Tori Amos Brilliantly Soundtracks the ‘Times of Dragons’
When even Tori Amos – reliably bold, confrontational, disarming – has found her voice dampened by the ceaseless shock and awe of our daily life, we’re in trouble.
Reviews
Reviews of popular culture related areas, including music, film, TV, books, games, comics, and more.
Mildred Are Philosophically Listless on the ‘Fenceline’
Mildred show how our current ennui can be transcended by friends coming together to perform music, that boredom can be an impetus, not an obstruction, for creativity.
Sarah Blasko’s Latest Songs Are Too Good to Be ‘Forgotten’
The beauty of this EP lies in Sarah Blasko’s creative use of her personal demons to share deep feelings without being overwhelmed by them.
‘The Second Twin’ Ooh-La-Las the 1960s French Murder Mystery
As a whodunit, The Second Twin is a nifty tease whose resolution might surprise you, unless you pull yourself away from the dazzle long enough to analyze the story.
Friko Deliver on the Exciting Promise of Their Debut
Buzzy Chicago band Friko go harder and prettier on their latest album, Something Worth Waiting For. It’s destined to be loved by their ever-expanding fanbase.
Hurray For the Riff Raff Are at a Vibrant, Outspoken Peak
Live Forever captures one of the best sounding tours of 2025, revealing Hurray For the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra as one of the leading musical voices of the 2020s.
‘A Yard of Jackals’ and the Sound of Dictatorship
Sound editing is crucial in Chilean horror film A Yard of Jackals; we see nothing (thankfully), yet we can imagine in rich detail everything.
Frog Combine Exquisite Melodies and Oddball Arrangements
Frog play with convention, keeping their music genuinely weird, but with a generous helping of songwriting sophistication, and a lot of heart.
The Moss Choose Their Own Path on ‘Big Blue Moon’
The Moss have taken the expansive energy of the Utah peaks and the Hawaiian shores and concentrated it into something sharp, unyielding, and entirely their own.
Does Stephen Emmer Share George Harrison’s DNA?
Bristling with ideas and formations, Stephen Emmer’s latest work is so malleable to interpret precisely because the tones and timbre are so universal.
Wesley Joseph Is a Hugely Talented New Musical Voice
Wesley Joseph creates a sweeping, ambitious collection of tracks that serves as a vivid self-portrait of a hugely talented new voice in British music.
Thin Lear Unspools More Disarming Pop Perfection
Thin Lear offers so much, from moral anguish and difficult truths to a sound steeped in the best qualities of pop, rock, and folk music from the last half-century.