Flak Magazine: Music: Archives

The Future in Pop | 01.22.08
On pop's ever-winding road, critics try to interpret the traffic signs that the car passes too quickly for us to read. What does "the future" really mean, anyway? By Andrew Stout

The Best Music of 2007 Not Made in 2007 | 01.17.08
At the turn of each year, it becomes the music media's job to persuade us that the state of the art has never been better. But examine, for a moment, your own listening in the past year. By Jason Henn and Andrew Stout

They Don't Love You Like We Do | Best Music of 2003 | 02.02.04
Flak's year-end roundup of 2003's best music, in which the only criterion was: "Best" is just a four-letter word. By Flak Staff

Got No Songs on the Radio | Best Music of 2002 | 01.31.03
Twenty-one tunes that turned our world in 2002, some available for download. By Flak Staff

Gold Teeth and a Curse for this Town | Best Music of 2001 | 01.10.02
Flak's music writers put together Gold Teeth and a Curse for this Town, their very own mix CD of 2001's best music. By Flak Staff

Best of the '90s: Music | 01.29.01
A collection of cover tunes that rocked the decade. By Flak Staff

Best Music of 1999 | 01.31.00
Three white guys reflect on the best tunes from the year Prince partied. By Flak Staff

Anderson, Jon and Ian Anderson's websites | 02.07.02
Who's the cooler '70s rock icon, Jon Anderson or Ian Anderson? Well, that depends on whether you prefer tights and codpieces or the Interdimensional Reality Machine. By Julia Lipman

Badly Drawn Boy | 12.04.00
Badly Drawn Boy's Damon Gough elevates the stunt concert to an art form. By Eric Wittmershaus

Brad Sucks | 03.29.04
The man behind Brad Sucks takes time off from recording to discuss moody music and the post-Napster world. By Adam Finley

British Sea Power | 03.11.04
British Sea Power may be the "best band in Britain" ° just don't call it "retro." By Louis Cooke

Canadian Rockin' | 10.11.01
Forget the 10th anniversary of Nevermind. What about the 20th anniversary of Hoser Rock? By Bob Cook

Cash, Johnny | The Swan Song of Johnny Cash 09.15.03
Dodging self-destruction and obscurity, Johnny Cash lived long, leaving a sprawling musical legacy in his wake. By J. Daniel Janzen

Dekker, Desmond | In Memoriam: Desmond Dekker 05.29.06
Flak remembers the father of reggae. By Eve Adams

The Droplift Project | 05.04.01
A form of consumer activism as absurd as it is subversive, droplifting has the potential to change the retail music climate, or at least provide a degree of strange personal amusement. By Susannah Felts

Harrison, George | Something in the Way He Moved Us | 12.03.01
What it means to have George as your favorite Beatle. By Claire Zulkey

Harrison, George | George Harrison: The Music | 12.03.01
Some of the songs that got overlooked when TV and radio put together their "My Sweet Lord" George Harrison tributes. By Stephanie Kuenn

Jackson, Michael | The Many Faces of Michael Jackson | 10.31.01
On the same day Michael Jordan laced up his hightops and returned to the basketball courts, another MJ was making his return to pop music. By Flak Staff

Nirvana | Come As You Were | 12.05.02
Hearing Nirvana on the radio again reminds a grown-up in Edinburgh of a time when Kurt Cobain and Co. saved his teenage life. By Simon Stephenson

The Oxford American 2007 Music Issue | 10.24.07
Southern music rendered brilliantly in text and notes. By Andy Stilp

Paul Revere and the Raiders | 04.03.08
The forgotten band. By Michael Frissore

R.E.M. in Dublin | 07.16.07
The Athenians rediscover their roots — and unveil 11 new songs — live at the Olympia Theatre. By J. Daniel Janzen

Sahara Hotnights | Sahara Hotnights Professionals | 05.05.03
Sweden's cuter (and worthier) version of Wayne and Garth takes the US by storm. By Patricia O'Cone

Smith, Elliott | In Memoriam: Elliott Smith 10.28.03
The delivery may have sounded bleak, but Elliott Smith's message was one of hope and perseverance. By Wayne Lewis

South by Southwest | "Who'd You See?" and Other Tales Told at SXSW 2002 | 03.20.02
A scattershot look at the things that made South by Southwest both great and not so great. By Ron Davis

Strokes, The | Hard to Explain: The Strokes on Saturday Night Live | 01.25.02
The Strokes have the hype. Now, how about some success? By Yancey Strickler

They Might Be Giants | 10.28.98
Clown prince of pop John Linnel weighs in on the state of pop and the future of his band. By James Norton

U2 | What Bono Knows | 01.07.03
Why Bono is a bad rock star but a good person. By Bob Cook

Weird Al | No Fun Intended: Why Isn't Weird Al Funny Anymore? | 09.23.03
Is Weird Al Yankovic's recent irrelevance a sign of a more significant failing? By Adam Finley

Wondermints, The | Cover letter accompanying Mind if We Make Love to You | 10.15.02
A putrid press release, unabridged and annotated. By Eric Wittmershaus

Words Are Enough | Brief Profiles of Incomparable Lyricists | 07.19.06
Profiles — in both written and audio form — of some of the best lyricists working in pop, rock, hip-hop, soul and folk. By Flak Staff

Young, Neil and Paul McCartney | Why Let's Roll Doesn't Rock | 01.15.02
Neither Neil Young's nor Paul McCartney's Sept. 11 tribute songs will resonate with their audience. By Yancey Strickler

Archived Music Reviews
(by artist)

Adams, Ryan | Gold 11.14.01
Whiskeytown's ex-frontman dulls his edge. Reviewed by David Zahl

