‘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.
art rock
‘The Best of Roxy Music’ Gets a Vinyl Re-Issue
As this vinyl reissue of Roxy Music’s 2001 compilation makes clear, the only thing cooler than Roxy Mark II was Roxy Mark I.
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Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ and the Power of I as Other
Kate Bush’s 1985 embrace of the Other in “Running Up That Hill” resonates with Gen- Z’s ethos by questioning the binaries of our programmed genders.
…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead Offer a Phantasmagorical World on ‘XI: Bleed Here Now’
And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead offer a phantasmagorical collection of songs on XI: Bleed Here Now that touch on post-punk, folk, and modern classical.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in Berlin: God, of Sorts, Is in the House
Melodic carnage, transcendental lyrics, cathartic delivery, and divine communion between Him and his flock are expected and delivered from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds performing live in Berlin.
The 12 Best Brian Wilson Songs
From massive hits to experimental pop compositions, Brian Wilson’s music is always thoughtful, idiosyncratic, and as thrilling today as it was in the 1960s.
Between the Grooves of Radiohead’s ‘The Bends’
PopMatters takes a deep dive into Radiohead’s first musically important album, The Bends, where the group’s experimental inclinations initially took flight.
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.
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.
