Antipop Consortium vs. Matthew Shipp Two outstanding releases in the avant-jazz Blue Series, plus the solo debut by APC rapper Beans, take hip-hop/jazz fusion to new places.
By Ehren Gresehover [05/09/03]

Califone: "Quicksand/ Cradlesnakes" Early American folk and blues merge intriguingly with off-kilter electronic sounds.
By Thomas Bartlett

Yo La Tengo: "Summer Sun" For their latest album the New Jersey indie rockers cut the distortion in favor of a smooth and relaxed jazzy sound.
By Rob Young

Willie Nelson: "Crazy: The Demo Sessions" A collection of early '60s recordings by the Red-Headed Stranger shows a chiseled young man with a sweet, sweet voice.
By Max Garrone

Smog: "Supper" Seasoned songwriter Bill Callahan, aka Smog, moves away from miserabilistic anti-folk toward more amiable and reflective songs.
By B.R. Bickford

Les Nubians: "One Step Forward" Nubian princesses Helene and Celia Faussart explore Caribbean rhythms, Brazilian strings and Afro-jazz on their latest album.
By Celeste Dawn Mitchell [04/18/03]

Eric Idle: "The Rutland Isles" The ex-Monty Python star visits tropical islands that have been spared from English documentary makers in brown shorts.
By Andrew Cline

Gravy Train!!!!: "Hello Doctor" The riotous debut offering from this electropunk outfit is a send-up of old-school hip-hop, '90s diva house and classic surf rock.
By Nick Hallett

Deerhoof: "Apple O'" San Francisco noise pop band Deerhoof's glorious new album can soothe you to sleep or kick you in the head.
By Marshall York

The Essex Green: "The Long Goodbye" The Brooklyn trio's latest CD charms with harmony-laden, sweet '60s pop tunes.
By Anne O'Neil

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: "Pig Lib" After a sub-par solo debut, Malkmus the Irreverent returns to form, effortlessly spanning the gap between quirky pop and hard rock.
By Rob Young

The Go-Betweens: "Bright Yellow, Bright Orange" The Australian indie pop cult band from the '80s is back with a second album after reuniting in 2000.
By Ross White

Mat Maneri Quartet: "Sustain" Avant-garde violinist Maneri's latest release is an ambitious work of thoughtfully constructed free jazz.
By Ehren Gresehover

Sybarite: "Nonument" Former Silver Apples member Xian Hawkins' first album under the moniker Sybarite is a collection of intriguing cinematic mood pieces.
By Thomas Bartlett

The Buzzcocks (untitled) The Buzzcocks new album shows that Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle can still write immensely memorable punk rock tunes.
By Carolyn Lengel

Robert Pollard & Tobin Sprout New records by Guided by Voices mastermind Robert Pollard and by Tobin Sprout explore the varied ways of '60s psychedelia.
By Murray Jason

Dirty Three: "She Has No Strings Apollo" The Australian instrumental trio's seventh album pits wistful violins and vigorous drums against gorgeous guitar dreamscapes.
By Betsy Bonner

Pram: "Dark Island" The experimental U.K. pop group's beautifully spooky new album would make an apt soundtrack for a rainy murder mystery.
By Rob Young

Crooked Fingers: "Red Devil Dawn" Crooked Fingers, aka Eric Bachmann (Archers of Loaf), stuns fans with more baroque melancholy on his latest CD.
By Charlotte Walton

Pulse programming: "Tulsa for One Second" The Chicago-based group infuses winterly electronic soundscapes with moaning cellos, whispered vocals and other warming elements.
By Rob Young

The Notwist: "Neon Golden" On their latest album, Germany's Notwist elegantly blend acoustic pop and atmospheric glitch electronics.
By Rob Young

Smokey & Miho: "Tempo de Amor" Miho Hatori (of Cibo Matto) and guitarist Smokey Hormel pay tribute to Brazilian Afro-samba songwriter Baden Powell on their new EP.
By Thomas Bartlett

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