Reception
The Homeland was met with mostly positive reviews. The Columbus FreePress gave it a glowing review, writing "It is rare when an album sets out to achieve such lofty goals as The Homeland. It’s even more rare when the artist actually hits the mark on all levels." [1] Uncut magazine gave the album 4/5 stars, calling Conn "witty and sharp", and stating that he can "tell a tale with aplomb". [2] Mojo also awarded the album 4/5 stars, [3] and Q Magazine awarded the album 3/5 stars, saying "[I]t's reassuring to run into the real McCoy. Chicago's Bobby Conn is just that." [4]
On the negative side, Dave Queen of Stylus Magazine, stated that the album "fails" in comparison to its predecessor, criticising John McEntire's production and Conn's subject matter, stating "I [...] miss the dysfunctional coke-sex ballads [i.e. of "The Golden Age"]". [5] Playlouder gave the album 2.5/5 stars, mostly criticising the album's political lyrical content, and asserting that "the results are anticlimactic"- however reviewer Jeremy Allen does admit that Conn "is clearly talented.". [6] PopMatters criticised the political lyrics as "crude and oversimplified" but admitted that "there are still plenty of killer hooks, and John McEntire's expert recording job makes the most of them, giving the mix a crisp clarity that assures that these intricate arrangements never sound decadently bloated." [7]
Good News for People Who Love Bad News is the fourth studio album by American rock band Modest Mouse, released on April 6, 2004, by Epic Records. Founding member Jeremiah Green did not perform on this album due to his temporary absence from the band, and it would be the only release during his time with Modest Mouse that he would not appear on.
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Jeffrey Stafford, known professionally as Bobby Conn, is an American musician based in Chicago, Illinois. He often collaborates with other artists and film-maker Usama Alshaibi.
Antics is the second studio album by American rock band Interpol, released on September 27, 2004, by Matador Records. Upon its release, the album peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard 200 and number 21 on the UK Albums Chart, and went on to sell over 488,000 copies in the United States.
Wet from Birth is the fourth studio album by the American band The Faint, released on September 14, 2004.
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Killing Joke is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Killing Joke, released on 28 July 2003 through Zuma Recordings. It was their first album in seven years, following Democracy in 1996, and their second self-titled album, following their debut in 1980. The album was produced by Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill and features Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, a long-time Killing Joke fan, on drums. It peaked at number 43 in the UK Albums Chart.
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29 is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on December 19, 2005, by Lost Highway Records. Produced by Ethan Johns, and recorded prior to the formation of backing band The Cardinals, the album was the last of three released in 2005. Session guitarist JP Bowersock would later go on to join the Cardinals, subsequently recording Cold Roses and Jacksonville City Nights alongside Adams. The album's cover art was drawn by Adams.
Scorpio Rising is the third album by British electronica band Death in Vegas. It was released on 16 September 2002 in the United Kingdom via Concrete Records, and on 17 June 2003 in the United States via Sanctuary Records. The album takes its name from an experimental film by Kenneth Anger. Scorpio Rising features guest vocalists Liam Gallagher, Hope Sandoval, Nicola Kuperus, and Paul Weller, as well as string arrangements by L. Subramaniam. The album was recorded at Death in Vegas' very own studio The Contino Rooms in early 2002, with the strings recorded at Trinity Wave Station in Chennai, India.
Electric Circus is the fifth studio album by American rapper Common, released on December 10, 2002, on the now-defunct MCA Records. The album was highly anticipated and praised by many critics for its ambitious vision. However, it was not as commercially successful as his previous album, Like Water for Chocolate, selling under 300,000 copies. An eclectic album, Electric Circus features fusions of several genres such as hip hop, pop, rock, electronic, and neo soul. "I wasn't feeling hip hop," the rapper remarked. "So my motivation for that album were other genres of music, like Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix. It wasn't hip hop." This was Common's second and last album for MCA, as well as the final album released under the label, which would soon be merged into Geffen Records a year later.
Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You is a 2003 studio album by American electronic musician Miguel Depedro under his alias of Kid 606. The album was released by Ipecac Records on compact disc and on vinyl by Tigerbeat6. The album was recorded between 1998 and 2003 and features guest vocalist Wayne Lonesome. To promote the album, the EP The Illness was released in July 2003 as well as a music video for "The Illness" made by Joel Trussell.
So Divided is the fifth studio album by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead released in the UK on November 13, 2006 and in the US on November 14. It saw the band continuing to expand its sound, along the lines of its predecessor Worlds Apart.
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Gotham! is the second album by the dance-punk/post-punk revival band Radio 4
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