Adams, Ryan | Love is Hell, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 02.23.04
Ryan Adams' two Love is Hell EPs make a better follow-up to his hotly tipped Gold than the actual follow-up. Reviewed by Scott Brothers

Adams, Ryan & the Cardinals | Cold Roses 06.21.05
Ryan Adams' return to alt-country is fine in spots, but it won't reinvent the genre. Reviewed by George Quraishi

Air | Original Motion Picture score for The Virgin Suicides 04.24.00
Air unfurls a slinky, sultry score that's sexier than the duo's first single, "Sexy Boy." Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Air | 10,000 Hz Legend 06.18.01
It should have been the album where Air put everything together to create a classic. Instead, it lands with a thud. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Airport Girl | Honey, I'm an Artist 03.13.01
Indie power poppers prove it's safe to get back in the power pop pool with a concoction sweeter than Matthew Sweet and Better than Better than Ezra. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Aislers Set, The | How I Learned to Write Backwards 03.05.03
The San Francisco five piece wisely releases a summer album in February. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

American Analog Set | Promise of Love 07.18.03
American Analog Set's latest dispatch says what you'd expect it to. Open it if ya feel like it. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Amos, Tori | Strange Little Girls 10.22.01
Tori Amos' eclectic collection of cover tunes spins stories of women in rock you may not have known were there. Reviewed by Paula Carter

Amos, Tori | Scarlet's Walk 11.27.02
Tori Amos' so-called "sonic novel" could do with a bit more characterization and plot and all that other stuff that makes a novel. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead | Source Tags & Codes 02.28.02
Trail of Dead puts its major-label budget to work, and comes up with one of the best rock records in a long time. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

Annie & Madonna 06.11.08
Is Norwegian singer Annie the heir to Madonna's pop-music throne? Reviewed by Andrew Stout

Ashcroft, Richard | Alone with Everybody 07.12.01
Reviewed by Aaron Tassano

Arab Strap | The Red Thread 03.20.01
Arab Strap breaks the sophomore and junior slump. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Autechre | EP7 00.00.00
Reviewed by Pearson Greer

Baby Bird | The Original Lo-Fi 12.23.02
While major-label scientists were out searching for the perfect pop formula, one man in England found it under his bed. A six-CD boxed set tells the story. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Badly Drawn Boy | The Hour of Bewilderbeast 09.08.00
An album so good Eric annointed it the year's best with three-plus months to go. He still stands by that, incidentally. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Banhart, Devendra | Rejoicing in the Hands 06.22.04
In the hands of Devendra Banhart, the oddest lines are instantly familiar and ceaselessly charming. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Bardo Pond | Set and Setting 00.00.00
Reviewed by Pearson Greer

Beatles, The | Let It BeçNaked 12.04.03
The reissue of Let It Be is the best-sounding Beatles album to date. But that doesn't mean it's good. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Beck | Midnite Vultures 01.26.00
Reviewed by Larry Davidson

Beck | Sea Change 10.04.02
Beck gives us a peek inside his ordinary world. By Casey Logan

Belle and Sebastian | Tigermilk 00.00.00
At long last, the fey Scots' first album is reissued. Feel sinister. Reviewed by Sean Weitner

Belle and Sebastian | fold your hands, child you walk like a peasant 06.20.00
Belle and Sebastian's nosedive is a lot like its music, slow, light and occasionally unnoticable. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Beta Band, The | The Three EP's 00.00.00
Remember that scene in High Fidelity where they play the record in the store and they bet on whether 10 people will buy it? This is that record, and it's so good we'll forgive them for the apostrophe on EP's. Reviewed by Larry Davidson

Beta Band, The | The Beta Band 00.00.00
On the follow-up to its collection of EPs, The Beta Band throws a lot of shit against the wall. And not enough of it sticks. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Beyoncé | Dangerously in Love 08.08.03
Out on her own for the first time, Destiny's Child's frontwoman takes a walk on the mild side. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

Björk | Medúlla 08.31.04
On Björk's a cappella experiment, the instruments are as simple as you can get, but the sounds they make are anything but. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Björk | Vespertine 09.03.01
She's taken us to milk bars and through a forest pitch dark. Now Björk wants us to lean in and listen. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Blackalicious | Blazing Arrow 06.20.02
Blackalicious' Blazing Arrow hits the apple. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club | Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 04.25.01
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club want to be the Jesus and Mary Chain so bad it almost hurts. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Blonde Redhead | Misery is a Butterfly 07.07.04
Who said being pretentious is a bad thing? Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Blood Brothers, The | Crimes 01.04.05
On their fourth album, the Blood Brothers deck their trademark noise assaults in almost-ballads. Reviewed by Rick Stinson

Breeders, The | Title TK 06.12.02
Kim Deal's ability to crank out one good pop song after another is unfortunately gone on her band's latest record. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

Broadcast | The Noise Made By People 05.27.00
Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Broadcast | Haha Sound 08.12.03
Broadcast's second effort is a submarine in a jewel case. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Broken Social Scene | You Forgot It In People 04.10.03
This Canadian band mashes genres with promise on its second outing. Reviewed by David Antrobus

BS 2000 | Simply Mortified 02.26.01
Reviewed by James Norton

Buckcherry | "Crazy Bitch" 03.09.06
A song so bad it should make you reconsider the entire medium of radio. Reviewed by Taylor Carik

Buckley, Jeff | So Real 06.29.07
A new compilation album revisits the transcendent power of an American poet. Reviewed by Matt Hanson

