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'Transgender Street Legend Vol. 2' Finds Left at London "At My Peak and Still Rising"

"[Pandemic lockdown] has been a detriment to many people's mental health," notes Nat Puff (aka Left at London) around her incendiary, politically-charged new album, "but goddamn it if I haven't been making some bops here and there!"
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Music

'Eight Gates' Is Jason Molina's Stark, Haunting, Posthumous Artistic Statement

The ten songs on Eight Gates from the late Jason Molina are fascinating, despite – or perhaps because of – their raw, unfinished feel.

Music

'Can You Spell Urusei Yatsura' Is a Much Needed Burst of Hopefulness in a Desultory Summer

A new compilation online pulls together a generous helping of B-side action from a band deserving of remembrance, Scotland's Urusei Yatsura.

Music

Porridge Radio's Mercury Prize-Nominated 'Every Bad' Is a Wonderful Epistemological Nightmare

With Every Bad, Porridge Radio seduce us with the vulnerability and existential confusion of Dana Margolin's deathly beautiful lyricism interweaved with alluring pop melodies.

Music

Lou Barlow's 'EMOH' Is Another Quiet Triumph in a Long History of Humble Genius

Re-released on vinyl to celebrate its 15th anniversary, Lou Barlow's EMOH offers a wide array of indie rock charms.

Music

Power Pop's Lewis Says "Bathe Clean" (premiere)

Former Kinison frontman Christopher L. Lewis releases Son on the Floor in August, and shares the infectious new single, "Bathe Clean" today.

Music

2nd Grade Go From 'Hit to Hit' with Indie Power Pop Delights

Some sincere goofiness would feel glorious right about now. 2nd Grade, a power-pop group from Philly, have the goods we need in heaps on their full-length debut, Hit to Hit.

Music

Hinds' 'The Prettiest Curse' Is One of Victory

On The Prettiest Curse, Hinds create messy pop music that captures the vibrancy of youth without being childish.

Music

Yes, Melkbelly's 'PITH' Is Pithy and Expressive

Melkbelly's PITH wondrously pivots between noise-rock abandon and the warmness of lo-fi pop.

Music

Car Seat Headrest's 'Making a Door Less Open' Is an Indie Pop Triumph

Car Seat Headrest push their lo-fi signature into newly polished (and labyrinthine) space on Making a Door Less Open. The result is a glittering look at our everyday fantasies, our patterns of style and denial.

Music

Sam Doores Brings New Sounds to Americana on His Solo Debut (album stream + interview)

Deslondes member Sam Doores goes solo during down time from the band. His new album upsets expectations about the nature of Americana music in 2020 and yet maintains strong ties to Doores' roots.

Music

Black Lips Create a Killer Country Record, Infused with Lo-fi Garage Rock

Black Lips concoct a lustful mix of cocaine country, psych stomp, and honky-tonk fire and brimstone on Sing in a World That's Falling Apart.

Music

"You Can Have It All": Ariel Pink on His Odds & Sods

Los Angeles pop weirdo Ariel Pink looks back at two early records freshly reissued by Mexican Summer and discusses his new Odditties Sodomies Vol. 2 rarities collection.

Daniel Bromfield
Music

Guided By Voices Deliver Their Most Sonorous and Authoritative Album of 2019

Sweating the Plague is Guided by Voices' third album of 2019. It also happens to be their loudest, most conceptually focused, and most enduring record of this year.

Music

Timelost Give Marilyn Manson's "Cryptorchid" a New Lease on Life (premiere + interview)

Lo-fi, black metal-cum-goth-ish outfit, Timelost share a cover of Marilyn Manson's "Cryptorchid". They talk with us about the importance of making the old new.

Music

With 'Room to Breathe', Low Hum Flesh Out Their Engaging Lo-Fi Psych Pop Sound

Low Hum make dreamy, psychedelic pop magic with their first full-length album, Room to Breathe.

Music

Sebadoh Come Back Revitalized with 'Act Surprised'

Indie rockers Sebadoh have a new energy and brightness to their challenging vision for their first record in six years, Act Surprised.

