PopMatters picks the best pop culture for your enjoyment, including music, film, TV, books, games, comics, and more.
Like a literary psychoanalyst, Stephen Greenblatt delves into Sir Walter Raleigh’s inner identity; like a sociological theatre critic, he explores Elizabethan performance and reveals striking parallels to our time.
North Carolina’s Cor de Lux level up in every way with their third release, Year of the Horse, an exhilarating blast of noise rock with heart.
A welcome departure for Ridley Scott, slow and contemplative, The Dog Stars is a nuanced work of social commentary disguised as a survivalist film.
In its instrumental simplicity, Land of the Sun is exceptionally vibrant, an album in which Red Spirit Singers remind us that tradition is not only alive but part of today.
These ten books are not a poptimist syllabus, but they represent some of the best music writing of the 21st century on pop music.
Distance in Static is like a conversation between two halves of Bonobo’s brain. It’s a bold statement and shows him finding new ways to connect with audiences.
A Place for Owls’ new album demonstrates the fruitfulness of collaborating with others, whether that looks like leaning on them or borrowing from them.
This is the album Emma Ruth Rundle has long wanted and been destined to make. These Killing Times marks the actualization of a signature artist.
John Hollenbeck’s music is as distinct as Gil Evans’ or Oliver Nelson’s. You immediately hear the colors he whips up in distinct ways. It’s a prize for our ears.
Bristol duo Getdown Services turn everyday humiliations into cathartic, body‑moving anthems. Move to the beat and pay attention.
The familiar Mastodon is still roaring on Marrow Deep, though there are some new gears slipped into the engine, discovering how strange the band can become.
Enneads are a group rich with sonic possibilities, and their music works magnificently with a good set of headphones and an open musical mind.
