit, "MMMBop," but the trio's fifth studio al ...
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Dierks Bentley, "Up on the Ridge"
June 25, 2010 11:29 AM EDT 0 0 0 The surest way to scare country radio programmers is to hand them something that puts the genre's roots in the storefront window. If that's true, then Dierks Bentley 's latest album, "Up on the Ridge," is the aural equivalen ...
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Various Artists, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Soundtrack"
June 25, 2010 11:15 AM EDT 0 0 0 After contributing an album cut and a remix, respectively, to the two previous "Twilight" soundtracks, Muse crops up on the franchise's third installment with a new song, "Neutron Star Collison (Love Is Forever)," that perfe ...
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Kylie Minogue, "Aphrodite"
June 25, 2010 11:02 AM EDT 0 0 0 "Dance/It's all I wanna do," Kylie Minogue tells us on "All the Lovers," the opening track of her 11th studio album, "Aphrodite." And with electronic specialist Stuart Price ( Madonna , Seal ) at the helm as execut ...
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Sleigh Bells, "Treats"
June 18, 2010 3:52 PM EDT 0 0 0 Make no mistake: Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells is loud, raucous and unapologetic. Members Alexis Krauss (vocals) and Derek Miller (guitarist/programmer) prove it on debut album "Treats," from the hard-hitting drum machine and soaring guitar ri ...
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The-Dream, "Love King"
June 18, 2010 3:49 PM EDT 0 0 0 Rounding out the deceptively powerful trilogy that's already given us 2007's "Love/Hate" and last year's "Love vs Money," the-Dream sticks to his signature future-soul sound on "Love King," which the sing ...
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Taio Cruz, "Rokstarr"
June 18, 2010 3:45 PM EDT 0 0 0 On his second album, "Rokstarr," British pop-soul artist Taio Cruz croons about the highs and lows of love over a wide variety of electronic-influenced beats. Cruz's vocal delivery is most impressive on the single "Dirty Picture& ...
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Stone Temple Pilots, "Stone Temple Pilots"
June 18, 2010 3:37 PM EDT 0 0 0 The Stone Temple Pilots ' new self-titled album--its sixth studio release and first since "Shangri-La Dee Da" in 2001--perfectly showcases the veteran rock act's bold musicianship and songwriting know-how. The 12-song set display ...
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Born Ruffians, "Say It"
June 18, 2010 3:31 PM EDT 0 0 0 Born Ruffians reintroduced the forgotten concept of straightforward, no-fuss indie rock with its 2008 debut, "Red, Yellow & Blue." The band takes a similar approach on its latest album, "Say It"-but this time around, the musi ...
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Hawthorne Heights, "Skeletons"
June 18, 2010 3:28 PM EDT 0 0 0 Following the 2007 death of Hawthorne Heights guitarist/ vocalist Casey Calvert, the post-hardcore act took a more mainstream direction, applying poppier melodies and scream-free vocals to its 2008 album, "Fragile Future." But after a leng ...
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Jack Johnson, "To The Sea"
June 18, 2010 2:50 PM EDT 0 0 0 The latest album from chronically laid-back surf-rocker Jack Johnson , "To the Sea," is so down-to-earth that it could only be recorded using 100% solar power. A natural progression from 2008 release "Sleep Through the Static," t ...
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Leela James, "My Soul"
June 18, 2010 2:33 PM EDT 0 0 0 Leela James grabbed attention with her arresting but uneven 2005 debut, "A Change Is Gonna Come." And her voice- a gritty, soulfully booming force of nature- provided that proof. On her 2009 covers album, "Let's Do It Again," ...
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Sergio Mendes, "Bon Tempo"
June 18, 2010 1:37 PM EDT 0 0 0 Summer, soccer and Sergio Mendes . Whether or not Mendes planned for his newest album, "Bon Tempo" (Good Time), to come out on the eve of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it's an ideal trifecta. On the set, the bandleader known for his blend ...
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The Futureheads, "The Chaos"
June 18, 2010 1:31 PM EDT 0 0 0 With lyrical themes of global economic distress and romantic bliss, British pop-punk band the Futureheads bring a more refined sound to its fourth album, "The Chaos." But the group's punchy passion is still intact as it delves into th ...
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Crystal Castles, "Crystal Castles"
June 16, 2010 10:23 AM EDT 0 0 0 Electronic duo Crystal Castles generally operates in two distinct modes--its songs are either angry dancefloor scorchers built around videogame blips or expansive shoegaze numbers that sail off upon waves of synth lines. Although the group's 20 ...
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Marina & the Diamonds, "The Family Jewels"
June 11, 2010 1:45 PM EDT 0 0 0 Some pop singers have plenty of attitude but lack the pipes to back it up. Not so with British singer Marina Diamandis, who performs under the moniker Marina & the Diamonds . On her debut album, "The Family Jewels," Diamandis backs up ...
