Iron and Wine - "Ghost on Ghost" (8.0 out of 10)

Jazzy in places (a la Van Morrison) and melodic everywhere, Iron and Wine's latest may come as a disappointment to some of his hardcore fans, but it is a musical feat seldom heard in the 21st century.  God bless him.  It hearkens back to Elton's Madman Across the Water perhaps - I can't quite place it - but the production is stellar and the overall aural experience has a certain healing quality to it.  Which is what great music should have.  I'm just giddy to see an artist make The Leap and contribute something fresh and, above all, unpretentious in such a medieval era of music that we find ourselves in.  98% of todays musicians should either quit and go find a proper trade or hang their heads in shame and wonder in the presence of Mr. Beam.  Again, God bless him.

Jim James "Regions of Light and Sound of God" (8 out of 10 stars)

I'm really shocked that I love this album so much simply because it's not immediately accessible, and the older I get the less patience I have for nuance and subtlety.  And there's a fine line between creativity and creative indulgence that's just noodling and posturing (see Yorke, Thom).  This comes across as a true labor of love from the My Morning Jacket frontman and it grows with each listen.  Lennon-esque at times with a dash of the best of Badly Drawn Boy (where has HE been?), his spiritual longings rarely come across as less than sincere and quite humble and there's enough melody sprinkled around to hold interest.  In fact, this album gets much better with each listen.  Great production too. 

Tegan and Sara "Heartthrob" (2 out of 10 stars)

Music Oasis back after over a year hiatus!  What has brought me (permanently) out of reviewing retirement?  Why, only the most disappointing album from any artist since the Black Keys "Attack and Release" in 2008 (off the top of my head.  Surely The Strokes are up there somewhere).  But before I put the knife into Tegan and Sara, a few words of praise and explaination are in order.
   First of all, no one has been a bigger fan of the Canadian twins than me.  I have carried their torch, sung their praises, and have been amazed at their albums since 2002's "Since There Was You."  They make beautiful songs with impeccable craft and stellar production.  They have grown as artists on every release and have brought me much joy listening to their music.  I could even argue that in the decade of the 2000's no one has done it better.  I love Tegan and Sara.  Secondly, I have no problem with artists "selling out" if by that you mean becoming more poppy or radio-friendly or whatever.  I want Tegan and Sara to succeed and make a bunch of money; they deserve it.  Pre-releases from them such as "Bodywork" and "Closer" actually had me excited about the upcoming album.
  However....Heartthrob is a complete embarrassment.  I just want the nightmare to be over and someone tell me that it was all a PR stunt.  Check out the song titles alone: "Goodbye, Goodbye," "I Was a Fool," "I'm Not Your Hero," "Drove Me Wild," "How Come You Don't Want Me," "I Couldn't Be Your Friend," "Love They Say," and "Now I'm All Messed Up."  Really?  Is this the Teen Mom 2 soundtrack?  Cheesy Taylor Dayne-like 90's synth sounds abound and what the twins I'm sure suppose is a bunch of harmless fun is just excruciating to listen to.  The melodies are juvenile, the beats unimaginative, and the lyrics don't rise much higher than the aforementioned song titles.  Just a complete disappointment of an album, especially when compared with their earlier efforts which had true passion, complexity, imaginative instrumentation, and inspired melodies.  This sounds campy and cheap.  I must, to be fair, say that the opener "Closer" is one of their best songs ever and it's possible to, perhaps, give a passing grade to the 1st 4 songs if the rest of the album had blossomed from there, that is.  But it doesn't.  If you love this album, good for you.  I realize that reviewing is a subjective art.  And I hope that these amazing ladies, who carry themselves with such class, make a ton of money from "Heartthrob."  I just honestly think it doesn't measure up and I can't recommend it.  At all.

The Belle Brigade - "The Belle Brigade" (8.3 of 10)

Well this is why I review music, painstaking and frustrating though it is - sifting through crappy albums week after week like a Sutter's Mill miner in 1849. But then, there it is - a shiny gold nugget amidst the sediment of worthless mediocrity. I don't know anything about The Belle Brigade other than it's a brother-sister duo who are from L.A. And they are a fusion of Buckingham-Nicks, Mates of State, and the Everly Brothers if one of them was a girl. Got it? This is an amazing debut with great melodies, impeccable harmony, and enough diversity to always keep it interesting. Coming to a festival somewhere near you this summer, and when they become huge, remember I said it here first. I wish his voice was a little less nasally...but whatever.

Alison Kraus and Union Station - "Paper Airplane" (7.7 of 10)

They have forged their own sound and own genre over the years - no longer just bluegrass, not exactly country or folk, and certainly not pop- so just what ARE they? Obviously they rely upon Alison's angelic voice as well as the musicianship of Union Station. Now we just need melodies since there is no principal song writer in the group. And, it seems to me, that they have struggled to find proper songs the past few albums to make a coherent, flowing album that could stand the test of time and could be pointed to as their "classic." Hits and misses all over the place...and it's no different here. You get what you get. And it's nice enough, but name me the standout track or moment? What leaves you humming the tune as you walk away? Maybe "Lay My Burden Down" I suppose. Or "My Love Follows You Where You Go." Very nice moments there. But since Alison could sing the phone book and make it sound amazing, it's always worth the money to hear any album she's a part of.

Paul Simon - "So Beautiful or So What" (8.3 of 10)

It's just so difficult to make a new album 45 years or so after your first one and not sound tired, boring or irrelevant. Especially since you haven't put out a "decent" album in 20 years, and not a "great" one in 25 years! And count me in as someone who was skeptical when I approached this album. But this new Simon album makes me feel 10 or so - back in 1972 - listening to his first solo release. Ok, there's no "Mother and Child Reunion" here, but this is great stuff. Melodic and insightful...even joyful at times as he sings about darker topics such as mortality. Completely eclipses and makes to seem silly most of the singer/songwriters of today. They know who they are, and I suspect that you do too. Love that title track!

The Strokes - "Angles" (7.9 of 10)

Reminiscent of their first 2 albums...and yet...more mature and experimental? Sort of? Ah - I am failing at this review. Just know that, for long-time Strokes fans, you will love the first 3 songs - as good as it gets from them really. Then, a mis-step on the 4th track ("You're So Right"), and then it's back to the "non-hit" type of songs formula from their 1st 2 albums. Which isn't so bad - A Cars nod here, a Blondie nod there. Production certainly more atmospheric here - Julian doesn't sound like he's singing in a box. I'm not a fan of the ballads "Call Me Back" and "Life Is Simple In the Moonlight." Honestly, if it were to me, I would just go to ITunes and buy the first 3 tracks and be done with it.