Elbow’s ‘Flying Dream 1’ Soars Quietly
Elbow’s Flying Dream 1 trusts its listeners, asking us to hold a quiet space for the music and let it reveal itself over time.
art rock
Kate Bush Created a Winter Wonderland on ’50 Words For Snow’ 10 Years Ago
Kate Bush’s 50 Words For Snow is a jazzy wonderland of mystical creatures and fleeting romance with nuanced themes of impermanence and ephemeral love.
Genesis Ride Into the Sunset With a Compilation to Cap Their Career
Genesis compilation The Last Domino? The Hits reminds us of a time when rock music, be it progressive, popular, both, or neither, was afraid to stay stagnant.
Japan’s Timeless ‘Tin Drum’ Turns 40
Japan’s Tin Drum serves as a lasting document of a band ahead of their time and one that rises far above the pretensions of their contemporaries.
Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier on Making a Joyful Noise in Dreadful Times
Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, the hyper-expressive drummer, reflects on the band’s longevity, new LP, and the possibility of making a better world.
‘The Velvet Underground’ Film and the Exploding Lou Reed Inevitable
Todd Haynes’ audiovisual blast delves into the creative combat that birthed America’s first great avant-garde rock ‘n’ roll band, the Velvet Underground.
‘Velvet Underground’ Soundtrack Could Use More Idiosyncratic Curation
The soundtrack for Todd Haynes’ new documentary on Velvet Underground contains unimpeachable music but fails to offer a cohesive argument about the iconic band.
Pepe Deluxé Are in Exquisitely Eccentric Form on ‘Phantom Cabinet Vol. 1’
When you open Pepe Deluxé’s Phantom Cabinet, you have to jump in with both feet. Even setting wacky instrument antics aside, it’s a musical baptism worth total immersion.
Pulp’s Swansong ‘We Love Life’ Turns 20
Pulp’s We Love Life exists in the shadow of Different Class and This Is Hardcore, with no iconic singles. Yet it’s the Sheffield band’s most cohesive and heartfelt work, which has the distinction of being, well, a sort of folk album.
My Morning Jacket’s Infinite Jest
On My Morning Jacket, Jim James sifts through perceptions about technology and nature, offering a treatment for getting washed away by modernity.
Absolutely Free’s ’80s Style Synthpop Is a Little Too Reverent on ‘Aftertouch’
Absolutely Free are back with their first album in years, Aftertouch, and have fully embraced ’80s synthpop as their music template.