Album Review: Ugly by The Ugly

So wrong of us to demand the return of this band, which broke up six years ago and whose members are all happily on to other things. But this album is so great. Deep and superficial, loud and even louder. (And it’s free! Click the link to download it.) Our favorite song: Picasso. (Reviewed on our #25 podcast, Ugly.)

Album Review: The Morning After by SixToes

Cinematic folk rock means not being afraid of simplicity, but not being afraid of complexity either. A haunting bunch of songs, featuring strings, computers, and a balladeer who sounds like he’s from another century. Our favorite song: Nobody Inn.(Reviewed on our #25 podcast, Ugly.)

Album Review: Ugly by Bronson Wisconsin


Sometimes very skilled musicians are totally annoying, but these two brothers seem like they’d be really fun to hang out with. This is country-Americana music that will make you want to move to Wisconsin, where the honest songwriters live. Our favorite song: Goodbye Ventura. (Reviewed on our #25 podcast, Ugly.)

Album Review: Islands by Un.Real

The name, which is pronounced in the Spanish, describes the sound of this band pretty well. We think this music is transportive. Our favorite song: Blue Garden. (Reviewed on our #24 podcast, Waves of Beautiful Gorgeousness.)

Album Review: Devil on Your Tongue by Helicon

How a brand-new band could sound so polished is a mystery that maybe you have to be from Scotland to understand. Really rhythmic, really big, really interesting songs, some of which are sort of stoner rock and some of which are shoegaze-ish. Our favorite song: The Bold Yin. (Reviewed on our #24 podcast, Waves of Beautiful Gorgeousness.)

Album Review: Quitting Time by Half Stack

A large, cute group of people who have all played music for a long time put it together here in a genre-defying bunch of Real Good Tunes. Our favorite song: Dually. (Reviewed on our #24 podcast, Waves of Beautiful Gorgeousness.)

Album Review: Common Blah by Weakened Friends

Your friends from Portland, Maine don’t take their mid-20s malaise lying down. They take it screaming and rocking. Our favorite song: Blue Again. (Reviewed on our #24 podcast, Waves of Beautiful Gorgeousness.)

Album Review: Panique Au Biblos by X-Ray Vision

If you’re having a party, and you’re inviting cool people to the party, and you want to give them the impression that you are also cool, this is the album to play. Please serve interesting or difficult mixed drinks. Our favorite song: Beat Girl. (Reviewed on our #23 podcast, the Race to Sell Out.)

Album Review: Self-Titled by Jenny Don’t and the Spurs

“Classic Country” in this case means classic storytelling, classic instrumentation, classic beat, classic everything. The “country” part is maybe in reference to their hats. Go Jenny Don’t. Our favorite song: Rattlesnakes and Dogs.(Reviewed on our #23 podcast, the Race to Sell Out.)