New Reviews for October 11, 2024

The Heart, The Mind, The Soul
Verve Forecast
R&B
A three-part spoken-word project with production from James Poyser, Iman Omari, and Robert Glasper.
- Andy Kellman
Backbone
The brilliant Australian singer/songwriter boldly demonstrates why she's been a giant of roots music for a quarter-century.
- Mark Deming
PortraitEditor's choice
Verve
The Grammy-winning singer leads a lushly arranged octet on her fourth album.
- Matt Collar
GoatEditor's choice
Rocket Recordings
The band deliver the usual dose of gnarly guitars, freak folk, and mystical biker psych, this time with some well-played hip-hop influences added in.
- Tim Sendra
Legend of E'boi (The Hypervigilant Eye)
AUM Fidelity
The alto saxophonist and his trio examine free jazz, spirituals, gospel, blues, and wild improvisation on the seventh entry in his Manish Boy project.
- Thom Jurek
Terra FirmaEditor's choice
Foreign Exchange Music
R&B, Rap
A varied and cohesive collaborative work from the Grammy-nominated producer, this ranges from some unexpected boom bap to an "IYKYK" nod to Stevie Wonder.
- Andy Kellman
Blues BloodEditor's choice
Blue Note
With a quartet, vocalists, and select guests, the alto saxophonist explores a racial incident from 1964 through a lens that reflects modern society.
- Thom Jurek
Cosmic American Music: Motel CaliforniaEditor's choice
Various Artists
Numero / Numero Group
The second volume of a compilation series focused on obscure country-rock and psychedelic Americana artists from the late '60s and early '70s.
- Fred Thomas
Black on Both Sides
AllMusic Staff Pick - October 12, 2024
October 12, 1999
Black on Both Sides is a tour de force by an artist out to prove he can do it all. Its ambition and execution rank it as one of the best albums of 1999, and it consolidates Mos Def's position as one of hip-hop's brightest hopes as we entered the 21st century.
- Steve Huey