David Garland Eloquently Navigates Loss on ‘The Spark’
David Garland’s The Spark may be an expression of loss, but it also overflows with kindness, positivity, and the endless curiosity of a truly original artist. Â
Chris Ingalls
Chris is a Massachusetts native who spent seven years as a broadcast journalist in the U.S. Navy and was also a videotape editor for a CBS affiliate TV station, a newspaper editor at a military public affairs office in Naples, Italy, and a videographer for a cancer research institute. He currently works as an internal communications manager for a large Boston hospital. 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 is also a contributor to the website I Have That On Vinyl, an occasional guest on the music podcast Losing My Opinion, and is on Bluesky and Instagram @Ingalls1969. He lives in the leafy suburbs outside of Boston with his wife, son, dog, two cats, and lots of records.
Charlie Bruber Goes on an Experimental Folk Adventure
Charlie Bruber’s unique, lovable record navigates different stylistic paths while maintaining its consistently high quality.
Vanessa Wagner Beautifully Interprets Philip Glass
These 20 intense, radiant piano works are a testament to Philip Glass’s compositional prowess and Vanessa Wagner’s dedication to bringing them to dazzling life.
Visible Light Open Portals of Seasonal Consciousness
With Songs for Eventide, the new album from Visible Light, listeners may immediately feel this music is the perfect antidote to the chaos of 2025.
Darian Donovan Thomas Creates a Bright Blast of Soundscapes
Darian Donovan Thomas’ A Room with Many Doors: Day, his new album that doesn’t cling to any genre, and succeeds in bringing a sense of universality.
Pulse Emitter Dive Deeply Into Synth Landscapes
Pulse Emitter excels at creating synth soundscapes that sound mind-bendingly wild, are massively melodic, and demand repeated listens.
Greg Jamie’s Superb New LP Is Dreamy and Hypnotic
Alongside Greg Jamie’s ragged aesthetic is a sense of wonder and personal discovery that gives Across a Violet Pasture a unique stamp.
Matt Bachmann’s Latest LP Invokes a Film Score Aura
Matt Bachmann’s instrumental collection is adventurous and unpredictable, with the record’s connective tissue being the variety of styles and moods throughout.
Charlie Kaplan Wrings a Masterpiece Out of Love, Pain, and Loss
Charlie Kaplan has always been a master of creating the perfect arrangement around his engaging, deeply felt compositions, but this time around, he’s at his absolute peak.
Luke Cissell’s String Quartet Collection Is a Beautiful Ride
Luke Cissell has shown his immense skill summoning the dissonance of Bartok and the harmonic depth of Schubert as easily as the sounds of the Kentucky countryside.
Cate Le Bon’s New LP is Filled with Lush and Eccentric Gems
As Cate Le Bon navigates difficult emotional states, it may seem like the road was a challenging one to traverse, but it has resulted in some of her best work.
Katy Pinke Creates a Gorgeous Covers LP
Katy Pinke’s Patterns is a sparse yet exquisite collection of new and old songs from a refreshingly diverse range of songwriters.