Album Reviews NICK jaina Monday, Aug. 29Binary Dolls leadman argues that misery sought is still misery.[FOLK] "I've always willfully put myself into painful situations," says Nick Jaina, looking every bit the sad b ...   More

Album Reviews album reviewDevil's Music The Quags (Remote Listening Records)Dually characterized as a "good old-fashioned four-piece rock band," and "power pop" (two very different realms, in my mind), Portland's Q ...   More

Album Reviews THREESOME FOR SINGLES ONLY: our 2 cents on where to spend your 99 centsBoom Bip feat. Nina Nastasia, "The Matter (of Our Discussion)" from Blue Eyed in the Red RoomOver Boom Bip's rolling desert sound ...   More

Album Reviews NudgeCached (Kranky)NUDGE: WHO ARE THESE GUYS? ALSO: I JUST WANT TO DANCE-IS THAT SO WRONG?Cached begins benignly enough: "Classic Mode" introduces the record with a sparkling little psychedelic summe ...   More

Album Reviews The EpoxiesStop the Future (Fat Wreck Chords)ROXY EPOXY LEADS HER ARMY OF ELECTRICAL-TAPE-WEARING COMRADES IN A NEW WAVE THROWDOWN. SOUNDS EXCITING, HUH? IT AIN'T.Yodeling was never considered sexy un ...   More

Album Reviews The Mountain GoatsThe Sunset Tree (4AD)NEVER LACKING A DITTY OR A HORRIBLE STORY FROM HIS YOUTH, JOHN DARNIELLE RELEASES HIS 13TH ALBUM AS THE MOUNTAIN GOATS.Why can't every album be like this? Why ca ...   More

Album Reviews MobyHotel (V2)MOBY'S HOTEL HASN'T BEEN RENOVATED SINCE 1995, AND THOSE STAINS ON THE SHEETS JUST AREN'T THAT APPEALING.Moby's 1995 album, Everything Is Wrong, proved that electronic music could be hea ...   More

Album Reviews Crooked FingersDignity and Shame (Merge)ERIC BACHMANN STICKS OUT HIS NECK AND SINGS TO THE HEAVENS, INDUCING BOTH CRINGES AND WONDER.On every record he makes, Eric Bachmann pushes his instantly recogn ...   More

Album Reviews BeckGuero (Interscope)WHITE BOY BECK ABSORBENT AS EVER, SPEAKING FROM THE BARRIO TO THE POP CHARTS.An artist like Beck could only exist in a world where Latinos love Morrissey, American kids love Japa ...   More

Album Reviews 50 CentThe Massacre (Interscope)50 CENT GETS RICH, AND WE WILL NOW DIE TRYIN' TO GET HIM TO QUIT.A couple of years ago 50 Cent slammed onto the scene with all the right ingredients for success-a good ...   More