Built to Spill | Keep it Like a Secret 00.00.00
Reviewed by Larry Davidson

Busy Signals, The | Baby's First Beats 04.08.00
Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Cake | Comfort Eagle 08.10.01
Cake makes the mistake of trying not to grow up. Reviewed by Colin Ferm

Calla | Scavengers 05.30.01
A car crash in slow motion, this is music to die to. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

Calla | Televise 03.28.03
Lyrically, Calla's "Monument" is about a waking dream of lost love. Musically, it's a soundtrack for war. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Caribbean, The | Verse by Verse 02.21.01
Cool, relaxing, with no sign of a hurricane. Reviewed by Tina Krinhop

Carpenter, Mary | Passionate Kisses 03.06.08
It's entirely reasonable to dismiss Mary Chapin Carpenter's song, "Passionate Kisses," upon hearing it. Reviewed by Francis Raven

Cash, Johnny | American Recordings IV: The Man Comes Around 01.15.03
Johnny Cash enriches the formula honed on his first three American Recordings with an instant classic. Reviewed by Daniel Goslee

Cat Power | You Are Free 03.20.03
It's survivor, not victim. It's Chan Marshall and her follow-up to Moon Pix. Reviewed by David Antrobus

Chameleons, The | Why Call it Anything 08.02.01
The follow-up to Strange Times arrives 14 years too late. Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Clarks, The | Another Happy Ending 06.27.02
The Clarks' blue-and-white collar approach to rock works because the group's members put the band ahead of the individual. Reviewed by Chris M. Junior

Clientele, The | The Violet Hour 08.01.03
The Clientele's first full-length is a daydream oblivious to its sonic predecessors. Reviewed by Michael Seidel

Clinic | Clinic 00.00.00
Not since the Pixies' Come on Pilgrim has a debut crackled this sharply. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Clinic | Internal Wrangler 05.31.00
Reviewed by Aaron Tassano

Cloud Cult | Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus 07.14.05
As frontman Craig Minowa himself says, "The music is loony, so there you go." Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Costello, Elvis | When I Was Cruel 04.23.02
Elvis' return to his former roughness mostly just roughs up his reputation. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Costello, Elvis | Momofuku 05.13.08
Retirement over. Reputation restored. Reviewed by Andrew Stout

Count Bass D | Dwight Spitz 06.17.02
From deep within the caverns of alternative hip-hop comes Count Bass D, with a bag of old-school beats. Reviewed by James Norton

Cousteau | Sirena 08.15.02
Cousteau's sophomore effort sees the band serving up a new sort of retro. Reviewed by Chris M. Junior

Dandy Warhols, The | Welcome to the Monkey House 08.27.03
The Dandy Warhols' fourth effort, Welcome to the Monkey House, digs into a barrel of '80s new wave. Reviewed by J. Daniel Janzen

Danger Doom | The Mouse and the Mask 11.30.05
The Mouse and the Mask is blessed with a verbal flow that's as compelling as it is cunningly sloppy. Reviewed by James Norton

Death Cab for Cutie | The Photo Album 10.16.01
The cleverly named The Photo Album resonates with all the explosive energy four guys can muster. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Death Cab for Cutie | Transatlanticism 10.13.03
Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard shits out material at an astonishing rate, but that doesn't mean any of it's shit. Reviewed by Michael Seidel

Deep Thinkers | Necks Move 04.20.05
Deep Thinkers' debut agitates for change in the country, in the music industry and in your own backyard. Reviewed by Chris Hickman

Denali | Denali 07.31.02
Portishead-inspired singer Maura Davis and her band Denali serve up a wail of a good time. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

DiFranco, Ani | Knuckle Down 03.22.05
DiFranco's place in pop music history is assured by her guitar work, and on Knuckle Down the rest of her music catches up to her guitar. By Christopher Hickman

Doe, John | Forever Hasn't Happened Yet 05.13.05
Even at his worst, ex-X John Doe is still endearing. Reviewed by Rick Stinson

Dump | That Skinny Motherfucker with the High Voice? 05.11.01
The doughy, pasty Yo La Tengo bassist James McNew seems an unlikely person to channel His Purple Majesty. But Dump's album of Prince covers pays The Artist the ultimate tribute. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Duncan, Paul | To an Ambient Hollywood 06.13.03
The cluttered bedroom-pop of Paul Duncan's debut is sharper than it sounds. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Dylan, Bob | Love and Theft 10.10.01
Believe the hype. Dylan's latest is required listening of the highest order. Reviewed by David Zahl

Dylan, Bob | The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975 — the Rolling Thunder Revue 11.26.02
Bob Dylan and a cast of dozens come together for the Rolling Thunder Revue, a lush, full-on affair that stands in contrast to Dylan's 1976 album Desire. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Dylan, Bob | The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964 — Concert at Philharmonic Hall 05.20.04
Dylan's legendary 1964 performance finally sees a major-label release. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

eels | Souljacker 04.15.02
The Man Called E turns up the volume on his latest homage to the left behind and the not-so-beautiful freak. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Elastica | Elastica EP 00.00.00
Elastica has stopped ripping off its heroes, choosing instead to just collaborate with them. Mark E. Smith of The Fall guest stars. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Electric Sound of Joy | Electric Sound of Joy 00.00.00
Now that Stereolab have gone easy listening, it's time for someone else to have a crack at space-age bachelor pad music. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Elefant | Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid 07.16.03
New York-based Elefant understands that without a little light, the shadows run together. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Elliott, Matt | The Mess We Made 07.22.03
The artist formerly known as Third Eye Foundation's first record under his own name pays its biggest dividends to the patient listener. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

