Neil Young at World’s End: ‘On the Beach’ at 50
Neil Young’s On the Beach lodges not in the heart or brain but in the spleen. Perfect for depressed, alienated teenagers in the soft-rock days before punk.
Music
Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2014
The 10 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2014
Jump back a decade to revisit the best indie rock of 2014, where newer acts did more than just fill the vacuum left by the usual suspects.
No More Apocalypse Father Plead We Are Winter’s Blue and Radiant Children
On their first missive, We Are Winter’s Blue and Radiant Children create beauty amid the contemporary horror of a vicarious, voyeuristic existence.
Nada Surf Have a Good Time on ‘Moon Mirror’
Moon Mirror finds long-running power poppers Nada Surf relaxed and having fun with the same strong, catchy songs they’ve written for nearly 30 years.
Masayoshi Fujita Embraces Melodic Calm on ‘Migratory’
Japanese multi-instrumentalist and composer Masayoshi Fujita weaves mallet percussion and synths together for an arresting experience on Migratory.
Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2014
The 20 Best New Musical Artists of 2014
Travel back ten years ago to 2014 and discover the best new musical artists that lit up the year, and hear their latest music to see how they’ve evolved.
Rock en Seine Sets the Bar High for Music Festivals
The 20th edition of France’s famed Rock en Seine sees ever-growing crowds, impressive performances, and an atmosphere to rival the highest of highs.
Sunset Rubdown Miss a Critical Piece Upon Their Unexpected Return
Sunset Rubdown return without electric guitars and create some beauty that can be added to Spencer Krug’s substantial catalog as an auteur.
Nala Sinephro Composes Cosmic Jazz on ‘Endlessness’
Nala Sinephro’s Endlessness is music that is good for the ear, the mind, the heart, and the very future of the philosophical orientations of jazz.
One Pioneer to Another: Laurie Anderson Meets ‘Amelia’
Trailblazing avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson tells the story of Amelia Earhart in a wonderful, engaging musical documentary.
From Melville to Metal: The Conceptual Depths of Mastodon’s ‘Leviathan’
Mastodon’s Leviathan is a concept LP inspired by American novelist Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. Think of it as sludge metal’s answer to Dark Side of the Moon.
Lollise Makes a Splash With Brilliant Debut ‘I Hit the Water’
Lollise’s I Hit the Water is brilliant, swirling, and compelling with its blend of Afrobeat, soul, and electronics. It’s a debut deserving all your attention.