Jay-Z’s 1999 Album ‘Vol. 3’ Is His Most Aggressive
In Jay-Z’s Vol. 3… Life & Times of S. Carter, the ever-undeterred MC sounds anything but as he fulminates on one end and tightens his durag on the other.
Blog
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis Create Ecstatic Post-Hardcore Jazz
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis make fearless and non-smooth fusion with the clarity and dynamism of “post-hardcore” that wasn’t around in the 1970s.
The Complacent Bliss of Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars’ fourth solo album, The Romantic, is as impeccably crafted as ever, but says nothing new about his place in the world of pop.
Fågelle Finds Melancholy Release in Glorious Gloom
Glorious gloom permeates the musical catalogue of Swedish singer-songwriter Fågelle, and her album Bränn min jord overflows with it.
Armbruster Gleefully Confounds Expectations, Again
Connor Armbruster is not only a brilliant musician but a refreshingly restless one Half My House is a unique and tuneful spin on traditional Irish music
Gorillaz at 25 Are a Cultural Force for the Good
Assuming personal stability is necessary for collective betterment, it’s high time that Gorillaz share their newest, loving, bizarre journey with the rest of the world.
Alice Coltrane: Conjurer of the Majestic
Andy Beta’s Alice Coltrane biography, Cosmic Music, is an excellent work about this forward-thinking and often misunderstood musician.
Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart Is All Covered Up on New Record
Born from a cover-song subscription model, Xiu Xiu’s latest album unearths the raw humanity in pop confections. Jamie Stewart discusses this and more.
Mitski Disappears with Grace on Eighth Album
On her eighth album, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, singer-songwriter Mitski employs a country-folk sound to reflect the peace found in isolation.
Shane Parish Recontextualizes Techno on Ingenious LP
Shane Parish thrives on conceiving projects that seem contradictory and overly challenging, yet come off as effortless and innovative.
Mavis Staples Comforts and Galvanizes in Pennsylvania
Legendary soul singer Mavis Staples draws on classics, old and new, to deliver her own State of the Union address. Her message is more relevant and urgent than ever.
How ‘Aguirre’ and ‘Cannibal Holocaust’ Defy the Wrath of the Green Inferno
Herzog’s Aguirre and Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust present the Amazon as a space of destruction, survival, and moral reckoning. Both approaches raise ethical questions.