Chet Faker Chills Out at ‘Hotel Surrender’
After a five-year hiatus, Aussie indie-popper Nick Murphy reactivates the alias of Chet Faker that made him famous. The results on Hotel Surrender are chill.
John Bergstrom
John Bergstrom has been writing various reviews and features for PopMatters since 2004. He has been a music fanatic at least since he and a couple friends put together The Rock Group Dictionary in third grade (although he now admits that giving Pat Benatar the title of "first good female rocker" was probably a mistake). He has done freelance writing for Trouser Pressonline, Milwaukee's Shepherd Express, and the late Milk magazine and website. He currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife and two kids, both of whom are very good dancers.
Amusement Parks on Fire Return in Thrilling Fashion on ‘An Archaea’
On the first new Amusement Parks on Fire record in over a decade, Michael Feerick continues to push the boundaries of what a rock album can be.
San Holo Blends Bass Music and Emo on ‘bb u ok?’
On his second full-length album, bb u ok?, Dutch producer San Holo finds the natural affinity between emo and EDM.
Islands Have Never Sounded Bigger, Bolder, or More Confident Than on ‘Islomania’
After a five-year hiatus, Nick Thorburn reactivates his indie-pop outfit Islands with the highly listenable, ’80s-referencing Islomania.
James Yorkston’s ‘The Wide, Wide River’ Is Warm, Cozy, and Expansive
The beauty of James Yorkston's The Wide, Wide River allows the coziness back in without making concessions to his continued development and desire to push beyond traditional folk music.
Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore Gets Primal on ‘The Third Chimpanzee’
Depeche Mode's primary songwriter and sonic architect Martin Gore gets primal on his new EP of instrumentals, The Third Chimpanzee.
‘The Great Dismal’ Is Nothing’s Sharpest and Most Consistent album
After a big lineup change, Philadelphia metal-gazers Nothing play to their strengths on their fourth album, The Great Dismal.
Every Song on the Phoenix Foundation’s ‘Friend Ship’ Is a Stand-Out
Friend Ship is the Phoenix Foundation's most personal work and also their most engaging since their 2010 classic, Buffalo.
Floodlights’ ‘From a View’ Is Classicist Antipodal Indie Guitar Pop
Aussie indie rockers, Floodlights' debut From a View is a very cleanly, crisply-produced and mixed collection of shambolic, do-it-yourself indie guitar music.
The Psychedelic Furs’ ‘Made of Rain’ Is Their First Album in Nearly 30 Years
The first album in three decades from the Psychedelic Furs beats expectations just one track in with "The Boy That Invented Rock and Roll".
The Charlatans’ ‘Between 10th and 11th’ Gets a Deluxe Edition
Not even a "deluxe" version of Between 10th and 11th from the Charlatans can quite set the record straight about the maligned-but-brilliant 1992 sophomore album.
DMA’s Go for BritElectroPop on ‘The Glow’
Aussie Britpoppers the DMA's enlist Stuart Price to try their hand at electropop on The Glow. It's not their best look.