Steel Magnolia – Steel Magnolia
Meghan Linsey and fiancé Joshua Scott Jones of Steel Magnolia first hit the country scene when they won season two of CMT’s Can You Duet. Hailing from Louisiana, the duo got rave reviews for their first hit single, “Keep On Lovin’ You,” which earned both the number four spot on Billboard’s top ten country songs and a cameo in the movie Valentine’s Day. With pop country tracks leading the way on their self-titled debut album, the pair’s songs are quick to get stuck in anyone’s head, especially ones like “Ooh La La” and “Eggs Over Easy.” They do prove their depth, though, with slower, more blue-sy tunes like “Glass House” and “Edge of Goodbye.” Leaning away from the traditional country sound, their songs linger in the grey area between country and pop, making for a fun and easy listen with just the right balance between mellow tunes and those that induce a car dancing state, just in time for spring.
– Amy Van Veen
Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place
Picture yourself gallivanting through an enchanted forest, surrounded by majestic ferns and fairies. You are drenched in harmonious tunes, spinning you round and round within the concaves of layered instrumentals and a-capella. A clearing approaches in the distance, the sunlight is beaming through the branches and glowing warmth cradles your soul. The congregation of mystical creatures sing in harmony, their drones and cadences at one with the universe. Suddenly the softest keys of a piano glide in, and as if a virgin (touched for the very first time) you can feel every movement of the music. Before you question what was really in that burger, take a listen to The Magic Place, by Julianna Barwick. Some music has the ability to force us in one direction while some music allows us to wander, and this nine-piece full length album is nothing short of a psychological escapade. Some of the tracks are slightly repetitive (how many eerie voices can one person really have?), but at the end of the psychedelic journey, its ability to open an imaginary world within your mind is worth it.
– Nicolle Hodges
DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers
DeVotchKa’s newest album is a must-have masterpiece for those who enjoy mellow and orchestral indie rock. The album is consistent with the sound DeVotchKa produced for the soundtrack of Little Miss Sunshine, yet every song stands distinctively unique and beautiful. The singing is haunting, reminiscent in its tone of Win Butler of Arcade Fire, yet Nick Urata’s voice is still very much distinctively his own. The instrumentalization of the album is astounding, taking advantage of a wide variety of world music – Indian, French, Spanish, and more – yet still maintaining a very distinctly American rock sound. The tracks are movingly rhythmical, and the use of violin throughout especially adds to the mellifluent flavour of the album. It’s already clear that this will be one of the best alternative albums of 2011.
– Jennifer Colbourne
Wick-It the Instigator – The Brothers of Chico Dusty
Mash-up albums tend to be either terrible or fantastic. Wick-It the Instigator’s latest effort definitely falls into the latter category. Of course, he had some great material to work with. The combination of two of last year’s best albums by the Black Keys and Big Boi is a knockout. The Keys’ soulful garage blues plays the perfect background for Big Boi’s raps, with the occasional hook or chorus borrowed from Dan Auerbach’s vocal tracks. If nothing else, The Brothers of Chico Dusty proves just how damn good the Key’s riffs are as they are shown working on yet another level. Standout tracks are “The Only Fat Sax” and the super high energy “Everlasting Shine Blockaz,” during which it is humanely impossible to sit still.
– Paul Falardeau
