Music Reviews

Staying on the positive tip here in the home stretch of Black History Month, soulful singer/rapper Aloe Blacc has released five tracks in Dolby Atmos ahead of the official February 28, 2025, release of his new, 12-song album from whence they came, Stand Together. Read Mike Mettler’s review of a pair of them — the positive-vibe duo that is “Don’t Go Alone” and “Breakthrough” — to find out just how Blacc conquers the 360-degree realm. . .

Box sets are investments. Not just in terms of their usually lofty SRPs, but also in regard to the amount of time and attention needed/required to listen to, enjoy, and fully absorb the multiple hours’ worth of music they hold. Read music editor Mike Mettler’s combo deep-dive review of five recent, cool music box sets you may have missed, and find out why they all belong in your collection as soon as your wallet allows. . .

It’s almost impossible to keep up with the sheer volume of new-to-2024 Dolby Atmos tracks available on streaming services/online listening portals like Apple Music, Tidal, and Immersive Audio Album these days—not to mention the encouraging, increasing number of physical Blu-ray-with-Atmos options that are also out there, for us completist/collector types—but it’s one holy heck of a problem to have for those of us who truly cherish the immersive listening experience. Read on to see which songs made the 360-degree cut for S&V Music Editor Mike Mettler’s Top 5 favorite Dolby Atmos tracks of 2024 list. . .

Shaboozey continues to capture that good ol’ country-tinged lightning in a bottle with his latest single, “Good News,” which was released by American Dogwood/Empire in multiple formats on November 15, 2024. Chances are, you just might see and hear Shaboozey perform this hopeful new track as part of his headlining performance during halftime at this Thursday’s Thanksgiving NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears. Read Mike Mettler’s review to find out if the Dolby Atmos mix of “Good News” maintains the bright-star country artist’s winning streak. . .

Immersive music, thy name be David Gilmour. Though Pink Floyd may be a semi-distant active memory, lead guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour has seen fit to issue some quite intriguing solo projects here and there over the past five or so decades. His fifth solo studio effort, Luck and Strange, which was released by Sony Music in multiple formats on September 6, 2024, may indeed be his best outing under his own name—most especially in its Dolby Atmos incarnation. Read Mike Mettler’s review to find out just how good that L&S Atmos mix really is. . .

A-level guests on Tee’s fifth studio album include the likes of Future, 42 Dugg, Mariah The Scientist, and even his brother, Baby Grizzley. Synth loops and loping 808s permeate some of its backing tracks—cool choices due in no small part to one of the album’s key producers, Pi’erre Bourne (Drake, Playboi Carti).

These Are the Eyes of Disarray: S&V music editor Mike Mettler evaluates multiple versions of Stone Temple Pilots’ September 1992 debut album Core, which laid the foundation for a hard-rocking rollercoaster ride steeped in the three G’s—garage, glam, and groove. . .