The Smile Prioritize Grace and Restraint on ‘Wall of Eyes’
The Smile’s second record jettisons the post-punk energy of their debut in favor of a cohesive statement that’s glacially paced and texturally dense.
Rob Moura
Rob Moura is a Seattle-based freelance writer and editor of The Tape Deck.
Squid’s ‘O Monolith’ Is a Paranoid Post-Genre Maelstrom
Squid follow up 2020’s Bright Green Field with a tighter, leaner, more refined version of their signature melding of sonic chaos and compositional ambition.
Wednesday’s ‘Rat Saw God’ Is a Vivid Tapestry of Misery
On Wednesday’s spectacular Rat Saw God, the North Carolina quintet weave a vivid tapestry of misery led by Karly Hartzman’s ekphrastic storytelling.
Caroline Polachek Ascends to Greatness on ‘Desire, I Want to Turn Into You’
Caroline Polachek dives into the contradictory crux of the human experience on Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, an album of breathtakingly original pop songs.
Mac DeMarco Leaves Himself Behind on ‘Five Easy Hot Dogs’
Mac Demarco’s instrumental sixth record, Five Easy Hot Dogs, recorded in hotels and motels over four months, floats by in a tranquil, listless haze.
Dry Cleaning Seek Bright Spots Amid a Deadened London on ‘Stumpwork’
Dry Cleaning follow last year’s breakthrough debut with Stumpwork‘s indie-flavored post-punk woven together via Florence Shaw’s dispassionate musings.
Pink Turns to Blonde: Trixie Mattel on the Dual Nature of Her New Records
Trixie Mattel discusses her new double album, the drive to stay authentic in drag, and the ways her superstar persona affects her real life.
Joseph Shabason and Andre Ethier Step Out with the Jazzy ‘Fresh Pepper’
Like a well-balanced dish, Fresh Pepper carries a host of elements – goofiness, listlessness, warmth, and desire – that make it a hearty meal.
‘The Colour and the Shape’ Found Foo Fighters’ Peaking in Their Adolescence
Conceived under fraught circumstances and rife with youthful passion, Foo Fighters’ most cherished album, The Colour and the Shape, is also a relic, never to be replicated.
Kendrick Lamar Steps Off the Pedestal on ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’
On Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, renowned rapper Kendrick Lamar observes the strife plaguing his kingdom and consciously abdicates the throne.
High Pulp’s Bobby Granfelt on the Jazz Band’s Drive to Thrive with ‘Pursuit of Ends’
High Pulp frontman Bobby Granfelt chats about the DIY jazz collective’s history and the motive behind their striking new record, Pursuit of Ends.
Wet Leg’s Debut Is Pure Fun, and That’s About It
Wet Leg’s winning self-titled debut, with its constant hookups and insights into young adulthood, is an oasis in a sea of self-serious post-punk.