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Cardinology

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Ryan Adams

October 27, 2008
Ryan Adams is a rarity - a genuine tortured artist. He writes with heartfelt angst and sometimes, cynically delivers parodies of his favourite styles. I saw him play at the Academy this week, and compared to any other performance of his that I've seen, he was damned near perfect. Off drugs, booze, etc. he and his band sounded great. Cardinology is his first real rock recording - live, it is ear splitting. On record, it is brief, nice on the ears. Live, it is passionate, driving and convincing. The ballads are the best, of course, but Go Easy, Fix it and even the parody of U2 - Magic are dynamic. I like Crossed Out Name, Natural Ghost and Cobwebs. No five stars, I'm afraid - it has few valleys and no real peaks, just the most consistent record ... Read More:

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Little Honey

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Lucinda Williams

October 13, 2008
I'm a huge fan of Lucinda and after seeing her in tremendous form at the glasgow barrowlands I went out and got my hands on as much stuff of hers as I could.
I must admit I'm a bit disappointed with this cd - maybe it will grow on me but there seem to be few powerful songs here.
It's almost as though it has been thrown together to meet contractual obligations.

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All I Intended to Be

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Emmylou Harris

June 09, 2008
I liked this album a lot. It starts off strong and gets better through to the two songs at the end, which for me were the highlights. Beautiful lyrics, beautiful voice, beautiful music, beautifully produced. A melancholy album pretty much through and through I felt, and that would be my only criticism. Nothing pacey and upbeat to help mix it up a bit. Four stars from me.

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Youth and Young Manhood/Aha Shake Heartbreak

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Kings Of Leon

September 15, 2008
I liked this album a lot. It starts off strong and gets better through to the two songs at the end, which for me were the highlights. Beautiful lyrics, beautiful voice, beautiful music, beautifully produced. A melancholy album pretty much through and through I felt, and that would be my only criticism. Nothing pacey and upbeat to help mix it up a bit. Four stars from me.

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Carried to Dust

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Calexico

September 08, 2008
`Carried to Dust` is Calexico's most mature work to date, arguably the best synthesis of their frontier atmospherics and Latin-inflected country songwriting. The follow-up to 2005's much-dismissed `Garden Ruin', `Carried to Dust' makes the `South-Western noir' tag stick better than any other Calexico album. It's a record of great dusky beauty, varied and unusual musicianship and haunting songs. More understated than their aknowledged masterpiece `Feast of Wire`, `Carried to Dust' may pass that benchmark in time with its flickering, insidious quality. Cinematic but subtle, whispery yet substantial, there are fewer straight-out brooding Enio Morricone instrumentals, only one blatant Tex-Mex jam. The album is largely song-orientated but, unlike Garden Ruin, deftly impressionistic, ... Read More:

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Best of Friends (CD + DVD)

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Jools Holland

October 15, 2007
The mix of music is perfect.Lulu was great and loved Valantine moon. Gave as christmas presents all round.

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Acid Tongue

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Jenny Lewis

September 22, 2008
After being thoroughly disappointed with Rilo Kiley's last album I approached this with some trepidation. Thankfully this turned out to be a good listen - not immediate but a definite 'grower' after a few plays. Songs such as 'Pretty Bird' and 'Godspeed' are gorgeous, for example. I've even grown to quite like Elvis Costello's contribution to 'Carpetbaggers' which at first struck me as rough and too raw. Now I think I think it fits the song. All in all, worth a listen. Jenny Lewis is a talented writer and singer - one wonders why she needs Rilo any more as this is far superior. I do agree with the reviewer about the cover - it is shockingly bad considering the quality of the contents. No stars for that!

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Oh (Ohio): Limited Edition

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Lambchop

October 06, 2008
Mainly because it's the most heartfelt and least self-consciously quirky. I thought Damaged was the most boring thing ever; I didn't even get through the whole of it, so I was not at all optimistic about its successor. How many Lambchop albums could really be considered classic? Only Nixon and Is A Woman. This album may lack the same kind of stand-outs as those two albums, but I found myself impossibly moved by these tracks. I listened to a promo copy, I don't know if the actual album has a lyric booklet, and I don't know what half the words are, but it's the moods of the pieces more than anything . . . a powerful melancholy that Wagner has only occasionally tapped before (specifically on the Is A Woman album). This album is NOT BORING. Don't believe the other review that says that. Damaged ... Read More:

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The Cross Eyed Rambler

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: Paul Heaton

July 07, 2008
All hail the mighty Paul Heaton!
Lyrical genius and musician - you need to add this album to your collection immediately!

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Hymns Of The 49th Parallel

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Alt. Country
by: K.D. Lang

September 27, 2004
The warmth of KD Lang's voice combines with skilled musicians and first division songwriters to create one of the best albums you'll ever hear.