Music

Coming Out in Weird Ways: Sotto Voce's New Album is a Beautifully Twisted Pop Gem

Considering it's all the work of one person, Sotto Voce's Safety is surprisingly ambitious, and Ryan Gabos' musical chops seem to fly in the face of what sounds like the lack of a proper recording studio.

Music

Homeshake's Fourth Album Is a Chill Exploration of Lead Man Peter Sagar's Inner Musings

Helium, Homeshake's fourth album is a further exploration of Peter Sagar's inner musings, and it may be his most honest record, as it sounds lonelier and smaller than any Homeshake LP to date.

Music

Johnny Goth Delivers Lo-Fi Goodness Via "Sleep in the Light" (premiere)

Johnny Goth's "Sleep in the Light" arrives ahead of new split single with Molly Drag. Set the controls for the heart of the slack.

Music

The Moles Return With Powerful, Brilliant New LP, 'Code Word' and New Single "Moon in the Daytime" (premiere)

One of the most inventive bands to emerge from Australia in the 1990s, the Moles get a new lease on life in 2018 with various lineups, searing new tunes destined for your autumn/winter playlists.

Jedd Beaudoin
Music

Globelamp Goes Beyond Stripped-Down for Third LP, 'Romantic Cancer' (album stream + interview)

Elizabeth Le Fey (Globelamp) retreated to the wilds of New York in the dead of winter with a batch of songs intended to pick up where her previous set left off. The result is Romantic Cancer releasing on 12 October.

Books

Matthew Cutter Chronicles the Ordinary/ Extraordinary Life of Robert Pollard

On the lo-fi high jinks of unlikely alt-rock legend, Guided by Voices' Robert Pollard.

Music

Mitski Shows How Independence Can Mean Loneliness on 'Be the Cowboy'

Mitski argues on Be the Cowboy that we are meant to be emotional people, and that being strong and independent often leads to loneliness.

Music

Sonny Falls Examines Addiction With "Flies" (premiere)

Chicago band Sonny Falls tackles issues related to substance abuse and the damage done by it on "Flies".

Music

John Maus' Gleefully Absurd 'Addendum'

Synthpop auteur John Maus follows 2017's Screen Memories with a collection of songs that are unique and occasionally maddening in their uncharacteristic silliness.

Music

Harry Permezel Resists Melting Down on ​'Wax Man​' (album stream)

Australian singer-songwriter Harry Permezel's wildly imaginative, deeply introspective and, yes, fun second release arrives May 4.

Jedd Beaudoin
Music

Hinds Polish Up Their Sound on 'I Don't Run' Just Enough Without Losing the Raw Feeling

Madrid-based garage rockers Hinds pull away from their lo-fi roots just a little bit to deliver a fun, versatile second album with I Don't Run.

Music

Soccer Mommy's New LP Finds Her 'Stepping Out of the Bedroom'

After creating a buzz with her bedroom recorded set of songs, Sophie Allison, aka Soccer Mommy proves that she is on the right track.

Music

Kolb Proves You Don't Need Every Bell, Whistle With 'Making Moves' (premiere)

Brooklyn song-scribe Kolb's debut EP demonstrates this one-off's prowess as he warbles and writes like an American Andy Partridge.

Music

Ty Segall Goes Bonkers on 'Freedom's Goblin' and We Love It

The polar opposite of last year's clear, clean self-titled outing, this double record is the refrigerator sandwich of Ty Segall's career.

Music

Hoops Share Their Early Indie Pop Music Via 'Tapes #1-3'

Lo-fi guitar pop troubadours Hoops made waves with their exciting debut Routines last year, and follow it with this 18-song collection of their earlier work.

Music

Half Japanese Asks "Why Not?" on New Album

Why not shoot for whatever lofty goal you have in mind? It's an old cliché worn to a thread, but if there is a musician that really means it, it's Jad Fair.

Music

Tenderfoot - "Semiprecious Life" (audio) (premiere)

Seattle-born dream-folk outfit Tenderfoot demonstrates its sense of adventure on new single "Semiprecious Life".


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