Chris Willman
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Lyle Lovett Makes Writer’s Block Work for Him, Again, in ‘Release Me’
Review: It’s hard to complain about Lovett’s spate of mostly-covers albums when he resurrects such juicy blues, country, and Texas-music obscurities
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Chieftains Get the T Bone Burnett Treatment on Guest-Filled Anniversary Album
Fresh from the Grammys, Bon Iver and the Civil Wars are among the drop-ins deferring to the Chieftains’ traditional style on a 50th anniversary album
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Sleigh Bells Go With Death Knells On ‘Reign of Terror’
A spoonful of sugary pop, along with a new penchant for heavy metal, make the morbidity go down on Sleigh Bells’ mortality-themed new album “Reign of Terror”
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Sinead O’Connor Rips Up Pope Again — And Bono — On New Album
It’s not just the provocation that’s a return to form for O’Connor on ‘How About I Be Me (And You Be You)’
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Punch Brothers’ ‘Who’s Feeling Young’: Bluegrass for People Afraid of Bluegrass
Ex-Nickel Creek mandolinist Chris Thile continues to lead acoustic string-band music into the 21st century with his witty songwriting and eight-string shredding
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Van Halen Gets a Fun ‘Jump’-Start With First Roth-Fronted Album in 28 Years
With Diamond Dave back in comedic-showman tow, ‘A Different Kind of Truth’ is good enough to make you forget Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone ever happened
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Paul McCartney’s ‘Kisses’ a Valentine’s Day Treat
Key collaborator Diana Krall helps keep Paul McCartney’s album of pre-rock standards sweet … and, unlike Rod Stewart’s, subtle
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Madonna Pre-Super Bowl Video Gets Some Cred From NFL, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A.
VIDEOS: Madonna hires her own celebrity cheerleaders in a ridiculous but infectious new video for “Give Me All Your Luvin’”
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Review: Leonard Cohen Has Some New ‘Old Ideas’ — Hallelujah!
77-year-old poet laureate Leonard Cohen merits hosannas for his warmest and best album in 20 years
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Review: Lana Del Rey, the Anti-Adele, Gets Icy in ‘Born to Die’
Lana Del Rey’s coolly jaded album is neither as good as the “Video Games” single or as terrible as the controversial newcomer’s “SNL” appearance
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Review: Miley, Adele, Adam Levine, and Dozens More Ring Dylan’s ‘Chimes of Freedom’
Evan Rachel Wood and Ke$ha are among the improbable interpreters who score in a 76-song Dylan tribute
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Review: Tim McGraw’s ‘Emotional Traffic’ Is Serious and Silly
The uneven album, once the center of legal battle between the singer and his label Curb Records, hints at greatness and settles for affability
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Review: Craig Finn’s ‘Clear Heart’ Holds Steady With Superior Songwriting
Craig Finn’s first album under his own name strips away the raucousness to reveal the haunted quality that’s always been there
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Review: Springsteen Does Another Political Fakeout With ‘We Take Care of Our Own’
If you loved “Born in the USA” — for the right or wrong reasons — you’ll hear anguished echoes in Bruce’s new single, from his new album due March 6
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Thanks to Gaga and Adele, Music Business Finally Improves in 2011
Album sales are up only about 1%, but that’s still great news after a decade-plus of decline