Fall Out Boy: American Beauty / American Psycho
Fall Out Boy version II makes a bid for the continued evolution of their sound. A mostly entertaining work emerges from this creative maelstrom.
Kevin Catchpole
Guster: Evermotion
Guster takes a leap forward while remembering what makes them a strong band, working the best of then and now into Evermotion.
Tim McGraw: Sundown Heaven Town
On album 13, and album two since extracting himself from his Curb contract, Tim McGraw is in his element and doing what he does best.
Blake Shelton: Bringing Back the Sunshine
On Bringing Back the Sunshine, Blake Shelton brings back more of the same.
Dilated Peoples: Directors of Photography
After an eight-year gap, Dilated Peoples are back and picking up right where they left off.
La Roux: Trouble in Paradise
The collaborators are different, but the voice is just as strong, and has only gotten better with time.
Sarah McLachlan: Shine On
The pain of her past album buried, Sarah McLachlan is back with the vibrant, upbeat Shine On.
311: Stereolithic
311 prove that sometimes sticking with what you do best can yield great results.
Pharrell: G I R L
Pharrell is talented, no doubt, but on solo disc No. 2 this talent seems thoroughly out to lunch.
The Fray: Helios
The Fray are a talented band, but album number four yields mostly more of the same.
Xiu Xiu: Angel Guts, Red Classroom
Stripping down to the core elements can reveal a whole new sound for some bands. For Xiu Xiu, it makes a band already invested in creating intentionally difficult music sound too difficult to be worthwhile.
Skinny Puppy: The Greater Wrong of the Right
Skinny Puppy put out a paint-by-numbers 2004 disc, and that's a-okay here.