Rosalía’s ‘Lux’ Is a Brilliant Act of Faith
Rosalía’s Lux may seem, at first, hard to read as pop, but it’s as pop as religion, one of its inspirations. The very act of calling it pop is an act of faith in the power of music.
art pop
Gorillaz Innovate on “The God of Dying”
This is the sound of Gorillaz at their most innovative yet reassuringly familiar.
Cate Le Bon’s New LP is Filled with Lush and Eccentric Gems
As Cate Le Bon navigates difficult emotional states, it may seem like the road was a challenging one to traverse, but it has resulted in some of her best work.
Tune-Yards Help Us Get Through the Dark Days
Tune-Yards’ lyrics range from wanting us to dream better dreams to sucker punching authority. Better Dreaming’s songs are dream-like more than propagandistic.
Guerilla Toss Capture an Essence with ‘You’re Weird Now’
Guerilla Toss excel in portraying a tangible connection between band and listener, cutting through the prism of pretence for something more instantaneous.
David Byrne Gets the Flavors Right on ‘Who Is the Sky?’
David Byrne’s latest album showcases his abilities as a top-rate popsmith, highlighting a work that is both commercially and colorfully appealing.
U.S. Girls Merge the Geography of Sound and Soul
On Scratch It, U.S. Girls experiment with the sonic topography of Nashville to further explore the emotional landscape of vulnerability and materiality.
Lorde Takes the Right Path on ‘Virgin’
Maturity requires sacrifice, which, throughout her fourth album, Lorde discovers by separating herself from the person the world sees and often expects.
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The B-52’s Created Some of the Finest Queer Pop Music
The B-52’s often get relegated as a “party-pop” outfit, but their subversive legacy runs deeper and stranger than any casual fan would know.
Xol Meissner’s ‘Excess of Loss’ Is a Haunting, Unique Debut
Xol Meissner’s Excess of Loss is a bold, intoxicating artistic statement, full of David Lynchian mystery and dark desire. You won’t hear another record quite like this.
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Roxy Music and the Birth of Sophisti-Pop: ‘Flesh + Blood’ at 45
While their penultimate studio album never garnered significant acclaim, Roxy Music’s Flesh + Blood is a moody, influential gem and vastly underrated.
Sparks Refuse to Sit on Their Laurels with ‘Mad!’
Sparks maintain a sophistication that stands up with older work, complete with a production sheen, giving their idiosyncratic backdrop a contemporary flavor.