Can Comedy Be an Antidote to Authoritarianism’s Poison?
Politically, the opposite of authoritarianism is democracy; cognitively, it is humor. Comedy may indeed be the best medicine for our seriously unwell era.
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Jazz Saxophonist David S. Ware Never Played It Twice
Years after his untimely departure, David S. Ware remains one of free jazz’s most versatile tenor saxophonists. We delve into his career by revisiting one of his last interviews.
Gilbert O’Sullivan Is ‘On the Record’ and Being Irish
British soft rock extraordinaire Gilbert O’Sullivan chats about his new album, collaborations, and staying Irish wherever he lays his head.
Aaron Sorkin and the Politics of Being Right
The Social Reckoning falls into the Aaron Sorkin trap: the seductive belief that exposing a logical fallacy demonstrates not only superior reasoning, but superior moral standing.
Nine Albums In, Russian Circles Are “Opening the Marriage”
PopMatters speaks with Russian Circles guitarist Mike Sullivan about what has kept the Chicago post-metal outfit going for two decades and nearly double-digit albums.
“Who’s Punk? What’s the Score?” On Authenticity, Subcultural Capital, and Scene Cops
Punk’s shorthand for deconstruction has always been: Who says? Yet, if we take that move seriously, we have to apply it to our own sacred binaries.
The Most Canadian Band of 2026 Is from Outer Space: Angine de Poitrine
At a moment of renewed Canadian self-definition, the country’s most celebrated musicians, Quebec duo Angine de Poitrine, insist they aren’t even from this planet.
![Howard Hughes Makes [Lewis] Milestones in Hollywood Silent Movies](https://www.popmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Howard-Hughes-Hollywood-Lewis-Milestone-720x380.webp)
Howard Hughes Makes [Lewis] Milestones in Hollywood Silent Movies
Producer Howard Hughes and director Lewis Milestone’s Two Arabian Knights and The Racket, now restored and on Blu-ray, made splashes at the box office and at the first Academy Awards.
ElectroMatters: Best Electronic Music of September 2026
Given September’s liminal nature, it’s no surprise that this month’s best electronic albums are such an eclectic brew. You’re sure to find your next fascination
‘Digger’ Clings to Life Like Grim Death
Digger breaches like an apocalyptic iceberg, blowing its premise to bits with metacinematic bombs that unleash a ferocious horde of ideas at our late-capitalist brains.
Why Can’t I Stop Watching ‘Love Island’?
I’m a middle-aged, straight-passing, monogamous feminist desperate to make known my progressive and professional creds. So why am I unashamedly obsessed with Love Island?
Slayyyter, Recession Indicator
Slayyyter is the queen of dilapidation, and partying is her defiance against a socio-political structure designed to keep the majority down.