Taylor Swift Overcomes Breakup on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
Taylor Swift advances the Midnights synth-based and diaristic formula, embracing increasingly sophisticated and minimalistic sonics on The Tortured Poets Department.
music review
Emel Keeps Her Electropop Revolution Strong on ‘MRA’
Tunisian artist Emel’s MRA is what contemporary pop should be: a true and socially conscious mélange that makes its audiences want to listen, learn, and move.
The Ophelias Get Heavy on ‘Ribbon’
On Ribbon, the Ophelias weave moodiness seamlessly into a short but satisfying song cycle, and hopefully, the louder guitar is here to stay for a while.
Old 97’s ‘American Primitive’ Sports Hits and Misses
Old 97’s American Primitive features some of their most vital work since their first decade as a group, but it’s front-loaded with the hits.
Leyla McCalla Tends to Deep Roots on ‘Sun Without the Heat’
In this most recent work, folk artist Leyla McCalla continues cultivating an expansive and complex sense of roots and relative self. It’s a joy to witness.
Reyna Tropical Find the Bitter and the Sweet on ‘Malegría’
All we have is each other. Let’s dance and fall in love, for what else is there? Reyna Tropical’s Malegría provides the soundtrack.
Minor Moon Brings a Hopeful Twang to the Apocalypse
Minor Moon’s LP is deeply adventurous but has a sharp, reflective eye on the rearview mirror. It’s a warm fuzz of country rock amidst a world falling apart.
Maggie Rogers Turns Inward on ‘Don’t Forget Me’
Maggie Rogers’ latest album, Don’t Forget Me, is a soft and breezy return to the musician we met on her debut studio effort Heard It in a Past Life.
Hannah Selin Composes a Work of Mesmerizing, Transcendent Beauty
Hannah Selin has created a profoundly engaging set of compositions on her debut LP. They are a sonic equivalent to deep sleep and vivid, complex dream states.
The High Llamas Embrace Their Past, Present, and Future
Long-standing art pop collective, the High Llamas take big risks on their latest LP, redefining their sound with hip-hop, R&B, and a lot of Auto-Tune.
Melvins’ ‘Tarantula Heart’ Marks Their Strange Trip
Melvins are masters of their craft, still able to make songs that stand with their finest work precisely because they’re never trying to recapture that past.
Dawn Landes Presents ‘The Liberated Woman’s Songbook’
Singer-songwriter Dawn Landes performs classic folk songs of struggle. Women’s rights are the unalienable ones we all share. Anything else is inherently wrong.