Review
Review: "More Is Than Isn't"—RJD2
Philadelphia–based musician and producer RJD2 rose to fame on the back of singles like 2008’s “Ghostwriter,” colorful, cut–and–paste blends of downbeat hip–hop, jazz, soul and funk.
Review: "Bangerz"—Miley Cyrus
The slow beat and sentimental lyrics from “Adore You,” the first track of Miley’s new album “Bangerz,” show Miley’s maturation into a true singer.
Review: "Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song"—Amos Lee
Philly–born singer/songwriter Amos Lee has always been known for his grass roots musical style, and loyal fans will be more than satisfied with his Americana–inspired turn on “Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song.” Opening track “Johnson Blvd” and fourth track “Chill in the Air” embody the feel of the album best, featuring Lee’s calming vocals with more southern–tinge than usual.
Review: "Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!"—Panic! At the Disco
The exclamation mark may be back, but Panic!
Review: "In a Perfect World"—Kodaline
Perfection is what we all aspire to, and though Kodaline misses the bullseye, they come very close.
Review: "Lousy with Sylvianbriar"—Of Montreal
After 17 years of testing genre boundaries, Of Montreal is still surprising fans with its ’60s psychedelic pop/’70s glam rock–inspired 12th studio album, “Lousy With Sylvianbriar.” Opening with standout track “Fugitive Air,” Of Montreal maintains the energized art rock of earlier albums against a backdrop of traditional classic rock.
Review: "The Speed of Things"—Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
The sophomore release from Detroit’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. sticks to what the band doe s best. Similar to the band’s debut, “Speed of Things” combines electronic grooves with spacey vocals to create dreamy indie pop jams.
Review: "Melophobia"—Cage the Elephant
Cage the Elephant’s third studio album, ironically titled “Melophobia” (meaning the fear of music), is a ten–track musical cacophony that makes for thrilling listening.
Review: "Bitter Rivals"—Sleigh Bells
Sleigh Bells has been described as a “noise pop” group, and they do nothing if not live up to exactly that description.
Review: "The Summit"
If you want a nice story to tell at a cocktail party, you could climb Mount Everest. If you want to prove your prowess as a climber and wrestle with your own mortality, then it has to be K2. While Everest will always hold the title of tallest, K2, located on the boarder of Pakistan and China, is the deadliest climb on Earth.
Review: "Machete Kills"
Don’t take your kids to see “Machete Kills.” Seriously. The sheer amount of blood, gore and violence is enough to send any parents group into a frenzy. As an homage to the exploitation flicks of the past, Robert Rodriguez’s franchise follows an ex–Federale named Machete (Danny Trejo), who is out for justice and vengeance, usually with a bloody touch.
Review: "Captain Phillips"
“Captain Phillips” is a true story. It is one man’s very real and very horrible experience translated into a film that’s now predicted to be an Oscars front-runner.
Review: "Runner Runner"
Penn students may not be able to enjoy “Runner Runner” for one reason: Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake), the protagonist, goes to Princeton. Despite this particular unsavory detail, the movie proved to be a pleasant surprise.
Review: "Enough Said"
Enough is Enough: Nicole Holofcener’s Enough Said Is Warm, Witty, and Entirely Satisfying
Review: "Parkland"
An absolute pressure cooker of a film, “Parkland” presents an intimate and visceral look at events following the assassination of John F.
Album Review: "Glacier"—Teen Daze
Ambient is the name of the game, and though Teen Daze hits the mark on a few songs, he falls short on crafting a holistic experience.
Album Review: "Days Are Gone"—Haim
The Los Angeles–based Haim sisters burst onto the music scene during the summer of 2012 with danceable singles “Falling” and “Forever” that were ripe and ready for alternative radio play.
Album Review: "The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2"—Justin Timberlake
The second half of Justin Timberlake’s “20/20 Experience” falls short of the hype.
