https://www.popmatters.comEssaying the pop culture that matters since 1999 https://www.popmatters.com/pettengill-wignot-town-hallhttps://www.popmatters.com/pettengill-wignot-town-hallTue, 27 Jul 2021 16:13:46 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/jacques-deray-la-piscinehttps://www.popmatters.com/jacques-deray-la-piscineSultry, hypnotic, and quietly ruthless, Jacques Deray’s La Piscine is a slow-burner rife with impossible beauty and turbulent emotion.Tue, 27 Jul 2021 14:47:04 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/popmatters-seeks-music-writers-2627350803.htmlhttps://www.popmatters.com/popmatters-seeks-music-writers-2627350803.htmlIf you're a smart, historically-minded music critic or essayist, let your voice be heard by the quality readership of PopMatters.Tue, 27 Jul 2021 14:27:46 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/yola-stand-for-myself-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/yola-stand-for-myself-reviewYola's first album found an adoring audience in the Americana world. She's expanded her repertoire on Stand For Myself as she gets ever more soulful.Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:09:33 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/lawrence-durrell-alexandra-quartethttps://www.popmatters.com/lawrence-durrell-alexandra-quartetDurrell's unquestioned assumption of superior European culture paradoxically allows him to be keenly responsive to Alexandria's multinational mix.Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:02:45 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/debbie-harry-kookoo-atr40https://www.popmatters.com/debbie-harry-kookoo-atr40Forty years later, Debbie Harry's blend of Blondie and Chic remains a flawed but beguiling experiment that paved the way for Let's Dance and Like a Virgin.Tue, 27 Jul 2021 12:39:07 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/adam-ants-subculture-image-culturehttps://www.popmatters.com/adam-ants-subculture-image-cultureAdam of Adam and the Ant's original costume is in the Victoria and Albert Museum but you can get Ant-style highwayman and pirate costumes online if you want. Tue, 27 Jul 2021 12:27:27 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/twice-taste-love-album-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/twice-taste-love-album-reviewTaste of Love is an enjoyable dance-pop album but the best moments of TWICE's new phase are in its predecessors.Tue, 27 Jul 2021 12:13:19 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/hughes-why-bushwick-bill-mattershttps://www.popmatters.com/hughes-why-bushwick-bill-mattersFor a Geto Boys biography so concerned with Bushwick Bill’s status as a short person, Hughes' book sure skirts the issue of embodiment. Mon, 26 Jul 2021 20:19:27 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/lecklider-loves-next-meetinghttps://www.popmatters.com/lecklider-loves-next-meetingIn the virulently anti-Communist and homophobic climate of the postwar era many feared any association between the emerging lesbian and gay cause and Communism.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:34:57 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/pmpicks-best-new-songs-20210726https://www.popmatters.com/pmpicks-best-new-songs-20210726The PM Picks playlist features the best new songs. Today, we feature LVRA, Princess Century, CLAVVS, Jodie Nicholson, and ISLA.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:59:44 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/gray-straight-outta-comptonhttps://www.popmatters.com/gray-straight-outta-comptonAs a biopic, as a social commentary, as a reminder of our current cultural limits and liabilities, you couldn't ask for a better film than 'Straight Outta Compton'.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:29:12 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/paul-thorn-holy-hottie-toddyhttps://www.popmatters.com/paul-thorn-holy-hottie-toddyPaul Thorn's “Holy Hottie Toddy" celebrates having a good time. The song has a simple message. Our time on this planet is short.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:42:43 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/rowan-one-of-these-dayshttps://www.popmatters.com/rowan-one-of-these-daysIrish indie-rockers Rowan have released a gritty black and white video of “One of These Days”. It’s a song about loss appearing on the new EP, Everybody Talks.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:41:57 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/song-heejin-soda-album-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/song-heejin-soda-album-reviewKorean singer-songwriter Song Heejin uses every color of her experience in the K-pop industry to paint a gorgeous, diversified landscape on 'Soda'.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:29:24 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/descendents-9th-and-walnut-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/descendents-9th-and-walnut-reviewThe songs from Descendents' 9th & Walnut were written more than 40 years ago, mostly recorded two decades ago, and released 13 years after Frank Navetta's death.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:29:17 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/dot-allison-heart-shaped-scarshttps://www.popmatters.com/dot-allison-heart-shaped-scarsThe indie-folk sense of Dot Allison's Heart-Shaped Scars with the brittle, fine production is a fantastic fit for the singer’s confessional and frank lyrics.