Best Indie Rock
They're drawn by songs like "Ho Hey" and "Stubborn Love," Americana-inflected barn burners in the vein of the Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm not very good at writing about music but if you like stuff like the Avett Brothers or Low Anthem or The Head & the Heart I'm pretty sure you will like this."
"If I had to characterize The Lumineers, I'd say they're similar to Bright Eyes, except 10 times better and a tenth as annoyingly self-infatuated."
"Submarines is what really caught my attention as well as Ho, Hey. If you, like me, sometimes want to find a new band/artist to stimulate your musical taste, I would not hesitate to recommend The Lumineers."
"Fame found them, but when you watch them or listen to their music, you appreciate how deeply they care about their music."
"I may never have bought it if wasn't that low. Yes, the stand out song is 'Ho Hey', but as much as I listen to that song, I find myself equally drawn to 'Submarines' with its upbeat warm feeling. Kind of gives me that warm feeling of being wrapped up in a blanket on a cold morning. Another song worth mentioning is 'Stubborn Love' with its haunting cello. While I do think it's somewhat of a sad sounding song, it somehow keeps drawing me in. In my opinion, if I had just bought one song, namely 'Ho Hey', I would have cheated myself out of an entire listening experience."
"They all have a catchy pure sound and make me smile; Flower in Your Hair is my 2nd favorite so far! I'm looking forward to playing this CD over and over during short trips to work, home, etc."
"Amazing album, amazing band!"
"Great CD!!!"
Vessel is a complex collection of songs that shows why twenty one pilots was added to Fueled By Ramen's extremely selective roster.
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Lana Del Rey proudly presents the highly anticipated BORN TO DIE, featuring the hit singles "Video Games" and "Blue Jeans".
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Some of my personal favorites are "Off To The Races", "Dark Paradise" and "Summertime Sadness". As the end of 2012 nears, Lana is on all kinds of lists of nominees for awards but NOT Grammy. In some ways, that makes her cooler and more mystique or whatever ... but there is something wrong with that. In the absence of Grammy nomination, in my book Lana remains the best BY FAR of all artists that came out this year."
"I think what has put some people off is that these songs (which are at their core, very melodic and catchy) are dressed up in multiple levels of production. This production is what led to the infamous SNL performance; people were rooting for the singer to fail, and in some ways she did. Speaking just for her album, though, I give credit to Del Rey, her songwriters and producers; the music here is multilayered and tasteful. The first four tracks of the album in particular ("Born to Die," "Off to the Races," "Blue Jeans," and "Video Games") showcase a fantastic accessibility. "Dark Paradise" laments the passing of a lover, and even though the singer claims to wish to die, there is interesting, emotional stuff at work here."
"Going to force my future grandkids to listen to this on my turntable contraption that should've died out decades ago."
"I love this album."
"Lana brings a different sound.Kinda interesting how she brings a song together.Really like the different sound.I will buy more of her albums."
"I can recall seeing Florence and the Machine's first performance on SNL as not perfect either (their second performance on SNL from the cerimonials album was much better). Anyhow, I took a listen to all the tracks on my paid online streaming service, I thought it was very interesting."
"They played on my record player, but the sound was very warped because the records weren't flat."
Best Rock
Arctic Monkeys release their fifth album, entitled AM .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Love this band."
"This was actually my favorite album of 2013.. which consisted of some really great and lesser known artists coming out with some really great albums."
"You sometimes forget that such talent exists in music now-a-days and listening to the album reminds me that there are true artists out there still."
"I have always loved the Arctic Monkeys - just got this CD to have a tangible copy."
"This album is addictive."
"But with "AM", Arctic Monkeys have finally produced a sound that is unique to them, and after this record, I believe most criticisms of this band trying to "rip off" other artists will cease."
"Good verging on great, I still prefer other artists in this genre, but the 'Arctic Monkeys' have earned a place on my playlist."
"Kicking it off with Do I wanna know and then goung on to tracks like R U Mine and Arabella ,this album just delivers . Going on to some later tracks it slows down a bit , then catches up again when "why do you only call em when you're high' which I had to replay a couple of times before moving on to the next song ."
