The following albums were hyped by many but were actually pretty lame. No matter what some people tell you: - TV on the Radio, “Return to Cookie Mountain� — It’s amazing what a famous fan will do for you. Hyped by many — including David Bowie — but apparently not by anyone who actually listened to the disc. A surprisingly boring record. - The Decemberists...read more

This year I heard a lot of good music and a lot of crap. The following are albums I gave repeated slots in my sweet Subaru stock stereo: - “Pearl Jam,� Pearl Jam — This Seattle band won’t die. After more than 15 years, Pearl Jam continues to find ways to stay relevant in today’s music world, led by captain Ed Vedder and a crew that has finally accepted they’re...read more