Dave Short

R.E.M — Up

Evokes a dream world, buried in drum machines and synths. Some may find the soporific quality off-putting. Not me.

5/5

Alphaville — Forever Young

Those crazy Germans! The good kind of 80's pop, without apologies or pretense.

3/5

Hub City Stompers — Ska Ska Blacksheep

The dubs are lazy, music is tiresome, and lyrics try to be funny but come off juvenile.

1/5

The Lillingtons — The Too Late Show

Enjoyable, but the aliens/zombies/spies motifs feel a little worn out.

2/5

I Against I — Headcleaner

Moments of poppy brilliance leavened with stretches of too-generic punk.

2/5

Kirby Krackle — s/t

Self-proclaimed music for geeks, but entirely too obvious song topics, and the music struggles in places.

2/5

Ben Folds Presents — University A Capella!

Good idea, OK execution. Many groups try to recreate piano via voice. Some standouts.

3/5

The Parasites — Solitary

A fine pop-punk outing. Nothing really sticks in your head, but nevertheless it's a pleasant listen.

3/5

Tracy Chapman — s/t

These songs from a nobody about being a nobody but not liking it made her a somebody. Urgent, tender, real.

5/5

Nirvana — Nevermind

This is the sound of popular music evolving, too bad it's mostly been a travesty since this. Near-perfect.

4/5