PJ Harvey and John Parish

A Woman a Man Walked By (ISLAND)

Parish combines low, cracked guitar sounds, sparse drumbeats and inconsistent keyboard tones to create a folksy type of rock infused with the blues. Harvey’s voice on most of the tracks is grating, and many of the songs sound experimental and not like songs at all. The result is that the sounds and words work as foils to one another, and while it’s hard to put your finger on what exactly it is you’re listening to, a few things are undeniable: The music and vocals make compromises for each other, they are different and they mesh well together – much like a marriage.

-Chloe Popescu

Black Eyed Peas

“Boom Boom Pow” (A&M)

A more stripped sound from the B.E.P. But is it two thousand late?

-Ani Mamourian

Bob Mould

Life and Times (EPITAPH)

The press release for this album describes it as “evocative,” and technically it’s correct. The only problem is that what it “evokes” is a profound need to stop Bob Mould from making shit like this ever again. I understand he basically invented the whole 1980s grungy Hüsker Dü sound and still maintains a Pixies-like underground rock god status, but DEAR LORD. There should be laws against albums like this. Note to Mould: the 397,000 nu-grunge bands like Nickelback that OD’d on your records 20 years ago should be your untalented followers, not your primary influences.

-Alexander Abnos