Best Alt-Country & Americana
25th Anniversary Edition.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've listened to Wilco casually over the last 10 or so years, in fact I owned this album on a poorly care for swap meet compact disc. I knew I liked Wilco so when I started to collect vinyl LP's again one of the first two albums I ordered was "A.M.". Without going into review critical territory I'm really not qualified to venture into, I'll say it's different, it's more of everything great that the cd I owned was not."
"I'd feel guilty and ungrateful if I didn't give YHF it's due praise on Amazon."
"There are some great pop songs on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot but that's just the beginning."
"Ironically, the more popular songs from the CD(heavy metal drummer) I don't find as interesting, though they may be more melodious. The best songs on the CD, however, are "Radio Cure" and "Ashes of American Flags" with amazing lyrics, and slow but mesmorizing melodies."
"I bought this as it was on many recommended lists."
"Just an great CD."
"Which is to let you know that coming to this album completely out of the blue, on the basis of great reviews, hype and friends who are fans, I'd have to say this album is pure genius."
Best Indie Music
The vinyl edition of Nirvanas hit album, NEVERMIND, which helped usher in the Grunge era of the 1990s.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What can I say about Nirvana's Never mind CD?"
"Grew up with Nirvana and GLAD to get my hand on this Deluxe Edition Duel CD!!!"
"Im not sure the remastered version sounds any better than the original but it does sound good."
"My album collection is purely for my enjoyment, I don't worry at all about potential resale value."
"Bought for my Daughter...Big Nirvana fan!"
"I love this album now as much as when it first came out."
"Great rock band, great music!"
"Sigh."
Best Alternative Rock
Blurryface is the much anticipated second studio album from twenty one pilots.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"One of the bigger breakout sensations of the past few years from the indie band circuit, Twenty One Pilots (or TOP, as I will frequently refer to them from here on) are also an increasingly polarizing band, as a perusal of the early reviews for their second studio album Blurryface will verify. While some see Blurryface as a continuance of growth and maturity from Vessel, others see it as a step back, a disappointment compared to what they showed they were capable of in their previous albums (they have two very popular self-released albums that preceed Vessel: a self titled album, and the now unavailable Regional at Best.). Once the lyrical depth really hit me, which actually happened while listening to a song from their self-titled album titled "Addict With a Pen", I fell hard and fast for TOP, and have been trying to "share the love" with as many family and friends as I can ever since! Stressed Out, Lane Boy, and Ride all were released in advance of the album, in three consecutive weeks leading up to today, the album's official release date (though it actually ended up coming out yesterday.). Whether you fall into the camp of this being a great album, or just an okay or good album, will probably hinge somewhat on how you feel about artists mixing it up, and deviating from their signature sound. For instance, Imagine Dragons created a similar rift of opinion with their release of Smoke + Mirrors earlier this year, which featured almost as many different kinds of songs as it had tracks, and most of them weren't like what made them popular in their first studio album Night Visions. I'm going to do a brief track by track overview, so if you already feel your patience with this review wearing thin, just skip down to the final paragraph to get my final verdict on this album! Heavydirtysoul - TOP is known for bringing it on their album opening tracks, and this one is certainly no exception! I wasn't crazy about this track upon first listen, but after many repeated listens, it has moved up my favor almost as fast as the beat moves the song along! Stressed Out - If any song on this album can be described as a "typical" twenty one pilots song, this would be it. The "character" of Blurryface is introduced in this song, and will make a few more appearances throughout the rest of the album, as he is what Joseph refers to (in various interviews discussing the album) as the personification of his insecurities, doubts, and fears. Tear in My Heart - When TOP fans were online prior to this track's release, speculating about what it would be about, some people specifically said that "They said they'd never do a love song", so it can't be that. My favorite song on the album, and bonus points for being the song that finally convinced my wife to like twenty one pilots! This song deals with the record industry, and takes not so subtle digs at the way it's run, and the expectations that get put on artists to put out certain types of "common" songs, which Joseph admits there are a couple of on this album. Not one of my favorites from the album, but still a very good track. The Judge - One of the things that TOP did that was very popular