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Guster’s “Easy Wonderful” (2010) – YES, NO, MAYBE SO?

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Guster’s Easy Wonderful (2010) – MAYBE

Easy Wonderful (Guster, 2010)

Easy Wonderful (Guster, 2010)

(October 5, 2010)

Review:

The Easy Wonderful CD design is telling: the disc is a vibrant, organic hand-drawn color wheel (see the cover) with a massive “FBI Anti-Piracy Warning” stamped over it; this design — whether the band approved the warning or not — finds Guster, as always, an engaging band with a knack for beautiful songwriting but with too much feeling forced or underwhelming this time around to truly impress alongside their back catalog (i.e. Keep It Together, anyone?).

Top Two Tracks:

“Jesus & Mary” & “Architects & Engineers”

How to Destroy Angels’ “How to Destroy Angels” EP (2010) – YES, NO, or MAYBE SO

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How to Destroy Angels’ How to Destroy Angels EP (2010) – MAYBE

"How To Destroy Angels" (How To Destroy Angels, 2010)

"How To Destroy Angels" (How To Destroy Angels, 2010)

(June 1, 2010)

Review:

I don’t know that I’ll ever “get” the finer points of such experimental/industrial rock as How to Destroy Angels creates, yet even I can register the passive-aggressive patterns laid out across these six tracks, accented by volleys of bass, carefully constructed drum tracks, and — not to be overlooked — (Trent Reznor’s wife and bandmate) Mariqueen Maandig’s deep, rich vocals.

Top Two Tracks:

“Fur Lined” & “Parasite”

Goo Goo Dolls’ “Hold Me Up” (1990) – Yes, No, or Maybe So

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Goo Goo Dolls’ Hold Me Up (1990) – MAYBE

Hold Me Up (Goo Goo Dolls, 1990)

Hold Me Up (Goo Goo Dolls, 1990)

(October 16, 1990)

Review:

The epitome of a three star album: not a masterpiece, but a solid collection of raw yet concise, grungy rock tracks that are energetic and enjoyable — Takac and Rzeznik splitting lead vocal duties and even sharing a duet is a dynamic arrangement.

Top Two Tracks:

“Two Days in February” & “Laughing”

Uncle Tupelo’s “March 16-20, 1992” (1992) – Yes, No, or Maybe So

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Uncle Tupelo’s March 16-20, 1992 (1992) – MAYBE SO

Uncle Tupelo's "March 16-20, 1992"

Uncle Tupelo's "March 16-20, 1992"

(August 3, 1992)

Review:

A direct title and no frills production detract not at all from this at-times beautiful (“Sandusky”), at-times haunting (“Fatal Wound”) set of recordings with lyrics that resonate as relevant despite sounding — or, in some cases, being — decades out of time.

Top Two Tracks:

“Black Eye” & “Criminals”