Philadelphia Weekly

MUSIC

On the Record: The War on Drugs, Kelly Rowland & More

By Bill Chenevert

Add Comment | Comments: 1 | Posted Aug. 10, 2011

Kelly Rowland  

Here I Am 

(Motown) 

Sounds Like: The Destiny’s Child castoff will never outdo her more talented sister-friend. She kills some gay bar bangers, but a few tracks feel cheaply made. 

Free Association: Somehow she straddles the line between gay icon and hood diva. 

For Fans Of: Toni Braxton x Craig David, Big Sean/Lil Wayne,  a lil’ bump ’n’ grind. 

The War On Drugs 

Slave Ambient 

(Secretly Canadian) 

Sounds Like: A beautifully gentle sophomore collection of tunes pulled  off by four Philly friends who love Dylan. 

Free Association: A Dylan love as robust as their Kenzinger consumption. 

For Fans Of: Big Star x Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine,  jamming in Fishtown. 

Canon Blue 

Rumspringa  

(Temporary Residence) 

Sounds Like: A lovely second LP from an electro-folkie expanding his sound and recruiting help to build a big, beautiful, sonically conceived tour around the midwest. 

Free Association: Remember Bon Iver’s LP of location songs? This is like that, but better. 

For Fans Of: Sufjan Stevens x Serge Gainsbourg,  Boards of Canada, Paul Bunyan. 

Heartsounds 