AMY WINEHOUSE – Lioness: Hidden Treasures THE GOOD: Even though she’s no longer with us, Amy Winehouse is still giving music worth embracing. THE BAD: Lioness is the obligatory posthumous “leftovers” collection, and comes off as such. The album lacks a certain cohesiveness. THE NITTY GRITTY: It also lacks the producing talents of Mark...

WATERS – Out in the Light THE GOOD: What do you get when a California boy leaves his old band, forms a new group in Norway, and then records their album in Texas? One hell of a debut! THE BAD: Nope. THE NITTY GRITTY: Van Pierszalowski split up California alt/folk rockers Port O’Brien, moved to Oslo for awhile and eventually put together Waters. Light...

IVY – All Hours THE GOOD: It took over six years but NYC’s Ivy finally returns with some new precious indie pop. THE BAD: No Ivy album is perfect. You take the memorable moments right along with the average stuff. All Hours is no exception, but the set still simmers and satisfies. THE NITTY GRITTY: Songwriter/bassist Adam Schlesinger has been a busy...

ZOLA JESUS – Conatus THE GOOD: Russian/American singer/songwriter Nika Roza Danilova (stage name Zola Jesus) brings on a stunning third full-length. THE BAD: Nothing THE NITTY GRITTY: Zola’s music has been progressing by leaps and bounds on a series of three EP’s and two LP’s released over the past few years. But Conatus may be her best...

BJORK – Biophilia THE GOOD: Legendary Icelandic songstress Bjork returns with her seventh solo epic. THE BAD: She’s an acquired taste – you either appreciate the art or cringe at its many quirks. THE NITTY GRITTY: Biophilia is being billed as the first widely available “app” album; each of its 10 core tracks accompanied by an app...

VETIVER – The Errant Charm THE GOOD: San Francisco folk-rock outfit Vetiver is back with a fifth sparkling effort. THE BAD: Charm is one of those albums where the overall mood is more important than the individual tracks. There are a lot of good songs on the record. Great ones? That’s debatable. But again, the atmosphere and textures found throughout...

WASHED OUT – Within and Without THE GOOD: Chillwave artist Washed Out (actually Ernest Greene) gives us a subtle, yet powerful, debut. THE BAD: Nothing. THE NITTY GRITTY: Two years ago, Greene graduated from college with the hopes of being a librarian, but he couldn’t find a job. So the guy started making records. Hooray for a crappy economy! Try to...

DUM DUM GIRLS – Only In Dreams THE GOOD: Kristen Gundred’s Dum Dum Girls make their first album as an actual band…and it’s oh-so-sweet! THE BAD: Dreams is definitely more polished than the lo-fi debut I Will Be. Listeners hoping for another retro surf and girl group session produced out in the garage may have to adjust. THE...

GOMEZ – Whatever’s On Your Mind THE GOOD: England’s musical chameleons Gomez are back with their seventh. THE BAD: This time they’ve morphed into something slightly disagreeable; that is – boring. I remember the guys’ first three albums being rather ecl

BATTLES – Gloss Drop THE GOOD: The indefinable Battles return with their sophomore album. THE BAD: There are some changes within the band’s line-up, but these don’t necessarily spell “doom and gloom.” THE NITTY GRITTY: Vocalist Tyondai Braxton has departed, leaving a gaping hole in the group’s unique sound. But the rest of...