Plants And Animals -- Parc Avenue

  These cutsie-poutsie Montrealers sound like a Lo-Fi Coldplay with a hint of their local contemporaries The Arcade Fire, it makes me wanna hit Parc and chill on Mount Royal.

Akron/ Family -- Love Is Simple

  This album is confusing to me, it's part really good and part really bad, but I couldn't help thinking that if Mumford and Sons didn't suck and weren't cheesy is this what they would sound like ...

Animal Collective -- Merriweather Post Pavilion

  Oh God I know some of my friends are going to want to dick punch me for this review because this band seems to be quite popular.  Admittedly there are some interesting elements to their music but for the most part I didn't like this release at all, I kept thinking, "what is this, the sh*tty Flaming Lips?"  Sorry but whatever Psych-Folk Avant-Guarde they are selling, I ain't buyin'!   

Caribou -- Andorra

  Apart from two duds I had to skip, I really enjoyed this Beatles-esque Indie Pop release, made me think of a pre-Tame Impala sound.

King Khan And The Shrines -- The Supreme Genius Of ...

  These guys brought, Garage Revival music, back from it's gloomy repetitive grave, by mixing the ferocious Psych Punk of The Fuzztones with a touches of Psychedelic Soul, making a true testament to Rock 'n' Roll.

Grizzly Bear -- Yellow House

  F*ck man I really love this deam-folk-indie-gazer album, it's very diverse while each song is woven  together giving it a whole feeling.  I think that Yellow House will stand up to the test of time nicely, but we'll just have to wait and see. 

Beach House -- Teen Dream

  Don't get me wrong I liked this album, but I have to say all these Indie hipster bands are starting to sound alike to me.  It was a good effort, but sounds forced.

Plasticland -- Make Yourself A Happening Machine

  These Garage  rock revivalist may not be the leaders of the pack, but they do bring something to the table that no other Revival band has attempted, mixing 60's fuzz with 70's Kraut.  Lyrically they have a David Byrne-esque daily living theme.  Personally their numbers are either hit or miss, but interesting nonetheless.

The Stranglers -- Rattus Norvegicus

  The Pink Floydian older brothers of Punk Rock's debut album and their best, a must hear for music lovers if you can dare!

Bikini Kill -- Reject All American

  My personal favorite Bikini Kill release.  What makes it the best is that it not only features their usual ferocious Hardcore Punk, but also a Indie Rock side, proving that Riot Grrrls can be cute too! 

New Orleans Funk

  Right on ... New Orleans, the city that defined what it is to be a Funk-ateer!  None of the tracks miss a beat (he..he) on this three LP set.  I have a hard time keeping count of how many times there has been some seriously hilarious drunken dance-off to Ernie K. Doe's Here Comes The Girls.  No matter how hard life can get this album will get you outta your Funk (HA!)!

Fritz The Cat

  Mostly filled with bad 60's style groovy muzak, with the exception of Bo Diddley and Billie Holiday.  Honestly this is a tough one to listen to in one sitting, but the cover is basically what you are paying for ... it's a good one to hang on the wall, part of your Crumb paraphernalia collection.

Anoushka Shankar -- Live At Carnegie Hall

  Not only is she beautiful, but plays the sitar in the spirit of her father, it may not have the same spiritual power Ravi brought to the world, but it keeps the culture alive in our western eyes.

The Germs -- What We Do Is Bootleg

  LA Hardcore Punk luminaries, the Germs, led by the tragic, suicidal, Sid Vicious worshiping Darby Crash.  This album is broken up in two ways, one studio side, which is mostly produced by Jack Nitzsche, which is a feat in itself and a huge honor, plus guest producer Joan Jett, then side two is a live recording of unlistenable banality ... all in all it's a great f*cking record! 

Death From Above 1979 -- You're A Woman, I'm a Machine

  This Six Finger Satellite-d duo does a cute homage to the original Noise Punkers, but honestly I can't remember any of their tunes except mega hit Black History Month.

The Stone Roses

  The album that put New Wave music on it's knees, it marked the end of a genre and the beginning of a new era, if you've never heard this before, which I hopefully doubt, listen to it RIGHT NOW!

The Four Seasons -- Edizione d'Oro

  This double album set spans the Four Seasons career from 62' to 68'.  There's a Spectorized quality to the Season's early hit, but their sound couldn't go too far, and god knows they tried to keep up with the times, but could hardly compete with their contemporaries.

Echo & The Bunnymen

  Sorry, I usually really love this band, but this U2 sounding piece of sh*t, "is fit for the pit!" 

The Datsuns

  A resurgence of 70's style Metal ... just think of a modernized Led Zeppelin.  Although the album is fun and pretty good, the only number to really write home about is the Garage Punk Harmonic Generator.

Smashing Pumpkins -- Siamese Dream

  Even though this album marks their height of popularity and borderlined jock-rock at the time ... I love it ... it's got a bitchin' Shoegazed Paisley Psychedelia sound to it that catches you off guard and demands to be taken seriously.

Depeche Mode -- Violator

  This is in my mind the ultimate Depeche Mode album ... it just has that feeling of the culmination of what they've been doing all those years and here's the plateau!

The Youngbloods -- The Bes Of ...

  Ok ok there are some cheesy flaky hippie bullsh*t moments on this album, but you know what, there are some real great tunes too.  I wouldn't file this under heavily recommended, but if your a 60's freak and passed them up because of Get Together, give it another try ...

The Undead -- Dawn Of The ...

  The band from the guy who was too punk for the Misfits ... they booted (he .. he) him out after some lewd behavior that caused the loss of a toe.  Anyway ... Bobby Steele went on to form his own Troggs inspired horror punk band, this album serves as a comprehensive of those early recordings, some are good, some are bad, but all of it is worth your while. 

Indochine -- 3

  These guys are basically the french Cure and honestly I used to love this sh*t years ago, but lately I have a hard time sitting through one song.  This album brings me back to a nostalgic happier time, chillin' in night clubs, dancing with beautiful girls and being surrounded by interesting people ... you know the days before adulthood and responsibility ...  

Nick Cave & The Bad Seed -- The Good Son

  What happens when The Birthday Party meets Frank Sinatra and Tom Waits in a dark alley ... The Good Son.  Theoretically that sounds like it would be awesome, but actually isn't ...

Modest Mouse -- We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank

  Man ... I always found the singers voice annoying, but I thought since Johnny Marr plays guitar on this album maybe it won't be so bad ... I was wrong ... it's worse!

John Lee Hooker -- Mad Man Blues

  Within the throws of an existentially fueled depression it's hard not to try and find something that would make you feel better, worse or merely understood.  There is nothing like a legendary bluesman to coerce your mind out of the pit of despaired loneliness.  John Lee has the ability to appeal to our timeless raw emotions, he is a man in touch with pure feeling, whether it's good, bad or ugly, add in his striking voice and killer guitar playing -- you've got something irreplaceable!

Mother Mother -- Eureka

  So there I was having a complete nervous breakdown, luckily for me my friend was in the same boat at the same time, we wallowed in our collective misery together.  Her distraction to my overwhelming anxiety was showing me Mother Mother videos, trying to gain my minds focus on the pretty girls in the band ... which somewhat worked on my dirty mind ... but at the same time I was having a problem getting over their 80's obsessed Disco sound, I always wondered why people flock to one of the worst era's of all time, not saying there wasn't good sh*t, but it's a definite low point for humanity.  Honestly I'm not even sure that the tracks she was playing for me were from this album ... but let's just say they were!