RSSConsumer Guide by Review Date: 2012-05-12
2012-05-12
Katy B: On a Mission (Columbia, 2011) The Diana Ross to Adele's Aretha Franklin, the Vicki Sue Robinson to Adele's Gloria Gaynor, or--most likely--the Vicki Sue Robinson to Adele's Gladys Knight ("Katy on a Mission," "Why You Always Here") ★★★
Chromeo: Business Casual (Big Beat/Atlantic/Vice, 2010) Great move to bring Solange in midway through, only she immediately steps to the front of the personality parade ("When the Night Falls," "Night by Night") ★★★
Lana Del Rey: Born to Die (Polydor, 2012) Convincing and occasionally compelling proof that money can't buy happiness ("Video Games," "This Is What Makes Us Girls") ★
Santigold: Master of My Make-Believe (Atlantic/Downtown, 2012) Deep in neither beats nor conceits ("Disparate Youth," "Go!") ★★
SBTRKT: SBTRKT (Young Turks, 2011) Hot Chip he's not, though from what I hear he's hiring ("Wildfire," "Something Goes Right") ★★
Tracey Thorn: Love and Its Opposite (Merge, 2010) IDM, midlife midtempo edition ("Singles Bar," "Hormones") ★★
The Ting Tings: Sounds From Nowheresville (Columbia, 2012) Fun enough example of arty equaling shallow and maybe vice versa ("Guggenheim," "Day to Day") ★
Blow Your Head Vol. 2: Dave Nada Presents Moombahton (Downtown/Mad Decent, 2011) I love one of these fashioners of listenable reggaeton derivatives so much that he tempts me to fib about the others (Dillon Francis, "Masta Blasta"; Dillon Francis & Diplo Featuring Maluca, "Que Que") ★★★