The Menacing, Grimy Weirdness of Melvins’ ‘Houdini’ at 30
Once Houdini dropped, all the agonizing over whether Melvins would debase themselves and compromise their sound petered out before we were halfway into “Hooch”.
alternative rock
The Breeders’ Long-Beloved ‘Last Splash’ Is Re-Issued Again
It’s too bad these new songs weren’t parlayed into the bulging bag of goodies that was the 20th-anniversary re-release of the Breeders’ Last Splash.
Demi Lovato Refashions Herself on ‘Revamped’
More than just having fun updating her work, Demi Lovato refashions herself and her music to reflect the person she is today, which is bold and defiant.
The Pretenders Are Still in Fighting Shape on ‘Relentless’
The title Relentless encourages expectations of a youthful, hard-rock Pretenders album, but it’s dominated by lost-love ballads and slow-burn confessionals.
Teenage Fanclub on Life, Death, and Remaining Seated
The simple joys of writing songs and sharing them remain the driving forces for indie pop veterans Teenage Fanclub. Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley discuss.
Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Guts’ Awakens the Angsty Teenager in All of Us
Olivia Rodrigo sings of fame, pain, heartbreak, and growing up on Guts. There’s rage, yearning, and reckless behavior here that transcends generations.
Bettie Serveert Shine Again on the Re-released ‘Palomine’
Bettie Serveert’s Palomine is memorable after three decades. Flexing musically and tonally while maintaining a coherent sound, it merits a reissue.
The Monochrome Set’s ‘Radio Sessions’ Is a Superb Live Survey
The Monochrome Set are a cult band par excellence, but if you don’t know them, Radio Sessions is a great album to get an introduction.
‘The Gospel of the Hold Steady’ Captures Their Unhinged Magic
Michael Hann’s oral history The Gospel of the Hold Steady traces the band’s image, music, and challenges in a brilliant chronicle of the promise of rock ‘n’ roll.
10 Great Unsung Shoegaze Songs
Shoegaze’s trademark sound, rippling sheets of guitar noise, is endlessly pliable, easily molded into sonic textures smooth and abrasive alike.
All Things Reconsidered/Between the Grooves/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Music/Music Features/Pop Past
Between the Grooves of Liz Phair’s ‘Exile in Guyville’
Liz Phair’s indie rock landmark Exile in Guyville is truly sui generis, a one-of-a-kind moment in history where everything aligned at just the right time and place.
Six Years Off Isn’t Enough to Derail Queens of the Stone Age
Despite the personal turmoil for Josh Homme, In Times New Roman… is remarkably consistent with Queens of the Stone Age’s last few records.