6/10
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Melbourne’s Smith Street Band have a lot going for them with their emo-tinged pop punk sound and passionate frontman Wil Wagner, but are let down by some familiar production, basic song structures, and cringeworthy lyrics on their latest album.
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The Far Field, the fifth album from NC synthpop trio Future Islands, is a serious case of musical déjà vu.
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Freddie Gibbs makes a rushed return with You Only Live 2wice.
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Rick Ross takes a more introspective approach on his latest album.
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The UK’s Sleaford Mods return with a slightly tweaked version of their idiosyncratic style on English Tapas.
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Though Drunk brings a heaping helping of Thundercat’s spectacular bass playing and sense of humor, the album is also rife with filler and underwritten jazz motifs.
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Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman goes full-on pop with his follow-up to 2012’s I Know What Love Isn’t.
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DROGAS Light is one of Lupe Fiasco’s better attempts at making an album with pop appeal, though it still pales in comparison to his more progressive work like Tetsuo & Youth.
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Talking with my dude Myke C-Town about this new Iron Reagan album, the Virginian crossover thrash outfit’s second outing for Relapse Records.
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With I Decided, Big Sean releases an album that gives me more to say than just “no.”