on Vessel, is having a couple of songs that featured the ukulele, and that is back here on Blurryface, first on this upbeat track. It's a solid track, no doubt, but it's meaning is more ambiguous than normal (that's saying something for a TOP song! ), as some insist it's a song about Tyler singing towards his band-mate and drummer Josh, while others, like myself, feel it makes more sense if it's another "love song" to Jenna. Message Man - I have a feeling this is going to be my "Migraine track" on Blurryface - a song that most of the TOP fans love, and list amongst their favorites, and I am only so-so about, and list it towards the bottom for that album. Hometown - After what has been (for me) a string of solid but unspectacular tracks, things take a sharp turn, and my second favorite song on the album drops in! Hometown is another one of the divisive tracks on this album that some people love, but a lot of TOP fans list towards the bottom of their favorites, due to its radical departure from "typical" twenty one pilots sound. Being a fan of all of those artists, I am naturally a big fan of this track, and while it does stray from the style TOP typically deal in, it works here, and I wouldn't mind seeing another track or two like this in future albums - provided there aren't many more than that. Not Today - This is another peppy, upbeat track, in the vein of The Judge (minus ukulele), with bouncing piano and drums driving it along as Joseph sings about a subject he describes in the song as being "down", thus making the music a contradiction. Goner - Tyler Joseph has written a plethora of emotional songs over the years for twenty one pilots, and even refers to him and his fans the Skeleton Clique as "the few, the proud, and the emotional" on Fairly Local. I hope it was of help to you (even if you skipped the track by track portion), and that it offers a solid basis for my belief that this is one of the best releases of the year so far, in a year that has been PACKED with excellent new albums by great artists! So while it's definitely a 5 star album in my book, I'll give it a 9 out of 10 and a 1-10 rating scale, as it drags a little bit in my opinion towards the end, through tracks 9-11, and there is too much reliance on "yeahs" and "nos" throughout the album, which I think only "hit" about 50% of the time, and seem like needless filler the remainder of the time."
"I highly recommend buying that CD if you like the hit songs as well as music with a hint of Linkin Park and a hint of 311."
"I thought it would be difficult to follow up an album like Vessel but Twenty One Pilots nailed with authority."
"My Kids are in love with Twenty One Pilots!"
"Each song is unique and doesn't sound like the next."
"I love Twenty One Pilots."
"I honestly feel a little frenzied sometimes because I want to listen to every song at once."
"Had Amazon send a replacement and it did it also."
Best Folk
They're drawn by songs like "Ho Hey" and "Stubborn Love," Americana-inflected barn burners in the vein of the Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm not very good at writing about music but if you like stuff like the Avett Brothers or Low Anthem or The Head & the Heart I'm pretty sure you will like this."
"If I had to characterize The Lumineers, I'd say they're similar to Bright Eyes, except 10 times better and a tenth as annoyingly self-infatuated."
"Submarines is what really caught my attention as well as Ho, Hey. If you, like me, sometimes want to find a new band/artist to stimulate your musical taste, I would not hesitate to recommend The Lumineers."
"Fame found them, but when you watch them or listen to their music, you appreciate how deeply they care about their music."
"I may never have bought it if wasn't that low. Yes, the stand out song is 'Ho Hey', but as much as I listen to that song, I find myself equally drawn to 'Submarines' with its upbeat warm feeling. Kind of gives me that warm feeling of being wrapped up in a blanket on a cold morning. Another song worth mentioning is 'Stubborn Love' with its haunting cello. While I do think it's somewhat of a sad sounding song, it somehow keeps drawing me in. In my opinion, if I had just bought one song, namely 'Ho Hey', I would have cheated myself out of an entire listening experience."
"They all have a catchy pure sound and make me smile; Flower in Your Hair is my 2nd favorite so far! I'm looking forward to playing this CD over and over during short trips to work, home, etc."
"Amazing album, amazing band!"
"Great CD!!!"
Best French Pop
"Digital Love" starts off silly and gets sillier, but the monosyllabic lyrics lull the senses just right, allowing the song's summery groove to grab hold with authority. "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a resounding standout amidst the retro/Vocoder deluge that transpired after Cher's Believe turned the kitchy disco device into a worldwide pop music trend, spinning a clever groove around an ever-escalating string of computerized seduction.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I could listen to this forever, And vinyl really does bring out all the nuances, And I will love it more when I get a new needle for me player."
