Tyrannosaurus Hives is misleading after an inital spin. Compared to the garage band's second album, 2000's Veni Vidi Vicious, this album is cold and slick, very different from the raw Vicious, which had a basic live sound.
The Roots know they're on the cusp of entering the upper echelon of rap popularity. Forever championed by critics and underground hip-hop fans, the group has scored hits on their past two albums: "You Got Me" from 1999's Things Fall Apart and "The Seed (2.0)" from 2002's Phrenology. The Tipping Point means many things to the band, including that this album may very well decide if this band is accepted by the general hip-hop populace, or left to be appreciated by those who look hard enough for good hip-hop.
Thus, it's rather ballsy that The Tipping Point's first single is "Don't Say Nuthin'," a track in which lead emcee Black Thought rips the bland hip-hop community that isn't saying anything.
The titles on Together We're Heavy, the second album from The Polyphonic Spree, are numbered from 11 to 20, continuing from the first ten sections of the band's debut, The Beginning Stages of... Despite the titling, however, things couldn't be more different on this sophomore effort.
The Spree's debut was originally recorded as a demo, and didn't feature many of the current 21 group members.
Matt Sharp has been in the music business for over a decade, but with the release of his self-titled solo debut, he finds himself back where he started, when he was Weezer's falsetto-singing bassist.
"There were no expectations for that Weezer record," Sharp explains.
Despite the too-easy, self-deprecating title, David Cross' latest comedy CD -- It's Not Funny -- is a hilarious, diverse look at his life, at politics, and at the world.
Aerosmith
Honkin' on Bobo
2 stars
On Aerosmith's new album Honkin' on Bobo, the five rockers take a positive new step -- the album doesn't sound exactly like the band's last few.
Tami Fertig:
Arab Strap
Cherubs
Imagine this: a sweet and simple guitar melody floating lazily atop the slow and steady beat of a drum machine -- over and over and over again.
Coheed and Cambria is "progressive rock, definitely not run-of-the-mill." Occasionally lumped into emo, or emo-core, the group's rock stylings are comparable to those of close friends and frequent tourmates, Thursday and Thrice.