Laura Marling Never Misses and Doesn’t on ‘Patterns in Repeat’
Laura Marling’s eighth record, Patterns in Repeat, is a full bingo card of simplicity and sophistication—a win-win for her, listeners, and critics all around.
folk rock
How Bob Dylan Reinvented the Blues Highway for Contemporary America
Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” captures America at the peak of the civil rights struggle when African Americans were forced to fight for a country that had left them impoverished and disenfranchised.
Better to Burn Out: Neil Young’s ‘Archives Vol. III (1976-1987)’
Neil Young’s Archives Vol. III (1976-1987) is the most substantial of his three archival releases, providing an ecstatic vision of what it means to “burn out”.
Lea Thomas Exudes Warmth with the Expansive ‘Cosmos Forever’
With Lea Thomas and her gifted band at the helm, she has created nothing short of a widescreen, ethereal, sonic gem that one can easily get lost in.
Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Mirage Tour ’82’ Features the Hits
Culled mostly from previously-released material, this triple-vinyl set catches Fleetwood Mac in the midst of their world-beating commercial phase.
Neil Young at World’s End: ‘On the Beach’ at 50
Neil Young’s On the Beach lodges not in the heart or brain but in the spleen. Perfect for depressed, alienated teenagers in the soft-rock days before punk.
What If They Had a Folk Festival and Nobody Protested?
What if they had a folk festival and nobody protested? Evanston, Illinois hosted its first folk festival without politics from its stages.
The Complicated Life of Moby Grape’s Skip Spence
This bio about Moby Grape’s Skip Spence dissects and casts a glowing light on his work as a composer of some of the most influential music of San Francisco’s psychedelic scene.
Sima Cunningham Soars and Soothes on the Brilliant ‘High Roller’
The different lyrical, musical, and emotional avenues indie folk’s Sima Cunningham travels throughout High Roller shows an artist overflowing with ideas.
Orchestral Manoeuvres Help Lake Street Dive Reach Peak
Lake Street Dive’s origin story, which began in 2004, became a rich tale of team players contributing multiple music genres to a live-wire act that keeps soaring.
Ben Seretan Unleashes His “Insane Italy Record”
Ben Seretan’s new LP is loud and cathartic, filled with psychedelic noise, gospel-tinged refrains, unhinged guitar mania, and a live-in-the-studio sound.
Yarn Unspool Themselves Once Again After Eight Years
Brooklyn Americana band Yarn’s new music on Born, Blessed, Grateful, & Alive reverberates with echoes of past classic rock and country from the 1970s and 1980s.