Album reviews in 30 seconds or less.
Robyn
Body Talk Pt. 1
(Interscope)
Sounds Like: Swedish electro Queen drops an eight-song mini-LP that is jam-packed with badass disco beats, growlingly clever lyrics and magical hooks.
Free Association: People, wake up! Robyn is the unknown diva you need to hear!
For Fans Of: ABBA, Blondie, Kylie, Annie, Goldfrapp, dancefloor ecstasy.
Stars
The Five Ghosts
(Vagrant)
Sounds Like: Toronto indie darlings have been all downhill since Set Yourself on Fire, and while Amy Milan kills her vocals, it all starts to sound alike.
Free Association: OK, got it—heartbreak and devastation, barbs and regrets, repeat.
For Fans Of: Smiths, Broken Social Scene, Metric, keeping a journal.
The Roots
How I Got Over
(Def Jam)
Sounds Like: Hometown pioneers of thoughtful, inspired hip-hop turn it out with a collection of funky, jazzy grooves under Black Thought’s deft spits.
Free Association: No “Seed 2.0” detectable; much prefer another Things Fall Apart.
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