F-G

Faint, The | Danse Macabre 10.05.01
New Wave hot dogs The Faint have found a groove ... a fun, danceable '80s groove. Reviewed by Jennifer Pfafflin

Fiel Garvie | Leave Me out of This 11.25.03
Go ahead, gaze at your shoes. Fiel Garvie's members are doing it. Reviewed by David Antrobus

Flickerstick | Welcoming Home the Astronauts 11.22.01
Flickerstick follows up its VH1 run with weak middle-of-the-road twaddle. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Fog | Ether Teeth 05.14.03
More lo-fi bedroom pop with vinyl scratchings and a whole gaggle of chirping birds. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Fountains of Wayne | Welcome Interstate Managers 06.10.03
It's a good sign when an album has you singing along by the second track; it's even more noteworthy when track five has you spinning through the kitchen with your girlfriend. Reviewed by James Norton

French Kicks, The | One Time Bells 06.10.02
The oft-miscategorized French Kicks have created an album full of solid midtempo songs that's somehow less than the sum of its parts. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Fugazi | The Argument 12.07.01
Fifteen years after inception, Fugazi continues to kick out quality punk rock anthems. Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Gates, Rebecca | Ruby Series 08.20.01
Former Spinanes frontwoman Rebecca Gates soldiers on with her sultry solo debut. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Germano, Lisa | Lullaby for Liquid Pig 04.15.03
Her sixth chapter in the wake of post-Mellencamp fiddling bares all — just like the five before. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Gibbard, Benjamin and Andrew Kenny | HOME: V — The Post-Parlo Records Split CD Series 07.18.03
The two leading purveyors of heartfelt indiepop serve up eight tracks that were probably penned around the hearth. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Goffin, Louise | Sometimes a Circle 04.09.02
The latest from the daughter of Carole King and Gerry Goffin makes the 'Who's your daddy?' question irrelevant. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Goldfrapp | Felt Mountain 10.10.00
Possibly the most widely read piece of Flak content ever. Someone at Google likes this cinematic chanteuse. Or maybe it's just the binary posting date. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Gorillaz | Gorillaz 07.17.01
You'll go bananas for the debut by the first-ever talented cartoon band. Reviewed by Alberto Diaz

Grandaddy | Sumday 07.11.03
In the hands of Grandaddy, the sound of a dying robot is darn catchy. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Grandpa Boy | Mono 03.25.02
Would Paul Westerberg by any other name rock as hard as he did in his Replacements days? Reviewed by Chris M. Junior

Guided by Voices | Earthquake Glue 10.03.03
GBV's 14th album propels the band from basements to stadiums. Well, sort of. Reviewd by Scott Brothers

H-I

Hash Jar Tempo | Under Glass 00.00.00
Reviewed by Pearson Greer

Hella | Hold Your Horse Is 04.12.02
Controlled entropy is the disorder of the day on this Sacramento duo's debut. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

The Hives | Tyrannosaurus Hives 08.27.04
Matching suits and Colonel Sanders ties aside, the Hives successfully deliver more raucous pop. Reviewed by Bobby Mann

The Hold Steady | Separation Sunday 07.18.05
The Hold Steady hold a great respect for the history of guitar rock. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman.

Hood | Home is Where it Hurts EP 08.31.01
With its first US release since 1997, Hood is primed to break through its obscurity to, well, slightly less obscurity. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Interpol | Turn on the Bright Lights 10.10.02
Interpol has the look. It has the exposure. And for the first 13 minutes of its debut album, it even has the music. Reviewed by Clay Risen

Interpol | Antics 10.08.04
Off the trodden path of its '80s sulk-pop debut, Interpol's Antics is entirely the band's own. Reviewed by Bobby Mann

Iron & Wine | The Creek Drank the Cradle 11.13.02
The room is warmer when Sam Beam, aka Iron & Wine, sings. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Isley Brothers, The | Body Kiss 07.31.03
Guest stars phone it in as the Isley Brothers flail around for some collaborative magic. Reviewed by Chris M. Junior

J-K

Jackpot | Shiny Things 10.18.02
A rock band known for lyrical populism extends that populism to the music and production on its fourth album, with surprisingly effective results. Reviewed by Matthew Pendleton

Jay-Z | Unplugged 02.19.02
And on the seventh day, God MC rested. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Jim Yoshii Pile-Up, The | It's Winter Here 07.03.01
JYPU's debut long-player knocks some little-needed pretense from the boots of indie rock. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

Joe Jackson Band | Volume 4 05.12.03
Joe Jackson gets back his identity. Reviewed by Chris M. Junior

Johansson, Scarlett | Anywhere I Lay My Head 05.29.08
If pop music learned to let a little of its past go, the greater portion of its ash heap would consist of albums by actors. Does Scarlett Johansson escape the gravity well of the garbage? Reviewed by Andrew Stout

John Wilkes Booze | The Five Pillars of Soul 01.09.03
Five separately released EPs pay homage to such characters as Yoko Ono, Marc Bolan and Albert Ayler. Reviewed by Bob Cook

Joy Division | The Complete BBC Sessions 09.19.00
Somebody's hellbent on sullying JD lead singer Ian Curtis' grave. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Jurassic 5 | Quality Control 08.16.00
Reviewed by Aaron Tassano

Kail | True Hollywood Squares 05.15.08
Reviewed by Andrew Stout

Kiki & Herb | Will Die for You 02.17.05
Drag-cabaret act Kiki & Herb's live recording may lack the show's physical comedy, but it still packs punches. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Klipstein, Ivan | Lifestyle! 04.02.01
Klipstein packs a shotgun full of musical styles, and pulls the trigger. Reviewed by James Norton

