It’s list-making season – for children who believe in Santa, music writers, etc – and there are three rap albums that you are bound to see wherever it is that you see lists: Jay-Z’s American Gangster, Kanye West’s Graduate, and Lil’ Wayne’s Da Drought 3. These artists all create good music and lots of people purchased and enjoyed all three of these works. Lil’ Wayne, in particular, may have produced the two most gifted hours......

There are quite a few mentionables this week, including Dappled Cities' Granddance, produced by Jim Fairchild (of Grandaddy) and Peter Walker, and mixed by Jaquire King (Modest Mouse). Dappled Cities are an Australian indie rock band that we've grown rather fond of as of late, mostly because of "Fire, Fire Fire". Also of note this week is the latest from Ladybug Transistor and the latest Eccentric Soul compilation, The Prix Label. As usual, do......

Battles Mirrored (Warp) Battles combine John Stanier's (Helmet, Tomahawk) frenetic drumming with Ian Williams' (Don Caballero) signature finger-tapping guitar work and layer prog-metal keyboards along with everything from hip-hop and rap to free jazz to cartoonish vocal effects, creating what is probably going to be one of the most quietly influential albums of the year. Though the band has been around for over four years, Mirrored is their first full-length. Previous EPs have indicated......

Merry Christmas kiddos, just about all you have to look forward to this week record shopping is a stocking-ready collection of reissues and collections. Oh, and Ghostface. Ghostface Killah More Fish (Def Jam) Wu Tang member and Staten Island resident Ghostface has indeed delivered more fish. In a manner somewhat reminiscent of the good old days (now nearly ten years ago, making Ghost a near AARP card holder among rappers), More Fish provides the......

After spending the long weekend with Aunt Pearl and her magical inflatable cat, you're probably aching to get back into the overwhelming world of hipsterdom. Here's what's new this week (not much): Mark Kozelek Little Drummer Live (Caldoverde) Our favorite Red House Painter is offering a 2 disc collection of songs mostly recorded directly to CDR during his European and North American tour this year. Kozelek's varied influences, favorites and fetishes all come into......