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Herbie Hancock, "The Imagine Project"
June 11, 2010 1:20 PM EDT 0 0 0 Whether Herbie Hancock 's newest release, "The Imagine Project," wins the album of the year Grammy Award in 2011 (he received the honor in 2008 for "River: The Joni Letters"), it's certainly eligible for some sort of fr ...
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Jamie Lidell, "Compass"
June 11, 2010 1:00 PM EDT 0 0 0 British retro-soul crooner Jamie Lidell 's fourth album, "Compass," takes listeners down an electro-funk path blazed by its fair share of rock collaborators. The set heralds the return of frequent Lidell cohorts Feist and Chilly Gonza ...
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Janelle Monáe, "The ArchAndroid"
June 11, 2010 12:39 PM EDT 0 0 0 As her cyborg alter-ego Cindi Mayweather, eccentric 24-year-old singer Janelle Monáe embarks on a sprawling journey of futuristic pop marked with the wonderment of a Pixar epic on her latest album, "The ArchAndroid." With a vast array of m ...
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The Black Keys, "Brothers"
June 11, 2010 12:34 PM EDT 0 0 0 It takes a tight musical alliance to forge a complete rock sound without full band support. In that sense, singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Pat Carney, who make up the blues-rock duo the Black Keys , are true soul brothers. Entirely produce ...
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LCD Soundsystem, "This Is Happening"
June 11, 2010 12:27 PM EDT 0 0 0 LCD Soundsystem principal James Murphy is at his cynical best on the act's third album, "This Is Happening." Backed by colorful electronic textures, infectious basslines and futuristic rock melodies, the singer/ producer conveys the h ...
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Tracey Thorn, "Love and Its Opposite"
June 11, 2010 12:22 PM EDT 0 0 0 Everything but the Girl 's Tracey Thorn has a voice that is lush and haunting, while also understated and relatable. It's such a touching instrument that it barely needs accompaniment. Thorn's third solo album, "Love and Its Oppo ...
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Reflection Eternal, "Revolutions Per Minute"
June 11, 2010 12:15 PM EDT 0 0 0 Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli and Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek , who comprise the hip-hop duo Reflection Eternal, have sporadically collaborated since their 2000 debut album, "Train of Thought." But despite their notable work apart, Kweli and ...
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Nas & Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, "Distant Relatives"
June 11, 2010 12:11 PM EDT 0 0 0 It's tempting to focus primarily on the messages of the collaborative debut between rapper Nas and reggae royalty Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley . "Distant Relatives" centers on Africa as the origin of and link among civilizations ...
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Charice, "Charice"
June 04, 2010 4:12 PM EDT 0 0 0 This young lady can definitely sing. That's the first impression that hits home as you listen to the 18-year-old Filipino sensation--and Oprah Winfrey fave--belt her heart out. Charice is making waves with catchy dance-pop single "Pyramid& ...
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Marc Anthony, "Iconos"
June 04, 2010 4:08 PM EDT 0 0 0 Covers albums can be a major risk, or an easy out. For Marc Anthony , here tackling songs that have been major hits--classics, actually--throughout Latin America and whose original performers are still alive and well, the repertoire choice was risky ...
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Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, "Mojo"
June 04, 2010 4:06 PM EDT 0 0 0 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers have always been a rock'n'roll band. But "Mojo," a mostly blues-rock opus clocking in at nearly 65 minutes, is for those who've been waiting for the long-lived group to let the throttle out ...
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Diego Torres, "Distinto"
June 04, 2010 3:54 PM EDT 0 0 0 Argentine singer Diego Torres ' first studio album in three years, "Distinto" (Different), showcases an edgier, more aggressive artist who's willing to step outside the bounds of pop with just the right degree of experimentation. ...
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Holy Fuck, "Latin"
June 04, 2010 3:49 PM EDT 0 0 0 With a brand of electronica that's almost as aggressive as its moniker, Holy Fuck is definitely not for music fans with delicate sensibilities. The Toronto-based collective goes all out on its third album, "Latin," which features lead ...
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CocoRosie, "Grey Oceans"
June 04, 2010 3:47 PM EDT 0 0 0 Mixing opera, electronica and folk genres, eccentric sister duo CocoRosie 's fourth album, "Grey Oceans," is undoubtedly strange, but musically complex and fascinating. With Celtic and Asian overtones, the song "Smokey Taboo" ...
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Sage Francis, "Li(f)e"
June 04, 2010 3:44 PM EDT 0 0 0 Providence, R.I.-based indie rapper Sage Francis gets more personal than usual on his dynamic fourth album, "Li(f)e." Francis--who wears multiple hats as a spoken-word artist, MC and impassioned rocker--employs a versatile style on the set ...