KRS-One and the Temple of Hiphop | Spiritual Minded 02.15.02
KRS-One gives props to the One upstairs, with mixed results. Reviewed by Kevin Canfield

Labradford | e luxo so 00.00.00
Reviewed by Pearson Greer

Langhorne Slim & The War Eagles | Langhorne Slim 06.05.08
Caterwauling, sappy and funky, Langhorne Slim kicks up a ruckus. Reviewed by Bridget Egan

Langley Schools Music Project, The | Innocence and Despair 02.01.02
An ensemble of Canadian schoolchildren gives something back to the songwriters of the '60s and early '70s. Reviewed by Jamie Wilson

Large Professor | 1st Class 12.18.02
Large Professor made a name for himself laying down beats in the late '80s and early '90s before taking a sabbatical. His comeback album finds him a bit rusty. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Lil' Kim | The Notorious K.I.M. 08.16.00
Reviewed by Aaron Tassano

Linnel, John | State Songs 01.15.00
This album left our reviewer in quite a state. Reviewed by James Norton

Little Axe | Hard Grind 07.23.02
Little Axe's update of the blues pays hearty respect to its source material while crafting a rich, rewarding album that belongs alongside ambient techno's classics. Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Looper | Up a Tree 00.00.00
Reviewed by Larry Davidson

Lord, Mary Lou | Live City Sounds 02.11.02
Boston's most famous busker returns to her roots with a live album of well-played cover tunes. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Low | Trust 09.25.02
Though its latest album makes a rock-solid impact, Low falls short of its own insidious potential. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Low | A Lifetime of Temporary Relief 08.10.04
It might take a lifetime to listen to Low's box set, but the Journey cover is almost worth the, er, journey. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Luna | Days of Our Nights 00.00.00
Quality takes a hit on Luna's weakest album ever. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Lush | Ciao! Best of Lush 04.07.01
Unlike most Greatest Hits-style compilations, you'll find nary a complaint about track listing here. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Magazine | Permafrost 03.04.08
Magazine were a sick band... they were a spiteful band. They were an attractive band. Reviewed by Maris Jensen

Magnetic Fields, The | Reissue grab bag 00.00.00
With two great reissues and a mediocre new 7", Stephin Merritt, aka Magnetic Fields, is clearly leading up to something. But what? Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Magnetic Fields, The | 69 Love Songs 09.07.99
Ah, here we go. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Manitoba | Up in Flames 06.06.03
Another northern neighbor sends his madcap regards in a swirling amalgam of then and now. Reviewed by David Antrobus

Marmadukes, The | The Marmadukes 00.00.00
Reviewed by James Norton

Mates of State | Our Constant Concern 03.01.02
Though these kids next door seem destined to lose momentum over time, it's better to appreciate them while they last. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

MC Honky | I Am the Messiah 08.14.03
The Eels' frontman pulls off a stunt of Tony Cliftonian proportions. But get this: The music is amazing. Reviewed by James Norton

McGregor, Alexander | Part One: Aguirre Returns 10.08.02
Multi-instrumentalist Alexander McGregor's debut sets alone apart from lonely. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Merchant, Natalie / Liz Phair | The House Carpenter's Daughter / Liz Phair 07.24.03
Liz Phair's latest album features a song about underwear. Natalie Merchant's debut for her own Myth America Records features folk-song covers. Both are painfully boring. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Mercury Rev | All is Dream 09.25.01
On the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Deserter's Songs, Mercury Rev shows us another distinct corner of its little world. Reviewed by David Zahl

Merritt, Stephin | Eban & Charley soundtrack 01.22.02
It's no 69 Love Songs, but Merritt's soundtrack for Eban & Charley works as a between-albums stopgap. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Microphones, The | Mount Eerie 02.21.03
Stop encouraging him. You're only making things worse. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Miller, Rhett | The Instigator 10.29.02
Rhett Miller has an ability to write songs that seem to have always existed, although you've never heard them before. Reviewed by Chris Gage

Mirah | Advisory Committee 03.19.02
Mirah served notice with her debut album, but her sophomore effort finds her quietly cooing in the corner. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Moby | 18 05.28.02
Moby's latest is as Playful as his last, but this time out, there's a measure of maturity and consistency that wasn't there before. Reviewed by Clay Risen

Morissette, Alanis | Under Rug Swept 03.07.02
Alanis Morissette's lyrics and songwriting backpedals furiously on her third record. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Mountain Goats, The | All Hail West Texas 04.17.02
Musically simple, yet lyrically profound, All Hail West Texas uses rich descriptions of characters to connect with Americans' shared experiences and perceptions. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Mountain Goats, The | Tallahassee 11.19.02
John Darnielle, aka The Mountain Goats, goes (relatively) high-tech on his latest amazing release. Reviewed by Clay Risen

Mr. Lif | Emergency Rations 08.06.02
Boston's Mr. Lif mixes incendiary politics with slick beats to create the ultimate (anything but Republican) Party anthems. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Múm | Summer Make Good 06.08.04
Múm might be better off staying mum until its music is more interesting. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Muse | Origin of Symmetry 10.29.01
Even a fried egg would have been better than Muse, a band who sounds like Radiohead on hard drugs. Reviewed by Ana Davis

N-O

Nastasia, Nina | Run to Ruin 09.12.03
She'll break your heart; then she'll break it again, only in a different way. Reviewed by David Antrobus

N.E.R.D. | In Search Of... 04.01.02
In six months, they'll be playing this album everywhere. Save yourself $15 and hear it at the airport. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

