Turing Machine - What Is the Meaning of What -- Some of these tracks were recorded prior to drummer Gerry Fuchs' tragic death a few years ago. The rest of the band deliberated long and hard before deciding to complete these recordings, receiving assistance from some of Brooklyn's finest drummers along the way. It's Fuchs' relentlessly creative, propulsive drumming, in part, that makes this punchy krautrock album probably the best workout record of the year. Think Maserati but with more crunch and less reverb?
Best song: "Yeah, C'mon!"
Grade: B
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Heavy Blanket - Heavy Blanket -- If you ever found yourself thinking, "man, I wish I could listen in on a J Mascis jam session when he's stoned off his ass," then this heaping plateful of noodly wankery might appeal to you more than it does me.
Grade: D
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Beach House - Bloom -- Exactly two people have mentioned to me that they think this album "sucks." These people, in a nutshell, are assholes. (I know them well). Don't be an asshole.
Now, is Bloom as good as Teen Dream? No, it's not - there's a run of a few songs towards the end that don't quite live up to expectations. But let's not forget, people, Teen Dream is one of the finest records of the aughts, and, most importantly, Victoria Legrand's dusky vocals remain as irresistably charismatic as ever.
Best songs: "Myth," "Lazuli," "Wild," "Other People."
Grade: B+
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