Guided by Voices’ Latest Continues Their Hot Streak
Indie rock institution Guided by Voices’ Crawlspace of the Pantheon is another winning chapter in a late-career run of high-quality releases.
Music Reviews
Alexander Noice Gets Melodically Maximalist on Wild New LP
Alexander Noice creates layers of sound and interlocking melodies, blending jazz, improvisation, and tightly wound compositional lines, with modern technology.
Bebe Rexha Plays It Too Safe on ‘Dirty Blonde’
Bebe Rexha has returned to the dance-oriented lane that has historically granted her the most commercial success, and the result lacks cohesion.
Nana Osei Twum Barima Takes Us on a ‘Journey to the Unknown’
There’s a wonderfully guileless quality to the softness of Nana Osei Twum Barima’s steady voice that makes this album all the more touching in addition to its loveliness.
Presenting Classic Live 1970s Jazz from Chicago
These 1970s jazz albums can generally be described as “post-bop” and were made during the mid-to-late 1970s, with top-notch sonic quality for live recordings.
DJ Seinfeld’s ‘If This Is It’ Is Musically Rich and Engaging
By stepping back from his relentless touring schedule and living in the here and now, DJ Seinfeld has crafted a mature and profoundly moving piece of work.
Tucker Zimmerman Says Goodnight and Offers a Wonderful Dream
Life is but a dream, and the dream has a life of its own. We wake up only when we sleep. Tucker Zimmerman’s final opus offers a lullaby of love.
‘A World of Our Own’ Is a Maximalist Folk Compendium
This is a well-fleshed-out picture of how UK and Irish folk revival artists of the 1960s drew from and inspired their more widely recognized North American counterparts.
Niall Horan Serves a Familiar Dish on ‘Dinner Party’
While it includes some fresh autobiographical details, Niall Horan’s Dinner Party is a rehash of boy band tropes.
A Reinvigorated U2 Tackle Political and Spiritual Themes
Days of Ash and Easter Lily are the sound of U2 being their authentic selves in their best gatherings of songs since Achtung Baby.
Ruth Garbus Creates Thought-Provoking Bedroom Pop on ‘Profound’
What’s so striking about Ruth Garbus and her latest record is how musically adventurous, wondrous and revelatory it is in its maturity and self-acceptance.
Horse Lords Expand Their Sound on Hypnotic Album
There is a beautifully down-to-earth aspect to Horse Lords’ new LP and they are confident in their signature sound while still finding ways to keep it fresh and unique.