New Pornographers, The | Electric Version 06.18.03
Whatever you do, don't call this a summer record. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Novak | Novak 00.00.00
Quite possibly the best debut album ever from a band that released one album, then broke up. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

O'Connor, Sinéad, and James Carter | She Who Dwells... and Gardenias for Lady Day 01.21.04
Sinéad O'Connor's tribute to her career and jazz prodigy James Carter's tribute to Billie Holiday: Which would the pope prefer? by Christopher Hickman

Of Montreal | Aldhils Arboretum 09.10.02
The Georgia quintet emerges from concept-album hell to create a focused collection of whiskey-soaked synth-pop. Reviewed by Matthew Rodbard

Olivia Tremor Control, The | Black Foliage — Volume One 00.00.00
Summer psychedelia from the Elephant Six mainstays. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Orb, The | Cydonia 03.05.01
Reviewed by James Norton

Orbital | The Middle of Nowhere 00.00.00
Reviewed by James Norton

Orbital | The Altogether 05.21.01
Dark, dexterous and danceable, but not far off the beaten path. Reviewed by James Norton

Orbital | The Blue Album 09.07.04
Techno's former standard-bearers bow out meekly. Reviewed by James Norton

OutKast | Speakerboxxx/The Love Below 09.24.03
OutKast's double album may bring the duo down to earth, but it's still way above others in the game. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

P-Q

Pernice, Joe | Big Tobacco 10.18.01
Prolific in spite of his subject matter, Joe Pernice once again allows us to revel in his depressing melodies. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Phair, Liz / Natalie Merchant | Liz Phair / The House Carpenter's Daughter 07.24.03
Liz Phair's latest album features a song about underwear. Natalie Merchant's debut for her own Myth America Records features folk-song covers. Both are painfully boring. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman.

Phantom Planet | The Guest 04.03.02
If they keep at it, actor-fronted Phantom Planet may enjoy a more successful musical run than P, The Bacon Brothers or John Tesh. Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Phillips, Britta and Dean Wareham | L'Avventura 08.21.03
If the worst crime an artist can commit is to be dull, Luna's Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips have issued their Exhibit A. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Piano Magic | Artists' Rifles 06.09.00
Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Piano Magic | Seasonally Affective, 1996-2000 11.30.01
Piano Magic's singles compilation serves as a better introduction to the ever-changing group's sound than any of its albums. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Pinback | Blue Screen Life 11.07.01
Pinback's gray-sky melodies form a blue screen that does anything but bore. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Pixies, The | Complete 'B' Sides 04.17.01
The title of 4AD's latest Pixies compilation is as enigmatic as the band's existence. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Pixies, The | Live in Indio, CA and Live in Davis, CA 05.06.04
DiscLive's immediately available recordings of the shows on the Pixies reunion tour help ensure the eternal sunshine of a happy concertgoer's mind. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

PJ Harvey | Uh Huh Her 02.09.05
PJ Harvey's latest is a tactile and current loud-mouthed whisper. Reviewed by David Antrobus

Polak | Swansongs 02.18.01
Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Ponytail | Kamehameha 04.09.08
Reviewed by Joshua Hirshfeld

Postal Service, The | Such Great Heights EP 04.30.03
The ideas contained on Such Great Heights just might save the CD single format. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Postal Service, The | Give Up 04.30.03
The much-heralded collaboration between Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and Dntel's Jimmy Trombeleno fails to meet lofty expectations. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Pram | Dark Island 03.12.03
On its sixth album, Pram continues to find new territory within its oddly enchanting, self-contained world. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Preston School of Industry | Monsoon 03.23.04
Scott Kannberg's contributions to Pavement may have been as good as Malkmus', as he claims, but the proof is in the solo project. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Quasi | The Sword of God 09.07.01
Quasi's fifth album finds the band still in top form, though marching tunefully in place. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Quickspace | Precious Falling 00.00.00
Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Quickspace | The Death of Quickspace 05.17.00
Quickspace aren't dead. We hope you weren't using rumors of the band's demise as a pretext to go running. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Quiet Village | Silent Movie 05.20.08
Silent Movie, their debut, is eclectic, for sure. But what isn't, in 2008? Reviewed by Andrew Stout

Racebannon | Satan's Kickin' Yr Dick In 01.09.03
Guitar and turntable heavy, Bloomington, Ind., product Racebannon creates a noise akin to a Formula One racer shifting up and down a racetrack. Reviewed by Bob Cook

Radiohead | Kid A 10.17.00
Either Radiohead's foray into electronic music is the coolest thing since sliced bread... Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Radiohead | Kid A 10.17.00
... or Nicholas Coleman's never really had sliced bread. Reviewed by Jonathan Gibbs

Radiohead | Amnesiac 06.05.01
Radiohead flips genres so often on Amnesiac that to call it a rock album would be lazy. Reviewed by Aaron Tassano

Radiohead | Hail to the Thief 07.04.03
In which Thom Yorke discards the fear in meeting people for the fear in being a dad. Reviewed by David Antrobus

Radiohead | In Rainbows 10.16.07
Radiohead delivers a fan-friedly stylistic sampler platter — sans label. Reviewed by Cary Broder

Rainer Maria | a better version of me 05.07.01
By pairing its best and worst songs 1-2, Rainer Maria's latest album sets its listeners up for a fall. But getting to the top is worth the price of admission. Reviewed by Andrew VanZandt

Real Tuesday Weld, The | I, Lucifer 06.15.04
The ambitious and innovative I, Lucifer dances around the subject of love in as many styles as the emotion has faces. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Bruce Springsteen | Reborn in the USA 12.04.06
The Boss rocks out liberally on this folk-rocky set of Pete Seeger cover songs. Reviewed by J. Daniel Janzen

