‘Expend4bles’ Is a Convoy of Clichés
The only thing that salvages Scott Waugh’s unpronounceable Expend4bles from the usual action film clichés is the franchise’s new star, Jason Statham
Reviews
Wilco Play It Too Safe on ‘Cousin’
Wilco can stand out from the roots-informed indie pack, but Cousin shows they are content to go with the flow even as they get back to experimentalism.
Primordial’s Spirit Is Tied to Eire’s Proud and Tumultuous History
Primordial’s music is painfully emotive. Musically, vocally, and thematically, they span nihilism, grief, anger, acceptance, and regret on How It Ends.
Molly Burch’ ‘Daydreamer’ Makes One a Daydream Believer
Molly Burch’s Daydreamer succeeds because of its multilevel approach. She has an enchanting voice that can be touching and stoic simultaneously.
Code Orange’s ‘The Above’ Is 2023’s Most Ambitious Hardcore Album
On The Above, Code Orange merge hardcore, metal, and every rock and electronic genre they can think of to make 2023’s most ambitious heavy album.
Yeule Makes Artful Glitchpop for the AI Era on ‘Softscars’
In weird ways, Yeule’s softscars works as a satisfying slice of artful pop for the Anthropocene that oozes catastrophe and captures a real cultural moment.
Colleen Delivers Micro-Focused Version of Her Sound Sculptures
Le Jour et la Nuit du Réel is a departure for Colleen and a natural progression. She delivers a micro-focused version of her sound sculptures.
Chuck D’s Graphic Novel ‘Summer of Hamn’ Zeros in on “Hatriots” and More
With graphic novel Summer of Hamn, rap legend and now visual artist Chuck D has produced his second, strong, COVID-era work of art and social commentary.
Thelma and the Sleaze’s ‘Holey Water’ Is the Rock Album We Need
Thelma and the Sleaze continue their reign as the queens of loud, gaudy, disreputable rock ‘n’ roll on Holey Water, one of the funnest rock albums of the year.
The Dance and the Duel in Silent Epic ‘The Spanish Dancer’
Somewhere amid the swigging and carousing in restored silent film The Spanish Dancer it’s love at first eyeball for Don Cesar and Maritana
Jlin Updates Her Approach to Percussion on ‘Perspective’
Synthetic or acoustic percussion, Perspective is another release that demonstrates Jlin is a genre unto herself and way ahead of the electronic music curve.
Kylie Minogue Scores Another Dance Pop Classic with ‘Tension’
Kylie Minogue understands that the best kind of dance-pop is pure, undiluted joy. With Tension, she’s shown that nobody does it better than her.