Touché Amoré’s ‘Lament’ Subtly Reinvents the Past
Touché Amoré's Lament doesn't push the band's sound in new directions. Instead, it builds on what the Los Angeles post-hardcore band do so well already.
Brice Ezell
Brice Ezell has written for PopMatters since 2011. His cultural criticism has also appeared in Consequence of Sound, Glide Magazine, and Sea of Tranquility. He earned his PhD in English at the University of Texas, where he specialized in modern and contemporary drama and theater.
Hot Chip Stay Up for ‘Late Night Tales’
Hot Chip's contribution to the perennial compilation project Late Night Tales is a mixed bag, but its high points are consistent with the band's excellence.
Ranking the Seasons of ‘The Wire’
Years after its conclusion, The Wire continues to top best-of-TV lists. With each season's unique story arc, each viewer is likely to have favorites.
The Pineapple Thief Explore ‘Versions of the Truth’
The conceptual focus of Versions of the Truth and the tight interplay between the musicians mark a new creative high for the Pineapple Thief, easily their best since Magnolia.
Sondre Lerche Rewards ‘Patience’ with Clever and Sophisticated Indie Pop
Patience joins its predecessors, Please and Pleasure, to form a loose trilogy that stands as the finest work of Sondre Lerche's career.
Sarah Jarosz Finds Inspiration in Her Texas Roots on ‘World on the Ground’
By turning to her roots in central Texas for inspiration on World on the Ground, Sarah Jarosz has crafted some of her strongest songs yet.
Sondre Lerche and the Art of Radical Sincerity
“It feels strange to say it”, says Norwegian pop artist Sondre Lerche about his ninth studio album, “but this is the perfect time for ‘Patience’.”
Art and Politics Go Hand in Hand on Algiers’ ‘There Is No Year’
Algiers are what would result if Verso Books turned into an art rock band. This is a very good thing.
No-Man Finally Land Their Disco White Whale: An Interview with Tim Bowness
Nearly 30 years have gone into the making of Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson's seventh album as No-Man, Love You to Bits. Bowness speaks with PopMatters about returning to the duo's electronic early days, and how Love You to Bits may be the Terminator: Dark Fate of No-Man albums.
Austin Film Festival 2019: (Trans)national Justice
New films by Terrence Malick, Miranda Nation, and Trey Edward Shults stand out amongst a diverse crop of films at Austin's annual "screenwriter's festival".
The Darkness’ New Album Is a Rock Jukebox Musical
Easter Is Cancelled is the Darkness' best album since their 2003 breakthrough Permission to Land.
Elbow’s ‘Giants of All Sizes’ Is a Perfect Accompaniment to This Troubled Period in History
With Giants of All Sizes, Elbow conclude the 2010s with another addition to their streak of brilliant records.