R.E.M. | Around the Sun 10.15.04
Like it or not, R.E.M. is back. Reviewed by J. Daniel Janzen

R.E.M. | R.E.M. at 21: Has-Been or Still Is? 10.28.03
R.E.M.'s got a best-of with a whole new song! Is anyone listening? Andy? Anybody? Reviewed by J. Daniel Janzen

R.E.M. | Reveal 05.25.01
The disc may be the sweet sound at the end of the tunnel. Reviewed by James Norton

R.E.M. | Accelerate 04.01.08
Lemons into lemonade? He thinks so. Reviewed by J. Daniel Janzen

R.E.M. | r.e.m.IX 05.27.02
Limp, re-hashed music distributed via the Internet is still limp, re-hashed music. Reviewed by James Norton

Rocket from the Crypt | Group Sounds 04.05.01
The members of RFTC are back doing what they do best, gritty, roaring rock 'n' roll. Reviewed by Tina Krinhop

Romance of Vagues | the hoxca 08.27.02
Multi-instrumentalist Ethan Andrews doesn't let his own greatness go to his head on his delicious stew of an album. Reviewed by Chris Gage

Scissor Sisters | Scissor Sisters 08.03.04
The greatness of Scissor Sisters' '80s-inspired songs is as real as their feather boas. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Semisonic | All About Chemistry 04.03.01
The stuff of which Top 40 radio station playlists are made in a world better than ours. Reviewed by Sean Weitner

Sentridoh | Songs from Loobiecore 05.15.02
Sebadoh frontman Lou Barlow kicks out the jams in relative obscurity, but it doesn't have to be that way. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Shatner, William | Has Been 10.22.04
Producer Ben Folds transforms William Shatner's slow-motion rapping into heartfelt singing. Reviewd by Andy Stilp

Sheik, Duncan | Daylight 10.23.02
Four albums after his perfect debut single, Duncan Sheik puts cries of, "One-hit wonder!" to death. Reviewed by Bob Sassone

Shiners, The | Bonnie Blue 01.24.02
Two ex-Dirtballs issue a traditional country album well-worth hearing. Reviewed by Kevin Canfield

Shins, The | Oh, Inverted World 09.23.01
In an era of mp3s and $17 CDs, few albums are worth picking up for just one song. Here's one of them. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Sir Mix-A-Lot | Daddy's Home 09.10.03
For his first album in seven years, Sir Mix-A-Lot throws out everything that worked before, leaving himself with a whole lot of nothing. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Smith, Patti | Land 1975-2002 03.28.02
Land is a decent introduction to a legendary New York songstress, so long as it spurs other purchases. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Solex | Pick Up 09.14.99
The quirky samplemistress best described as Björk on a budget takes a slightly different approach on her second album, and gets the same terrific results. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Solex | Low Kick and Hard Bop 09.28.01
Solex plies her loony tunes to maximum effect on her stunning third album. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Soul Coughing | Lust in Phaze: The Best of Soul Coughing 06.05.02
Lust in Phaze comes across more as a really good album than a greatest hits collection. Reviewed by Matthew Chabe

Sparklehorse | It's a Wonderful Life 09.20.01
It's a Wonderful Life is, indeed, wonderful. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Sparta | Porcelain 07.21.04
Sparta's sophomore album is halfway decent — literally. Reviewed by Bobby Mann

Spiritualized | Amazing Grace 09.30.03
J. Spaceman's "new," drug-addled blues sound uninspired. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Spiritualized | Let It Come Down 09.07.01
Sometimes Jason Pierce talks crazy, crazy like a druggie. Reviewed by Aaron Tassano

Spoon | Kill the Moonlight 08.23.02
Britt Daniel and Co. return with an album inspired by, for and about the kids. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Starlight Mints, The | The Dream that Stuff Was Made Of 09.04.00
We know the correct title of this album should be The Dream of Which Stuff Was Made, but it's such a quirky, fun pop record and we wouldn't want to bring The Mints' spirits down by telling them. Reviewed by James Norton

Stereolab | Margerine Eclipse 03.05.04
The world could collapse, but Stereolab won't change the script for anything. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Sufjan Stevens | Illinois 07.20.05
The parts are equal to the sum and sometimes greater. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Stew | Guest Host 01.28.01
The lead singer of The Negro Problem goes solo, with delightful results. Reviewed by Tina Krinhop

Stranger, The | Bleaklow 07.23.08
Dark ambience from Berlin. Reviewed by Andrew Stout

Strokes, The | Is This It 09.11.01
The buzz machine hyping The Strokes' very good debut overlooks one key factor: Rock music is all about who came first. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

Tenacious D | Tenacious D 11.15.01
Tenacious D's comedic debut boasts music that stands on its own. Reviewed by Chrisopher Hickman

Theboylucas | Out of the Wires 12.14.01
The debut from 20-year-old Bristolian James Lucas is noteworthy not for its catchiness, but for the images it evokes. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

The Cure | The Cure 07.13.04
A little bit tired, a little bit blue, a little bit great. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

They Might Be Giants | Mink Car 09.19.01
Why do we still like these guys? Reviewed by James Norton

This American Life | Stories of Hope & Fear 12.12.06
A collection of Stories of Hope and Fear that are layered with truth, humor and nostalgia. Reviewed by Colin Alexander

Tilly and the Wall | Wild Like Children 07.01.01
This Omaha quintet takes inspiration not from Nebraska but from the idyllic, rose-tinted days of adolescence. Reviewed by Laura Barcella

