Bruce Springsteen…We Shall Overcome…9/10
Instead of using his ordinary high-powered E-Street Band, Springsteen opted to play with a bunch of old friends in creating We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, a tribute to folk singer Pete Seeger.
The album’s title, “”we shall overcome,”” is a reference to a Seeger song, but it is also the unofficial motto of the civil-rights movement. The title attempts to encompass much of the history involved in the folk rising of the early ’60s. Springsteen does a great job in switching from his historically vehement style to a soothing folk tone, to which his occasionally early-Bob-Dylan-esque voice does great justice.
Throughout the album, the 10-plus members of his band sound like seasoned folkies and guide the listener through a magical but historical journey that is extremely genuine and pays Seeger a dose of long overdue respect.
-Luke Mihalovic
East River Pipe…What Are You On?…8/10
F.M. Cornog, East River Pipe’s sole member, works at Home Depot, never tours and still manages to make critically acclaimed records by himself in his apartment.
And as critically acclaimed albums go, this is a better-than-average one.
A title like “”What Does T.S. Eliot Know About You”” might suggest the literate feyness of Belle and Sebastian, but it’s a rather bitter, brutal, battered-sounding pop song – the Kinks as heard through a thick fog of terminal depression, perhaps.
At times, Cornog’s voice is so wracked and constricted that it’s nearly painful to hear, but the honest, unvarnished originality of his songs always shines through.
-Justyn Dillingham
Goo Goo Dolls…Let Love In…5/10
It is safe to say that the Goo Goo Dolls were one of the most popular adult alternative rock bands of the latter half of the ’90s, selling millions of records. Keyword: were.
After listening to their new album, Let Love In, they might not be so lucky this time around. Let Love In is the rock group’s eighth album and is frustrating to listen to because every song has a dry, drab beat with silly love-inspired lyrics. It is hard to take any track seriously because Johnny Reznik’s voice is whiny and obnoxious. The only worthwhile track is “”Better Days,”” which was released as a single in 2005. This track deserves recognition because of its somewhat enjoyable lyrics that appropriately match the song’s unbroken beat. Overall, this album is a good and mature attempt by the Goo Goo Dolls, but it won’t be a chart-topping seller at the record stores.
-Katy Graham
Gnarls Barkley…St. Elsewhere…8/10
What happens when a D.J. and a notorious rapper get together to make a funk album? Pure brilliance, in the case of St. Elsewhere.
The duo, Brian Burton of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green, have come together to form the up-and-coming Gnarls Barkley, which is making waves across the music and entertainment industries.
The project is a throwback to the funkadelic soul of Marvin Gaye, but remains completely fresh due to complicated beats and rhythms filled with bursting horns.
Its energetic tempos and inventive, fast-moving beats make this album a new and creative amalgamation of musical styles. It may not be flawless, but it sure is groundbreaking.
-Andi Berlin