Lambchop’s ‘Punching the Clown’ Is Worth the 4-Year Wait
With acoustic guitar and banjo, Lambchop return to their Nashville roots, while the choruses create yet another idiosyncratic background for musings on America.
chamber pop
Ben “Baby” Copperhead’s ‘Catch a Cold’ Is a Wild Journey
Catch a Cold sees Ben “Baby” Copperhead truly embracing what it means to make music with no stylistic boundaries, as one genre deftly blends into another.
Thin Lear Unspools More Disarming Pop Perfection
Thin Lear offers so much, from moral anguish and difficult truths to a sound steeped in the best qualities of pop, rock, and folk music from the last half-century.
José González Gently Rages ‘Against the Dying of the Light’
José González preaches to his audience like a folksinger, but his music shares more in common with chamber pop than with other Dylans due to his polished stylings.
Mary Ocher’s ‘Weimar’ Has a Stunning, Dramatic Atmosphere
Armed with just a piano and her voice, Berlin-based Mary Ocher is a striking presence on her new record, Weimar.
Jan Esbra Beautifully Navigates Turmoil and Loss
Jan Esbra translated the pain and loss of the end of an eight-year relationship into five graceful, eloquent, mesmerizing songs.
The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon Brings His Baroque Fashion to the Conversation
With the release of Rainy Sunday Afternoon, The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon discusses his music and deceptive personas – his and others’.
Lisa Harres Brings Poetic Vision to Debut Album
Lisa Harres’ debut strikes the right balance between skeletal piano-led ballads and baroque embellishments. It’s spellbinding with elusive beauty and staggering depth.
Peaceful Faces Explore Folk and Chamber Pop on Spectacular LP
Irresistible hooks and cunning arrangements abound on Peaceful Faces’ new record led by singer-songwriter Tree Palmedo.
Jenny Hval Blends Scent and Sound on Fascinating Album
Following up her novel while exploring the emotional pull of scents, Jenny Hval’s new glistening album has few peers. She discusses this in a new interview.
Beirut’s ‘A Study of Losses’ Is an Impressive Feat
Zach Condon’s (Beirut) commission to compose music for a Swedish circus works well as an album but serves better as an artistic statement.
Thin Lear Creates Sumptuous, Low-Key Chamber Folk
Thin Lear is a complete artist in that his influences are impeccable and apparent in his songs, yet he still crafts his own unique, brilliant voice.