Charli XCX’s New Album Is a Celebration of the Working Class
Charli XCX, now on her seventh record, pursues the continuum of human feelings and flairs. This may be the most humane entry yet in the grand canon.
pop rock
Alex Cameron’s ‘Late to Set’ Rewards Every Listen
Alex Cameron’s Late to Set rewards repeat listens with evocative storytelling, emotional ambiguity and impeccable pop craftsmanship.
Nia Archives Brilliantly Expands Jungle and Revels in Hooks
Nia Archives’ new album captures a gifted artist and producer as she transcends her influences, claiming and reveling in her own bewitching style.
Charli XCX’s ‘Music, Fashion, Film’ Is Too Cool For Its Own Good
Music, Fashion, Film is Charli XCX desperately trying to find something that feels cool, risky, and exciting to her after having her original vision of cool co-opted.
MISSIO Serve Up the Emotions on ‘Love & Heartbreak’
MISSIO’s Love & Heartbreak should be regarded as an art installation by its own terms, measurements that do credit to the furnished piece.
Paul McCartney Explores Childhood Memories in Sound
Paul McCartney’s newest EP, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, uses sound to vividly paint ordinary moments, both real and imagined, into memorable stories
Niall Horan Serves a Familiar Dish on ‘Dinner Party’
While it includes some fresh autobiographical details, Niall Horan’s Dinner Party is a rehash of boy band tropes.
For Bleachers, the Past Is Prologue
On his fifth album as Bleachers, everyone for ten minutes, Jack Antonoff uses a comfortable sonic space to make a new statement about fame.
Paul McCartney’s First 1970s Classic Arrived in 1967
Can Paul McCartney’s so-called easy-listening bend, which began with “Hello Goodbye” and peaked in the 1970s, be another kind of greatness? Maybe so.
Graham Nash’s “Teach Your Children” and the Creation of the 1970s
Serving as a bridge between the 1960s and ’70s, Graham Nash’s “Teach Your Children” makes a startling statement in complete contrast to the 1960s ethos: you “must have a code.”
Why Is Tori Amos Thanking Rival Courtney Love?
A long-running feud stemming from a 1990s love triangle seems to have cooled off as Tori Amos name-checks Courtney Love in her new single, “Shush”.
Holly Humberstone Is Raw and Mature on ‘Cruel World’
Although Holly Humberstone ends her new album on a signature sad note, Cruel World has a promising tone that shines through the clouds.