Josh Caterer of Smoking Popes talks with PopMatters about musical and spiritual experiences, and reflections about the legendary Judy Garland, who inspired their new album Into the Agony.
In this edition we have multi-layered, electronic music from Elder Island, lo-fi, infectious indie from Childcare, stunning indie from Eliza Shaddad, kinetic bubblegum punk from Calva Louise, and the slow-burning new single from Cal Raasay.
Soundway Records' latest collection, covering a variety of Brazilian synthpop sounds from a prominently upbeat decade in the country's history, is fascinating, funky curio.
Leverage Models bring electronic textures, jazz inflections, and global rhythms to their infectious indie pop, all the while addressing potent cultural and political issues both personal and public.
Austin City Limits gave its attendees more than the cost of their wristbands, from top-notch musical acts to deeply unhealthy but extremely satisfying food.
World-traveling folk duo Lowland Hum muse on youth and femininity in their latest single, all intertwined with the subtle pinks and blues of a "Salzburg Summer".
In a town filled with singer-songwriters, Nashville neophyte Becky Warren follows up her consciousness-raising debut album about a couple torn apart by war with more true and incisive stories that hit between rock and a hard place.
Sprawling, philosophical, and politically charged, Cursive's Vitriola is a flawed yet compelling opus by one of contemporary post-punk's most vital voices.
Cory Smythe's Circulate Susanna is a mysterious meditation on rural America (and minstrel songs) as heard through the ears of a pianist with history in both new music and improvised music, featuring extended vocal technique and detuned guitar.
Oregon singer-songwriter Rachel Taylor Brown returns with Run Tiny Human, a potent batch of songs that speak to the state of a dying world with flashes of hope and humor.
