Paul Weller’s New Live Compilation Is Dazzling
Weller at the BBC Vol. 2 is all the proof you need that Paul Weller is still a fiery, intense live act and a vital songwriter, as relevant as ever.
alternative rock
The Afghan Whigs Stir an Agonizing Wait for a New LP
As alternative rock icons the Afghan Whigs begin a 40th anniversary tour, they also whet the appetite for a new album.
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.
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.
Salim Nourallah Connects Manila to the Stars
“Making records isn’t for the faint of heart,” notes songwriter Salim Nourallah, who is in the middle of a year when five full-length albums are planned.
Friko Bring the Noise on ‘Something Worth Waiting For’
It’s the moments of calm and quiet that work best on Friko’s Something Worth Waiting For, which is front-loaded with loud and crowded songs.
The Charlatans’ ‘Some Friendly’ Is Surprisingly Important
The Charlatans’ subsequent career has, in hindsight, rendered Some Friendly more valuable than most anyone expected. It’s one of their most important.
Keith Carne’s “Totally Liminal” Takes Us to the Beautiful In-Between
Keith Carne offers a laidback glide through smooth vocals and buoyant electronic horns with its protagonist recognising the strange beauty of his current stage.
A Place to Bury Strangers Discuss Their Resurrected Songs
A Place to Bury Strangers resurrect lost obscurities for a record that paints a map of their past and future simultaneously. Oliver Ackerman describes the process.
Why Is Tori Amos Thanking Rival Courtney Love?
A long-running feud stemming from a 1990s love triangle seems to have cooled off as Tori Amos name-checks Courtney Love in her new single, “Shush”.
Penny Arcade’s ‘Double Exposure’ Ups the Mellowness
Life spent in retreat and remembrance, darkness invited and dwelled in, despair soothed by melody: that’s the Penny Arcade way.
Holly Humberstone Is Raw and Mature on ‘Cruel World’
Although Holly Humberstone ends her new album on a signature sad note, Cruel World has a promising tone that shines through the clouds.