Album of the Week (10/26/2011)

Bjork
Biophilia
Genre: Electronic

This wins for Bjork's craziest outfit, in a million-way tie.

The challenging but rewarding Biophilia is, at its core, a deeply moving, highly intelligent display of Bjork's singing and songwriting. Educational and emotional in a strangely approachable way, these songs are an amazing part of a bigger picture. When Bjork's beautifully haunting voice soars in songs like "Thunderbolt" and "Craving miracles," her soul easily outshines the software.

See also: Bat for Lashes Fur and Gold, St. Vincent Actor

Album of the Week (10/11/2011)

Feist
Metals
Genre: Indie Pop

As always, Feist has made a beautiful album. Metals is less off-the-cuff than her earlier records, but it is a fragile, dramatic work that strives to evoke deep emotions from its listeners. The album borrows from blues and jazz, but Metals is arranged in such a way that it never loses its natural sound. The coolness of "How Come You Never Go There?," followed by the insistence of "A Commotion," immediately preceding the loneliness of "Bittersweet Melodies" alone makes for a thoroughly interesting ride. Feist is near-perfect here, delivering gorgeous songs that would make a decent soundtrack for long drives, parties, or empty sadness.

See also: Bat for Lashes Two Suns, St. Vincent Actor

Movie of the Week (10/08/2011)

The Ides of March
Director: George Clooney

The Ides of March is a taut, topically relevant film about the dark side of American politics. Clooney steps behind the camera here (as well as in front), to deliver a movie that is a Manchurian-like, western-style showdown between compromised election systems and hopeful, best-intentions naivete. The actors here, Gosling in particular, give the film its strength, playing characters that bring an insistence to the plot. The story that unfolds should give both the left- and right-wing something to agree on...there is no be a bright side to politics.

Album of the Week (10/04/2011)

Mastodon
The Hunter
Genre: Sludge Metal

A delicate, finger-picked intro gives way to massive sound that brings Mastodon's mastery of dynamics to the forefront before an awesome finale via a pair of colossal solos that are among the most intense Hinds has ever performed. The Hunter is the album that shows that, as long as this band stays true to itself, it has the creative wherewithal to not only endure the endless stream of pop-rock, but keep itself in the spotlight for years to come. This album isn't exactly a logical follow-up to Crack The Skye, but The Hunter triumphs in a less profound, more instantaneous way: it's the first truly fun Mastodon album.

See also: Tool Aenima, Baroness Blue Record, Converge Axe to Fall