"Absolutely flawless."
"The art work upon opening the LP is interesting and the LP's are finely pressed... Ok, the songs are stellar and sort of flow into one another making for one cohesive listen... STANDOUT TRACKS: Face to Face, Digital Love, Harder Better Faster Stronger, Something About Us & Aerodynamic..."
"Unfortunately, after receiving my copy of this record, I found a rather unpleasant click/pop that occurred at the beginning of Aerodynamic. To clarify, I borrowed my friend's copy of Discovery and the clicking/popping did not occur as in my two copies!"
"Review for the Music: Amazing."
"C and D appear to actually play reasonably well unlike A. I'll be returning this in hopes I can get a slightly better pressed first disk, but seeing the reviews others have given for their side C problems I'm worried."
"Obviously the album itself is gold, but vinyl buyers beware - you're not gonna be happy with how this sounds."
Best Dance & DJ
"Digital Love" starts off silly and gets sillier, but the monosyllabic lyrics lull the senses just right, allowing the song's summery groove to grab hold with authority. "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a resounding standout amidst the retro/Vocoder deluge that transpired after Cher's Believe turned the kitchy disco device into a worldwide pop music trend, spinning a clever groove around an ever-escalating string of computerized seduction.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I could listen to this forever, And vinyl really does bring out all the nuances, And I will love it more when I get a new needle for me player."
"The art work upon opening the LP is interesting and the LP's are finely pressed... Ok, the songs are stellar and sort of flow into one another making for one cohesive listen... STANDOUT TRACKS: Face to Face, Digital Love, Harder Better Faster Stronger, Something About Us & Aerodynamic..."
"Unfortunately, after receiving my copy of this record, I found a rather unpleasant click/pop that occurred at the beginning of Aerodynamic. To clarify, I borrowed my friend's copy of Discovery and the clicking/popping did not occur as in my two copies!"
"Review for the Music: Amazing."
"Nothing wrong with my copy far as I can tell."
"Love it."
"Obviously the album itself is gold, but vinyl buyers beware - you're not gonna be happy with how this sounds."
Best Electronica
Ocean Eyes is the latest from Owl City.Owl City is an electronica/pop project of Adam Young.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For some bizarre reason, his label chose to release these acoustical pieces under a completely different band named "Sky Sailing". PLEASE go buy Adam Young's album named "An Airplane Carried Me to Bed" and prepare to be completely blown away."
"It came with both discs warped on the edge to where the fist songs on each one of the sides was unplayable."
"I'm a HUGE fan of all things Owl City & was really bummed to lose my old copy of Ocean Eyes because it had one of my favorite songs by the artist on it (If My Heart Was A House)."
"I'm in love with the music."
"Do not get just the regular Ocean Eyes recording because you will be missing out on the bonus songs on the Deluxe Edition."
"I bought this CD without listening to it."
"This is a great vinyl!"
"Owl City never disappoints, and Adam proves his talent once more with this album."
Best Adult Alternative
We had started writing new songs well before we got into the studio to record.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There have been numerous acts (an American idol and a band referencing monsters, to name two) that sound pretty good, but this is the real thing."
"Love Mumford & Sons - you have to love the driving music and the accents and the rough and tumble poetry that they put into song."
"It's completely recognizable as the Simon & Garfunkel standard but Marcus adds a slight tweak to the melody line that makes it fresh and new ."
"As the follow up to the 2009 album, Babel does a lot to impress the listener. The band allows themselves to go quiet at times to paint a picture that is in compliment to what Mumford & Sons has created since their early formation."
"The heartfelt lyrics pierce the soul, at times, and the emotions build with guitars, banjos and even brass to a crescendo befitting the sentiment, never out of place or disjointed."
"Like my other review of this band-I can't listen to them ALL the time-but they are a fun romp when I am ready and always have rollicking tunes and lyrics."
"The band follows Sigh no More with a album that is even larger in sound than the first, a feat I thought impossible."
"When I tried to rip the songs off of the CD the mp3's had the same issue which makes me think it is a defect on how it's imprinted on the CD."