On Sell, Sell, Sell, David Gray plugs in and cranks it up a notch higher than on his previous release, Flesh. Where once there were sparse arrangements of acoustic guitar and piano, now there are live jangling electrics and drums.

Continuing her standing as an independent artist, Jonatha Brooke kicks off the millennium with Steady Pull, the second release on her own Bad Dog Records. Steady Pull is at once both inspiring and upsetting. The inspiration is easy to glimpse; it’s a wonderful record, smart and catchy, interesting and fresh. The frustration lies not with …

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Some records defy explanation and rise above any praise or criticism. They exist in a realm of their own creation and definition, undeserving of attempts to categorize or humanize their artistic achievement. Words cannot capture their essence, and probably should not even try. With Mobilize, Grant-Lee Phillips has set forth such a work.

There’s a lot about Kim Richey’s Rise that is intriguing. All of it seems to circle around the balancing of playful and contemplative moods. The lyrics, the instrumentation, the arrangements — all are means to that intriguing end.