Not bad, if a little eerie with the Layne voice.

Also, to the writer: Props for your last piece on Alice in Chains, about Dirt. I wasn’t old enough to listen when it was first released, but I’m glad I do now, after reading your article in the fall. “Rain When I Die” begins every job these days.

Another possible reason why people hated on this album: M.I.A. has always made a name for herself with her crazy awesome shows, yet the songs on /\/\/\Y/\ don’t translate well in a live setting. On the album the bass is so complex and in flux that of course a venue’s speakers can’t do a good job of reproducing the subtleties that make /\/\/\Y/\ great. For example, when I saw her in Barcelona a week ago, I didn’t even recognize my favorite song, “Lovealot,” until she’d almost finished the performance.