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Jonathan Butler, "So Strong"
June 04, 2010 3:39 PM EDT 0 0 0 Jonathan Butler 's 15th album, "So Strong," signals the South African native's first urban record in several years. Its jaunty fusion of R&B, gospel, jazz and Latin rhythms provides a fitting accompaniment to a theme througho ...
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Otis Taylor, "Clovis People, Vol. 3"
June 04, 2010 3:36 PM EDT 0 0 0 For the record, Otis Taylor never recorded two other volumes of "Clovis People" albums. And while there really was an ancient civilization known as the Clovis People, none of the 12 songs here are about them. But Taylor likes to keep his l ...
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The Dead Weather, "Sea of Cowards"
June 04, 2010 3:28 PM EDT 0 0 0 Less than a year after debuting the Dead Weather with last summer's "Horehound," Jack White is back with a second set from the Nashville-based psych-blues supergroup, which also features members of the Kills , the Raconteurs and Queen ...
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Matt Kennon, "Matt Kennon"
June 01, 2010 10:29 AM EDT 0 0 0 Matt Kennon got his first taste of acceptance in country music when Randy Travis recorded his song "Turn It Around." On Kennon's self-titled debut, the artist demonstrates there's as much substance and emotion in his singing as i ...
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The National, "High Violet"
June 01, 2010 10:26 AM EDT 0 0 0 Brooding Brooklyn indie-rock band the National arrives at its fifth studio album, "High Violet," in a precarious position. Because 2007 breakthrough set "Boxer" featured breathtakingly quiet arrangements and a more self-contained ...
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Devo, "Something for Everybody"
June 01, 2010 10:22 AM EDT 0 0 0 Devo 's ninth studio album, "Something for Everybody," is more than the new wave art rockers' first record in 20 years--it's an ongoing multimedia, performance-art-project-slash-marketing-campaign designed to reintroduce the ...
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Ana Tijoux, "1977"
June 01, 2010 10:20 AM EDT 0 0 0 Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux's latest album, "1977," is titled for the year she was born and it plays like the diary of a young woman. An introspective lyricist with a low voice that makes the listener want to lean in closer, Tijoux has ...
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Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, "Uni-5: The World's Enemy"
June 01, 2010 10:17 AM EDT 0 0 0 The original members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (including longtime collaborator DJ U-Neek, who was absent from the group's 2007 album, "Strength & Loyalty") have reunited for the first time in 15 years to record its newest set, &quo ...
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Tonic, "Tonic"
June 01, 2010 10:14 AM EDT 0 0 0 Eight years since the release of its last studio album, alternative rock trio Tonic returns with a folkier sound on its self-titled fourth album. The set has a brighter, rootsier feel than much of Tonic's past material, but the group's bro ...
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Meat Loaf, "Hang Cool Teddy Bear"
June 01, 2010 10:10 AM EDT 0 0 0 With Rob Cavallo, who produced Green Day 's 2004 rock opera "American Idiot" onboard, it's no surprise that Meat Loaf 's latest album, "Hang Cool Teddy Bear," is fit for the stage. But while old-school rap nods and ...
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Stereo Total, "Baby Ouh!"
June 01, 2010 10:06 AM EDT 0 0 0 Stereo Total 's newest release, "Baby Ouh!," serves up the French-German electro-pop duo's biggest helping of kitsch and quirk to date. But band members Françoise Cactus and Brezel Göring might've gone overboard this time ar ...
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Flying Lotus, "Cosmogramma"
June 01, 2010 10:03 AM EDT 0 0 0 Flying Lotus ' third album, "Cosmogramma," is a strangely cohesive amalgam of exotic sounds. On the new set, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2008 album "Los Angeles," the underground California beat-head balances t ...
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Toni Braxton, "Pulse"
June 01, 2010 10:01 AM EDT 0 0 0 In recent years, Toni Braxton has had label issues, health problems and other difficulties that put her music career on hold. Five years after her last release, "Libra," the 42-year-old singer is back with her sixth studio album, "Pul ...
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MercyMe, "The Generous Mr. Lovewell"
May 21, 2010 3:37 PM EDT 0 0 0 From the buoyant opener "This Life" to the brief but eloquent closer "This So Called Love," MercyMe 's sixth studio album, "The Generous Mr. Lovewell," is a beautifully executed set that celebrates how the power of ...
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Godsmack, "The Oracle"
May 21, 2010 3:23 PM EDT 0 0 0 A pause has certainly refreshed the members of Godsmack , who've been on a recording hiatus since 2006's sonically adventurous "IV." But the New England headbangers have returned with a sinewy, muscular set that harks back to the ...
