Arcade Fire’s ‘WE’ Takes the Idea of Hit and Miss to Extremes
Somehow, Arcade Fire have created an album that’s one half an exciting return to form and the other a continuation of their worst impulses with WE.
Chris Conaton
Chris Conaton graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Michigan State University. After bouncing around in several different music teaching jobs as well as a stint working at Lowe's in Michigan, he moved to Houston, Texas. He now teaches elementary school music in suburban Houston. Aside from a couple of minor freelance gigs and keeping a blog specifically for writing reviews, PopMatters is his first regular writing gig.
Girlpool Return With Messy But Rewarding ‘Forgiveness’
Girlpool’s Forgiveness finds the duo drifting through several iterations of low-key indie pop music, infused with electronic noises and acoustic folk.
Mall Girl’s ‘Superstar’ Successfully Blends Math-rock with Pop Sensibilities
Norway’s Mall Girl combine powerful math rock with alt-pop dreaminess on their debut album Superstar, where languid melodies reside with fast tempos and technical playing.
Molly Tuttle’s ‘Crooked Tree’ Is Guest-Laden But She’s the Star
Molly Tuttle brings in high-powered guests for Crooked Tree, a wide-ranging collection of excellent bluegrass and folk songs, but she’s the star of the show.
Sea Girls Refine Their Guitar Rock on Excellent Second Album ‘Homesick’
Sea Girls have expanded their sound in small but successful ways on Homesick. It’s a solid sophomore effort with excellent songwriting throughout.
20 Years Ago the Internet’s Music Community Gave a Boost to …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
Today, 20 years later, the legacy of Trail of Dead’s Source Tags & Codes has developed as one that’s intertwined with Internet-based music journalism itself.
Spoon Return From a Five-Year Break With ‘Lucifer on the Sofa’
Lucifer on the Sofa is another worthy addition to Spoon’s extensive catalog of fabulous records. It’s great to hear them getting a little loose and rocking out.
The New Pornographers’ Remastered ‘Mass Romantic’ Is Still a Kick 21 Years Later
The New Pornographers brought the hooks, so the melodies and earworms mostly rise above sloppiness on Mass Romantic. The newly remastered edition subtly cleans up these audio issues.
20 Years Ago Progressive Rock and Metal Met on Dream Theater’s ‘Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence’
Dream Theater’s Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence probably never had a chance at besting predecessor Scenes From a Memory, but it nonetheless found the quintet sustaining their creative peak.
30 Years Ago Green Day’s ‘Kerplunk!’ Showed Where They Were Headed
Thirty years on Green Day’s Kerplunk! stands shoulder to shoulder with anything else the band created in the future and showed where they were headed.
Punch Brothers Return with a Cover of a Covers Album
Punch Brothers interpret bluegrass guitarist Tony Rice’s 1983 brilliant album, Church Street Blues. It’s a fascinating project and a rewarding listen.