Radiohead Became Worldwide Rock Stars 25 Years Ago With ‘OK Computer’
The Bends hinted at Radiohead’s potential, but OK Computer allowed Radiohead the freedom to experiment and started their progression to forward-looking music.
art rock
The Smile’s ‘A Light for Attracting Attention’ Possesses Great Musical Depth and Shading
The Smile aren’t a full-on syncretism of Radiohead and Sons of Kemet, but A Light for Attracting Attention proves that it needn’t be.
Florence + the Machine Are Free on ‘Dance Fever’
Creating their most conceptual, theatrical work, Florence + the Machine air out their lockdown grievances and ugly feelings by reminding us all to dance it out.
When a Concept Became a Problem: Reconsidering the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’
Humdrum, high and low, the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sounds like a swirling, strident loss of pre-modern innocence.
Racializing Rock: The ’60s and the White Sounds of ‘Pet Sounds’
The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds is not a racist text, but its impact was racist because it further encoded rock as a white genre, perpetuating the institutionalized prejudice that relegated African Americans to the margins of rock.
A Labyrinthine Conversation with Destroyer’s Dan Bejar
Destroyer’s Dan Bejar discusses the making of the band’s stellar new record LABYRINTHITIS while looking back to his past and forward to what might come next.
The 10 Best Neil Finn Songs
Neil Finn has been writing and co-writing songs ever since his first band in 1976, most recently for a rejuvenated Crowded House. Here are ten of his finest.
With Another Life-Affirming Jolt, Guerilla Toss Remind Us That We’re All ‘Famously Alive’
Quirky art-rock outfit Guerilla Toss sacrifice little of their magnificent strangeness by leaning mainstream on their Sub Pop debut, Famously Alive.
Destroyer Hit a Career Peak on the Vibrant and Pensive ‘LABYRINTHITIS’
On LABYRINTHITIS, indie rock’s Destroyer address North American anxiousness while successfully tackling styles hitherto untouched by the project.
No More Talk Talk: Mark Hollis Biography Makes You Listen
Former Talk Talk member Mark Hollis was ruthlessly honest in his pursuit of a musical vision. This biography attests to the gifts and costs of his artistic pursuit.
Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Hits to the Head’ Highlight’s Catchy Tunes and Artistic Shortcomings
Franz Ferdinand’s potential is repeatedly hinted at rather than fully realized on Hits to the Head. But it’s better to show potential than to have none at all.