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Run the Jewels - "Ooh LA LA" (Singles Going Steady)
Run the Jewels' "Ooh LA LA" may hit with old-school hip-hop swagger, but it also frustratingly affirms misogynistic bro-culture.
03 Apr 2020
Books
New Translation of Balzac's 'Lost Illusions' Captivates
More than just a tale of one man's fall, Balzac's Lost Illusions charts how literature becomes another commodity in a system that demands backroom deals, moral compromise, and connections.
03 Apr 2020
Music
Protomartyr - "Processed by the Boys" (Singles Going Steady)
Protomartyr's "Processed By the Boys" is a gripping spin on reality as we know it, and here, the revolution is being televised.
03 Apr 2020
Music
Go-Go's Bassist Kathy Valentine Is on the "Write" Track After a Rock-Hard Life
The '80s were a wild and crazy time also filled with troubles, heartbreak and disappointment for Go-Go's bass player-guitarist Kathy Valentine, who covers many of those moments in her intriguing dual project that she discusses in this freewheeling interview.
03 Apr 2020
Music
New Brain Trajectory: An Interview With Lee Ranaldo and Raül Refree
Two guitarists, Lee Ranaldo and Raül Refree make an album largely absent of guitar playing and enter into a bold new phase of their careers. "We want to take this wherever we can and be free of genre restraints," says Lee Ranaldo.
03 Apr 2020
Books
'Trans Power' Is a Celebration of Radical Power and Beauty
Juno Roche's Trans Power discusses trans identity not as a passageway between one of two linear destinations, but as a destination of its own.
03 Apr 2020
Music
Yves Tumor Soars With 'Heaven to a Tortured Mind'
On Heaven to a Tortured Mind, Yves Tumor relishes his shift to microphone caressing rock star. Here he steps out of his sonic chrysalis, dons some shiny black wings and soars.
03 Apr 2020
Music
Mike Patton and Anthony Pateras' tētēma Don't Hit the Mark on 'Necroscape'
tētēma's Necroscape has some highlights and some interesting ambiance, but ultimately it's a catalog of misses for Mike Patton and Anthony Pateras.
03 Apr 2020
Music
M. Ward Offers Comforting Escapism on 'Migration Stories'
Although M. Ward didn't plan the songs on Migration Stories for this pandemic, they're still capable of acting as a balm in these dark hours.
03 Apr 2020
Music
Parsonsfield Add Indie Pop to Their Folk on 'Happy Hour on the Floor'
Happy Hour on the Floor is a considerable departure from Parsonsfield's acclaimed rustic folk sound signaling their indie-pop orientation. Parsonsfield remind their audience to bestow gratitude and practice happiness: a truly welcomed exaltation.
03 Apr 2020
Music
JARV IS... - "House Music All Night Long" (Singles Going Steady)
"House Music All Night Long" is a song our inner, self-isolated freaks can jive to. JARV IS... cleverly captures how dazed and confused some of us may feel over the current pandemic, trapped in our homes.
02 Apr 2020
Music
All Kinds of Time: Adam Schlesinger's Pursuit of Pure, Peerless Pop
Adam Schlesinger was a poet laureate of pure pop music. There was never a melody too bright, a lyrical conceit too playfully dumb, or a vibe full of radiation that he would shy away from. His sudden passing from COVID-19 means one of the brightest stars in the power-pop universe has suddenly dimmed.
02 Apr 2020
Music
Folkie Eliza Gilkyson Turns Up the Heat on '2020'
Eliza Gilkyson aims to inspire the troops of resistance on her superb new album, 2020. The ten songs serve as a rallying cry for the long haul.
02 Apr 2020
Music
Human Impact Hit Home with a Seismic First Album From a Veteran Lineup
On their self-titled debut, Human Impact provide a soundtrack for this dislocated moment where both humanity and nature are crying out for relief.
02 Apr 2020
Music
Monophonics Are an Ardent Blast of True Rock 'n' Soul on 'It's Only Us'
The third time's the charm as Bay Area soul sextet Monophonics release their shiniest record yet in It's Only Us.
02 Apr 2020
Film
'Slay the Dragon' Is a Road Map of the GOP's Methods for Dividing and Conquering American Democracy
If a time traveler from the past wanted to learn how to subvert democracy for a few million bucks, gerrymandering documentary Slay the Dragon would be a superb guide.
02 Apr 2020
Music
Bobby Previte / Jamie Saft / Nels Cline: Music from the Early 21st Century
A power-trio of electric guitar, keyboards, and drums takes on the challenge of free improvisation—but using primarily elements of rock and electronica as strongly as the usual creative music or jazz. The result is focused.
02 Apr 2020
Books
Does Inclusivity Mean That Everyone Does the Same Thing?
What is the meaning of diversity in today's world? Russell Jacoby raises and addresses some pertinent questions in his latest work, On Diversity.
02 Apr 2020
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