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:29:08 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/magnus-von-horn-director-interviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/magnus-von-horn-director-interviewDirector Magnus von Horn didn't make Sweat to be a critique about social media despite what everyone thinks.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:17:16 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/jonh-cabano-guitarrada-amazonica-songhttps://www.popmatters.com/jonh-cabano-guitarrada-amazonica-songSeventeen years after its release, Jonh Cabano's classic of Brazilian guitarrada paraense is finally available to stream. Hear "Guitarrada Amazônica" now.Mon, 26 Jul 2021 14:07:47 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/adam-and-the-ants-kings-of-the-wild-frontier-deluxe-edition-2495425596.htmlhttps://www.popmatters.com/adam-and-the-ants-kings-of-the-wild-frontier-deluxe-edition-2495425596.htmlMon, 26 Jul 2021 13:29:15 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/marc-isaacs-director-interviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/marc-isaacs-director-interviewDirector Marc Isaacs talks with PopMatters about his documentary, The Filmmaker’s House, and the creative 'grey area' in filmmaking. Sat, 24 Jul 2021 14:24:36 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/modest-mouse-lonesome-crowded-westhttps://www.popmatters.com/modest-mouse-lonesome-crowded-westModest Mouse's Isaac Brock is a blue-collar poet in the best American tradition, and The Lonesome Crowded West is his opus. Our track-by-track analysis of the classic indie rock album shows its brilliance.Fri, 23 Jul 2021 14:59:42 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/darkside-spiral-album-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/darkside-spiral-album-reviewWhile Darkside's Spiral includes moments of virtuosic integration there are other moments where the album seems to lack a unifying aesthetic.Fri, 23 Jul 2021 14:29:04 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/amusement-parks-fire-archaea-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/amusement-parks-fire-archaea-reviewOn the first new Amusement Parks on Fire record in over a decade, Michael Feerick continues to push the boundaries of what a rock album can be. Fri, 23 Jul 2021 14:26:56 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/summer-1981-start-80s-musichttps://www.popmatters.com/summer-1981-start-80s-music"'80s music" is often a short-hand for radio-friendly pop songs that are New Wavey, synthy, maybe a little goofy, a little overproduced, ridiculously catchy.Fri, 23 Jul 2021 13:51:19 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/grace-davies-toothbrush-songhttps://www.popmatters.com/grace-davies-toothbrush-songOn her latest single, "toothbrush", British indie pop artist Grace Davies puts post-break-up melancholy onto the dancefloor and turns it into euphoria.Fri, 23 Jul 2021 13:31:20 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/calica-letting-gohttps://www.popmatters.com/calica-letting-goLos Angeles-based electropop artist CALICA finds an intoxicating groove for fickle seasonal romances with her new single "Letting Go".Fri, 23 Jul 2021 13:13:37 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/essy-so-far-songhttps://www.popmatters.com/essy-so-far-songNashville-based indie-pop singer Essy turns midnight drives in the city into a stage to mourn lost love on her latest single, "So Far".Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:55:41 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/valley-tempo-songhttps://www.popmatters.com/valley-tempo-songThe latest single from Toronto-based alt-pop band Valley blends genres, romance, and sports into one addictive, palpitating groove.Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:18:49 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/allison-leah-what-im-missinghttps://www.popmatters.com/allison-leah-what-im-missingFolkie Allison Leah moves to Nashville and adds pop to her sound on the new single, "what i'm missing".Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:18:15 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/grace-womack-how-we-methttps://www.popmatters.com/grace-womack-how-we-metRising singer-songwriter Grace Womack impresses with her sophisticated soul-pop on "How We Met" from the upcoming EP, Yellow Cowboy Hat.Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:17:52 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/brett-newski-varsity-premiere-interviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/brett-newski-varsity-premiere-interviewWhen life's struggles get you down, singer-songwriter Brett Newski provides the perfect pick-me-up with his new book and accompanying soundtrack album.Thu, 22 Jul 2021 17:56:17 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/best-hip-hop-albums-june2021https://www.popmatters.com/best-hip-hop-albums-june2021Summer is the best time of year to listen to hip-hop. From the upbeat and bouncy to the weird and paranoid, hip-hop just sounds better in the sunshine. That makes now the perfect time for the first edition of "Hip-Hop Matters" - PopMatters’ new monthly hip-hop roundup.Thu, 22 Jul 2021 15:15:00 