Tompaulin | The Town and the City 02.25.02
The so-called first post-Belle and Sebastian band makes a play for the Hello Kitty demo. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Travis | The Invisible Band 09.05.01
Travis' cuddliness gimmick finally catches up with the band on its third album. Reviewed by David Zahl

Tricky | Juxtapose 00.00.00
Reviewed by Erik Olson

Tricky | Blowback 07.31.01
Tricky bounces back from inaccessibility, but he and Blowback's myriad guest stars seem to have overcorrected. Reviewed by Andrew VanZandt

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog | Come Poop with Me 12.02.03
Freed from the leash of FCC regulations, Triumph's humor becomes so base and unfunny, it's not even worthy of being pooped on. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Turner, Toby Joe | "The Fob Song" 04.21.06
It's more than a key-related accessory. It's an Internet avalanche that's poised to rumble. Reviewed by James Norton

TV on the Radio | Return to Cookie Mountain 09.27.06
Return to Cookie Mountain is a slap in the face to the low musical expectations. Reviewed by James Norton

Tweaker | 2 a.m. Wakeup Call 06.29.03
Ex-Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna's new 2 a.m. Wakeup Call is too gloomy and about 10 years too late. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

U-V

Ugly Casanova | Sharpen Your Teeth 07.12.02
Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock records a solo album of a bunch of songs allegedly written by a Modest Mouse fan. Not surprisingly, it sounds like Modest Mouse. Reviewed by P.J. Osborne

Unwound | Leaves Turn Inside You 06.26.01
If you've gone blue in the face waiting for the next My Bloody Valentine album, consider this two-disc effort a snorkel. Reviewed by Yancey Strickler

VAST | Music for People 09.25.00
Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Wainwright, Rufus and Loudon Wainwright III | Want One and So Damn Happy! 10.07.03
New albums from father and son Wainwright don't let us in on any family secrets. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Waits, Tom | Mule Variations 00.00.00
Reviewed by Larry Davidson

Warlocks, The | Rise and Fall 10.24.01
Noodling jams mar an otherwise fine homage to the Jesus and Mary Chain. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Ween | Quebec 08.06.03
There's no need for Dean Ween to spell it out for us; Quebec communicates the tumult in Ween's life. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Weezer | Weezer (The Green Album) 06.01.01
Weezer's so-called Green Album may not be the best thing the group's done, but, hey, it's better than nothing. Reviewed by Andrew VanZandt

Weller, Paul | Illumination 12.02.02
Former Jam and Style Council frontman Paul Weller may not make it big in America, but his music's enduring on its own merits. Reviewed by Chris M. Junior

Westerberg, Paul | Stereo 05.01.02
Paul Westerberg's late-night recording sessions don't always make for mistake-free records, but that's part of the charm. Reviewed by Chris M. Junior

White Stripes | White Blood Cells 08.08.01
Garage-rock revivalists The White Stripes could just be the music industry's great "white" hope. Reviewed by Jennifer Pfafflin

White Stripes | Get Behind Me Satan 08.12.05
For the first time, the White Stripes' guitar-and-drums sound lacks a certain something. Reviewed by Christopher Hickman

Wilco | Yankee Hotel Foxtrot 04.26.02
Wilco's long-awaited, much talked-about follow-up to Summer Teeth is everything fans hoped it would be. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Williams, Lucinda | Essence 07.20.01
Recorded in just a week, Essence finds its way back to the artist's more intimate roots. Reviewed by Paula Carter

Williams, Robbie | The Ego Has Landed 00.00.00
Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Wovenhand | Consider the Birds 01.12.05
Complex musings on faith over beautiful folk make Wovenhand's latest an intensely rewarding listen. Reviewed by Justin Cober-Lake

X-Z

Yo La Tengo | and then nothing turned itself inside out 03.15.00
Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Yo La Tengo | Summer Sun 04.16.03
Save the autumn sweater. Yo La Tengo's twelfth outing will bring you a little sun. Reviewed by Lavina Lee

Young, Neil | "Let's Impeach the President" 05.01.06
Neil Young is angry with the president, but he's being very polite about it. Reviewed by Bob Cook

Zero 7 | Simple Things 02.05.02
Yet another talented English outfit crafting light, Airy not-quite-dance music. Reviewed by Warren Tessler

Zevon, Warren | Life'll Kill Ya 11.26.00
Reviewed by S.B. Kleinman

µ-ziq | Royal Astronomy 07.27.99
Reviewed by James Norton

Various Artists

elsie and jack and nick drake: sculpting from drake — volume one | 11.27.00
This tribute may have the most pretentious album title since Tales from Topographic Oceans ... and it's got music to match. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

High Fidelity Soundtrack | 04.11.00
Reviewed by James Norton

I Am Sam — Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture | 01.25.02
We don't know who this "Sam" is, but apparently he likes bland, to-the-note covers of Beatles tunes. Reviewed by Wayne Lewis

Music from "The O.C.": Mix 4 | 07.22.05
Calling this a "mix" is clever, but a TV-show soundtrack by any other name is still a slapdash collection of songs. Reviewed by Justin Cober-Lake

Post Punk Chronicles | 00.00.00
Reviewed by Nicholas Coleman

Will Our Children Thank Us | 00.00.00
This compilation on Foundry Recordings plays like a who's who among British post-rock bands. Reviewed by Eric Wittmershaus

Xen Cuts | 10.24.00
Former Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant once had an album called Now and Zen. This three-disc compilation of electro-hip-hop is better than that. Reviewed by James Norton

Disclaimer: All archive dates of 00.00.00 are for pieces posted before Flak began dating its content. Some dates before 2000 are album release dates, not the dates the articles were posted.