Patti Smith’s “Piss Factory” and “Hey Joe” Remain Prophetic 50 Years On
Patti Smith’s “Hey Joe” and “Piss Factory” expresses her unremitting fight for freedom: when she went from a factory girl to a poète maudit.
art punk
Suicide’s Music in Film: An Interview with Martin Rev
Suicide’s music is used in films from the comedy Mistress America to the documentary The Red Orchestra. Martin Rev shares memories of the films and the sci-fi that he and Alan Vega loved.
Warm and Cool: Thoughts on Television’s Tom Verlaine (1949-2023)
Tom Verlaine’s death symbolizes the continued denouement of a certain period of New York City history, a time when the word “bohemian” still held some meaning.
‘Talking Heads: 77’ Pointed to the Future 45 Years Ago
Talking Heads: 77‘s power-pop short song format sounded familiar, but those herky-jerky rhythms, eccentric melodies, and strained yelping vocals led to New Wave.
‘Arrangements’ Carries an Even Darker Cynical Tint for Preoccupations
Dense at times and minimal at others, Preoccupations’ Arrangements is a post-punk charge against humanity’s crumbling future.
Wire Finally Embrace the Old, Forbidden Bootleg ‘Not About to Die’
Not About to Die is a bootleg cassette of scrappy Wire demos recorded in the late 1970s that circulated in the early 1980s. It’s finally an official release.
Perennial’s ‘In the Midnight Hour’ Is the First Great Punk LP of 2022
Perennial’s In the Midnight Hour is what you dial up on your car stereo when you’re looking to cruise with the windows down and scare your fellow drivers into a bit of submission.
Titus Andronicus Blast Out of the Pandemic Shutdown on ‘The Monitor Revisited’ Tour
Titus Andronicus’ shared sense of good fortune is palpable all night at this ‘The Monitor Revisted’ concert. Call-and-response is jubilant – everyone knows the words.
Crossing Boundaries: An Interview with Liars’ Angus Andrew
Liars’ founding member Angus Andrew talks with PopMatters about revisiting the band’s past work and creating a new sci-fi album, The Apple Drop.
Upper Wilds Find a Balance Between Noise and Hooks on Venus
Upper Wilds’ Venus is a glorious cacophony of guitar noise, pounding drums, fuzz bass, and big catchy hooks. It filters guitar heroics through punk energy.
The 10 Best Fugazi Songs
Fugazi’s ethics and DIY attitude’s symbolism remain crucially important to their legacy and what we can learn from them in the 21st century.
Pom Poko Unleash Another Joyously Unhinged Album with ‘Cheater’
The sophomore release from Norwegian art-punk quartet Pom Poko is full of the same kind of sweet, distorted pleasures that made their first album so much fun.