Staying true to their gritty, Detroit roots, the Dirtbombs produce their fourth full-length album of charging, soul-tinted garage rock with We Have You Surrounded. While frontman Mick Collins’ blasé, talking-vocal style and repetitively simplistic lyrics could use some fine-tuning, the rough-and-tumble dual drum/dual bass line-up more than makes up for it, impressively kicking through all 12 of the album’s tracks.

Review by Kelsey McArdle

Adding even more clout to the already impressive indie line-up of Merge Records, established singer-songwriter M. Ward teams up with actress and budding musician Zooey Deschanel to form the much buzzed-about duo of She & Him. Delivering both stripped down acoustic drawls and polished pop gems that call back to any number of Phil Spector-produced tracks of the ‘50s and ‘60s, the twosome (with production help from additional all-stars like Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis and actor/musician Jason Schwartzman) shines brightly on every track. Aside from the down-home, countrified covers of the Miracles and the Beatles, Deschanel showcases her own strong songwriting ability throughout the rest of the group’s songs. Guiding the album with her velvety, alto voice, sounding like an older, wiser hybrid of such singers as Dusty Springfield and Jenny Lewis, she glides almost effortlessly through these simple, each-catching melodies that will surely make any heart skip a beat.

Review by Kelsey McArdle

Probably one of the most highly anticipated hip hop albums of the year, Eleventh Hour is probably also one of the biggest letdowns of the year thus far as well. One adjective that aptly describes the entire album is "generic". The production proves why Del should stay off the boards and stick to the mic, but it's hard to even say that because the lyrics and delivery are so uninteresting that it's hard to believe they're coming from Del. The one or two somewhat memorable songs (and it's kind of a stretch to even say that) are marred by their peers. The album is just downright generic. Not horrible, definitely not great, just generic.

Review by Olaolu Jegede

It's probably best to listen to this album on a sunny day with a temperature between 65 and 72 degrees. Return is an album that can instantly elevate spirits with its laid back, playful guitars, un-obtrusive drumming, occasional use of maracas and minimal use of electronic filtering. The songs are relatively short, largely instrumental tracks that allow the user to appreciate the pure instrumentation without having to worry about lyrics that may or may not gel. And the tracks that do have lyrics are so playful and lighthearded that they are just as strong as the others. Nothing here feels pretentious, weird for the sake of weird, or inaccessible.

Review by Olaolu Jegede

The most memorable thing about this Gang Starr alum's latest album is its stupidly long name. The production provided by The Solar can't help but be compared to that of Primo's. Even without the comparison, it's obvious by Solar's heavy renditions of classic hip hop songs by the likes of Black Moon and ATCQ that there's a lack of originality present. The lyrics, while oscillating from societal critiques to brag tracks, are solid, but not spectacular and the inclusion of guest emcees on almost every track actually works against the album. Give it a listen, just don't expect the greatness of Jazzmatazz Vol 1.

Review by Olaolu Jegede

Quaristice is, at times, a difficult album to listen to in full. The first track teases you with a soft, Satie-like rhythm shrouded in a delicate electronic ambience, only to pull the rug out from under you. Quaristice plays with the expectation of rhythm and it's definitely easier to discern on some tracks than others, but this is all typical when it comes to Autechre. The tracks that utilize some sense of cadence and restraint are ultimately the strongest and most evocative.

Review by Olaolu Jegede

Evading its penchant for staccato polyrhythm for more ambient and relaxed pop sounds than their previous release, Stowaway, the musical duo that comprises Pattern Is Movement gives a small-yet-satisfying taste of future music to come on this latest two-song EP.

Review by: Kelsey McArdle

As his fourth release with his post-Pavement project, The Jicks, Real Emotional Trash yet again showcases why Stephen Malkmus will continue to be revered in both critical and fan music circles. Bringing out a grungier instrumental side that captivatingly contrasts with poppy vocal compositions, the band fills this release with 10 epic arrangements. Sounding like separate songs that are beautifully woven together by simple-yet-powerful guitar strains, each track establishes itself as a dominant entity and propels the album to new and amazing heights.

Review by: Kelsey McArdle

Leaving behind the lust-filled purr of former albums like Supernature, the duo of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory branch out and dip their toes in more ambient waters with their latest Goldfrapp release, Seventh Tree. Weaving Allison’s lulling vocal mumurs with rich, ethereal chamber pop, reminiscent of the sweet sounds of the ‘60s, Goldfrapp strikes a tender chord and showcases artistic depth on this release that only gets sweeter with every listen.

Review by: Kelsey McArdle

A break away from his techno mind of Dirty Vegas, Steve Smith shows off his more acoustic, pop-folk side with This Town. He taps into his rock side as well with Hit Me Up and a bit of his synth-sounds in This Town. He doesn’t totally shy away. He also gives us a bluegrass-like
jam/instrumental with Morning Jane. He even throws in a couple of previously unreleased bonus tracks: ‘Late Nights and Street Fights’, the theme song for the show Standoff and also a descent acoustic version of the Dirty Vegas hit ‘Days Go By’. Steve mixes it up for those with eclectic tastes. It's a descent album and good for a nice joyride.

Review by: Blake Champlin