Sima Cunningham Soars and Soothes on the Brilliant ‘High Roller’
The different lyrical, musical, and emotional avenues indie folk’s Sima Cunningham travels throughout High Roller shows an artist overflowing with ideas.
Chris Ingalls
Chris is a Massachusetts native who spent seven years as a broadcast journalist in the U.S. Navy, serving in overseas locations such as Keflavik, Iceland and the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. He was also a videotape editor for a CBS affiliate TV station, a newspaper editor at a military public affairs office in Naples, Italy, and spent 14 years as a videographer for a Boston-area cancer research institute. He was born in 1969 and has been a rabid music fan since at least 1970, thanks to his three older siblings. A PopMatters writer since 2016, Chris also contributes to the experimental music website Tome to the Weather Machine, is an occasional guest on the music podcast "Losing My Opinion," and is on Twitter @Ingalls1969. He lives in the leafy suburbs outside of Boston with his wife, son, hyperactive dog, and lots of records.
Frank Zappa’s Serious Transformation: ‘The Perfect Stranger’ at 40
A prolific conductor and a sophisticated synthesizer make for an under-appreciated but vastly important album in Frank Zappa’s prodigious catalog.
Budokan Boys’ ‘Are You Sick?’ Is Darkly Comic Madness
The deeply strange but sonically seductive duo Budokan Boys unleash a typically bonkers new EP. ‘Are You Sick?’ Highlights their odd, dark world.
Umberto’s ‘Black Bile’ Is Full of Graceful, Minimalist Ambience
Umberto is a master of creating moods that may be unfamiliar and alien but, like the best ambient music, are eventually welcoming in their own way.
Chuck Johnson Creates Shimmering Ambient Soundscapes
Chuck Johnson’s soundscapes have a widescreen feel with pedal steel guitar, twangy fingerpicking, and well-executed use of synthesizers and meditative drones.
Musical Experimentalist Jessica Ackerley Is Blazing Trails
Ever-evolving experimental guitarist and composer Jessica Ackerley talks about – among other things – their eclectic and ambitious new solo album.
Ben Seretan Unleashes His “Insane Italy Record”
Ben Seretan’s new LP is loud and cathartic, filled with psychedelic noise, gospel-tinged refrains, unhinged guitar mania, and a live-in-the-studio sound.
SUSS Nail Ambient Country Vibes with ‘Birds & Beasts’
Ambient country’s SUSS thrive on moody atmospheres and calm amidst the tension. Their music is imbued with the beauty and mystery of the American West.
Gabriel Birnbaum’s New LP Is Filled with Deep Emotion
Gabriel Birnbaum takes many aspects of rock, folk, and indie music that everyone is familiar with and subtly rearranges them in ways we never thought possible.
Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion Reunite for Genre-Defying LP
The combined forces of composer/vocalist/violinist Caroline Shaw and accomplished ensemble Sō Percussion continue to thrill and amaze.
Steve Dawson Brings a Direct Feel to ‘Ghosts’
Now armed with a full band, Steve Dawson’s songs have more musical heft on Ghosts, resulting in one of his best and more streamlined solo works.
Arooj Aftab Unleashes Moody, Nocturnal Bliss on ‘Night Reign’
Arooj Aftab’s Night Reign is filled with dark, mysterious corners and an intoxicating blend of jazz and her Pakistani roots with stunning results.