In a way, reviews are a little bit like a menu at a restaurant: they're there to help guide you and insure that you pick the item that's perfect for you. They give descriptions and ingredients while letting you know what you're getting into. But here at Exclaim!, we have a great side of reviews to go along with this week's helping of new releases. Take a peek at these reviews and see if you're ready to dig in or pass off the scraps to the family hound. If you're still hungry for more, head on down to our Recently Reviewed section for more.
First off, we have Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes. Both his 18th studio album and his first record since 2012's Wrecking Ball, the LP features a collection of covers, re-imagined old material, B-sides and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello on several of the tracks. But does it stack up to the New Jersey legend's classic-laden discography? Read our review to find out.
Next up, Coeur de Pirate's Béatrice Martin sings a series of covers on the album Trauma, where she transforms the songs into "stripped-down pieces that focus on the melody and Martin's uniquely sentimental voice," while UK indie rock ensemble Lanterns on the Lake explore what our reviewer calls "an even more expansive sonic palette" on Until the Colours Run.
This week also saw the release of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings' South, which brings a more minimalist approach than their last record, and James Vincent McMorrow's Post Tropical.
Finally, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' new album Give the People What They Want comes out after Jones's battle with cancer and ultimate recovery. With such a dramatic story around the making of the album, how does it actually sound? Click through to find out.
Hear some of our favourite songs from these albums and many more in our Rdio Genre Playlists:
Pop & Rock
Folk & Country
Soul, Funk & World
First off, we have Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes. Both his 18th studio album and his first record since 2012's Wrecking Ball, the LP features a collection of covers, re-imagined old material, B-sides and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello on several of the tracks. But does it stack up to the New Jersey legend's classic-laden discography? Read our review to find out.
Next up, Coeur de Pirate's Béatrice Martin sings a series of covers on the album Trauma, where she transforms the songs into "stripped-down pieces that focus on the melody and Martin's uniquely sentimental voice," while UK indie rock ensemble Lanterns on the Lake explore what our reviewer calls "an even more expansive sonic palette" on Until the Colours Run.
This week also saw the release of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings' South, which brings a more minimalist approach than their last record, and James Vincent McMorrow's Post Tropical.
Finally, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' new album Give the People What They Want comes out after Jones's battle with cancer and ultimate recovery. With such a dramatic story around the making of the album, how does it actually sound? Click through to find out.
Hear some of our favourite songs from these albums and many more in our Rdio Genre Playlists:
Pop & Rock
Folk & Country
Soul, Funk & World
