Aural Fixations

JEFF BUCKLEY
Grace (Legacy Edition)
(Columbia/Legacy)
It's hard to believe that it's been a decade since Jeff Buckley's debut album Grace came out. To me, it seems like it hasn't been that long. For me, even though this album was never intended to be a definitive statement, certainly not a final testament, it still sounds as magnificently timeless as ever. (more)

JOHN CALE
Hobosapiens
(Or)
John Cale has had an extremely diverse career over the past 40 years, creating everything from avant garde compositions with his mentor LaMonte Young and groundbreaking rock & roll with the Velvet Underground to various experimental ventures, classical scores and postpunk rock (before punk was born even). Along the way he occasionally makes a pop record. (more)

MASTODON
Leviathan
(Relapse)
Though less than half a decade old, Mastodon has gained a reputation for being one of the very best heavy metal bands around. As its third disk Leviathan proves, it's earned every bit of that acclaim. (more)

TIFT MERRITT
Tambourine
(Lost Highway)
Like Lucinda Williams, Tift Merritt thinks of different styles of American roots music as being essentially the same thing. Folk, country & western, soul, rock & roll—these all come from the same impulse, so why make distinctions between them? (more)