Jay-Z "Jockin' Jay-Z" Def Jam
With a Run-DMC sample and production by the always-reliable Kanye West, Jay-Z has released another banger. Featuring sharp production and his usual braggadocio, this is classic Hov. Granted you've heard this before from Jay, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it still is Jay-Z and therefore miles ahead of the competitors. If this is any indication of what to expect from the Kanye-produced Blueprint III due out in December, we should be in for a real treat. B+ - Chris Partlow
Trivium Shogun Roadrunner Records
Shogun has the harsh vocals of modern metal, the fast guitar of '80s thrash, and the operatic styling of power metal. Some might call that perfect. Trivium has been on the verge of a masterpiece with both Ascendancy and The Crusade, but never pulled it together. So it took the best parts of both, perfectly combining elements of both classic and modern metal, resulting in the masterpiece Shogun, an album that will soon be a staple in every metalhead's collection. A - Chris Partlow
TV On The Radio Dear Science DGC/Interscope
The Brooklyn art-rockers follow up 2006's critically acclaimed Return to Cookie Mountain with another collection of dense but catchy tracks. Fusing diverse instrumentation, including an energetic horn section and plenty of electronics, dynamic percussion, and haunting lyrics, this quintet packages experimental rock into a very accessible product. More polished than ever before, Dear Science is perhaps less ambitious than previous efforts, but will still probably sit near the top of many year-end lists. B+ - Ethan Stevenson
High Places High Places Thrill Jockey
Short but sweet, the debut album from High Places checks in at just over 30 minutes. The duo creates a truly distinct sound, matching guitar loops with the percussive sounds of coffee cans and other household items. Vocalist Mary Pearson's playfully clever lyrics sit comfortably atop thick layers of instrumentation drenched in reverb. While song structures on High Places may not be incredibly diverse, the band sticks to the formula that works and in the end turns out a quality product. B- - Ethan Stevenson
Be the first to comment on this article!