Music Features

Fefe Dobson Is Sick With Emotion Over First LP in 13 Years

Fefe Dobson Is Sick With Emotion Over First LP in 13 Years

Pop-punk’s Fefe Dobson returns with her first new album in ten years this Friday. She chats about Emotion Sickness and her growth as an artist.

The Menacing, Grimy Weirdness of Melvins’ ‘Houdini’ at 30

The Menacing, Grimy Weirdness of Melvins’ ‘Houdini’ at 30

Once Houdini dropped, all the agonizing over whether Melvins would debase themselves and compromise their sound petered out before we were halfway into “Hooch”.

JazzMatters: The Best New Jazz of Summer 2023

JazzMatters: The Best New Jazz of Summer 2023

Our jazz columnist chooses the best new jazz albums of the summer while reflecting on the passing of Astrud Gilberto and Tony Bennett.

5 Signs Brazilian Funk Is Verging on Global Breakthrough

5 Signs Brazilian Funk Is Verging on Global Breakthrough

As music markets “glocalise”, the stars could align for Brazilian funk. As of 2023, at least five things show that they might be.

Girls Against Boys on Their Criticized ’90s Album, ‘Freak*on*Ica’

Girls Against Boys on Their Criticized ’90s Album, ‘Freak*on*Ica’

Girls Against Boys are the crucial and criminally under-appreciated link between ’90s alternative rock and the 2000s post-punk boom. Freak*on*Ica plays well in these times.

Telling His Story: An Interview with Bernie Taupin  

Telling His Story: An Interview with Bernie Taupin  

Bernie Taupin, legendary songwriting partner of Elton John, reveals all in a new book detailing his creative partnership, hatred of touring, and love of cowboys.

The 10 Best Discoveries at Festival de musique émergente 2023

The 10 Best Discoveries at Festival de musique émergente 2023

Festival de musique émergente, the annual new music festival in Northern Quebec, brought sunshine, diversity, and fun to concert-starved audiences.

Teenage Fanclub on Life, Death, and Remaining Seated

Teenage Fanclub on Life, Death, and Remaining Seated

The simple joys of writing songs and sharing them remain the driving forces for indie pop veterans Teenage Fanclub. Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley discuss.

Between the Grooves of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’

Between the Grooves of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’

In 1984, funk rock legend Prince combined music and film into a major extravaganza called Purple Rain, and it went to the top of the charts for 24 weeks in a row.

Beyond Incredible String Band: Seven Songs by Mike Heron

Beyond Incredible String Band: Seven Songs by Mike Heron

Mike Heron went his own way to take a holiday from Incredible String Band, known for its folk roots, and experimented with rock. Here are seven of his best songs.

Is Lo Fidelity Allstars Style Big Beat Back After 25 Years?

Is Lo Fidelity Allstars Style Big Beat Back After 25 Years?

The current resurgence of Britpop could trigger nostalgia for late 1990s big beat like Lo Fidelity Allstars, while trip-hop remains a vital influence.

Everything’s a Dollar in This Box: Tom Waits’ ‘Swordfishtrombones’ at 40

Everything’s a Dollar in This Box: Tom Waits’ ‘Swordfishtrombones’ at 40

Tom Waits’ 1983 album Swordfishtrombones signified a seismic shift in the singer-songwriter’s sound. His music would never be the same again.