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/ramones-pleasant-dreams-atr40https://www.popmatters.com/ramones-pleasant-dreams-atr40The making the Ramones' Pleasant Dreams was tainted by personal conflicts and industry interference. Joey wanted pop and Johnny wanted punk rock.Thu, 22 Jul 2021 14:40:48 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/copper-trees-interviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/copper-trees-interviewKate Neckel and Eric Lilavois discuss the joy of collaboration on Rêver, their debut album as the Copper Trees. Thu, 22 Jul 2021 14:40:32 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/weiland-wisley-state-by-statehttps://www.popmatters.com/weiland-wisley-state-by-stateState by State (2008) is rife with jaunty attacks, superficial panegyrics, random reportage, and puberty memoirs. Isn't it time for a comparable update? Thu, 22 Jul 2021 14:03:11 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/jackson-browne-downhill-from-everywherehttps://www.popmatters.com/jackson-browne-downhill-from-everywhereDownhill From Everywhere finds legendary singer-songwriter Jackson Browne still searching for something new in familiar yet comforting ways.Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:56:03 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/perilas-how-much-time-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/perilas-how-much-time-reviewPerila creates uncanny worlds crackling with both elemental force and human ingenuity. How Much Time is a glowing debut worth a full and dedicated listening.Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:37:11 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/molina-walk-alone-in-crowdhttps://www.popmatters.com/molina-walk-alone-in-crowdAntonio Muñoz Molina’s novel To Walk Alone in the Crowd is a brilliant yet tedious meditation on the role of the artist in the age of overload. Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:18:41 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/wallflowers-exit-wounds-album-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/wallflowers-exit-wounds-album-reviewThe Wallflowers' Exit Wounds isn't radically different from the band's other albums. Lyrics paint vivid pictures and the melodies are instantly familiar.Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:16:59 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/don-delillo-white-noisehttps://www.popmatters.com/don-delillo-white-noiseCut with sardonic wit and characters whose acute observations often turn the mundane events into surreal occurrences, DeLillo's White Noise teeters on hilarity.Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:09:15 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/laura-elkins-flaneusehttps://www.popmatters.com/laura-elkins-flaneuseIn Flâneuse Elkins combines her experiences as a walker with those of many notable women, including Virginia Woolf, Agnés Varda, and Martha Gellhorn. Thu, 22 Jul 2021 12:59:38 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/duke-deep-laurence-fishburnehttps://www.popmatters.com/duke-deep-laurence-fishburneBill Duke's 1992 feature, Deep Cover, is a stylish drama set in the poisoned heart of the crack epidemic. Thu, 22 Jul 2021 12:44:35 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/four-filmmakers-on-b-movieshttps://www.popmatters.com/four-filmmakers-on-b-moviesWhy do B-movies endure in the modern age? Filmmakers Richard MacQueen, Shawn Burkett, M. J. Dixon, B. J McDonnell weigh in.Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:47:48 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/cure-faith-40-years-onhttps://www.popmatters.com/cure-faith-40-years-onThe Cure's Faith–released 40 years ago this April–comes from a haunted, solipsistic place and it seduces you into its tormented world.Tue, 20 Jul 2021 13:18:35 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/hybrid-black-halo-album-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/hybrid-black-halo-album-reviewTwenty-two years after their iconic debut Wide Angle, pioneering British electronic band and revered film composers Hybrid return with the stunning Black Halo.Tue, 20 Jul 2021 13:05:14 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/ferrante-sharknado-perfect-schlock-stormhttps://www.popmatters.com/ferrante-sharknado-perfect-schlock-stormFerrante takes the "baffle them with batshit" approach to Sharknado.Tue, 20 Jul 2021 12:59:07 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/nick-storring-newfoundout-album-reviewhttps://www.popmatters.com/nick-storring-newfoundout-album-reviewCanadian composer and multi-instrumentalist Nick Storring relies heavily on percussion and “found” instruments on his latest experimental excursion.Tue, 20 Jul 2021 12:27:04 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/how-pop-music-mainstreams-religious-weirdnesshttps://www.popmatters.com/how-pop-music-mainstreams-religious-weirdnessWith its devils and aliens, pop music can be a “window on the weird”, sweeping odd material lodged in subcultural pockets into the broader currents of culture.Mon, 19 Jul 2021 13:39:20 +0000 https://www.popmatters.com/jam-and-lewis-volume-onehttps://www.popmatters.com/jam-and-lewis-volume-oneAs shown with their brilliant collaboration with Mariah Carey, Jam & Lewis can still produce magic when making music with old friends.Mon, 19 Jul 2021 13:18:10 +0000