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.
soft rock
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.
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.”
Don Felder’s Curious Pre-Fame Connection
With hundreds of millions of record sales and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Don Felder’s curious connections to the southern rock pioneers of northeastern Florida have been largely ignored.
Penny Arcade’s ‘Double Exposure’ Ups the Mellowness
Life spent in retreat and remembrance, darkness invited and dwelled in, despair soothed by melody: that’s the Penny Arcade way.
Where Should Billy Joel Sit at the Pop Rock Table?
Inconsistent in his music and notoriously ornery, it’s difficult to figure out where, amongst his contemporaries, to seat Billy Joel at the Pop Rock table. We give it a try.
Why Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” Is the Ultimate Screen Song
The lyrics to Steely Dan’s 1972 song “Dirty Work” are not the enigmatic stanzas that make up most of their discography, so why is it still used in films and TV to this day?
Harry Styles Negotiates With Stardom on Fourth Album
Harry Styles negotiates with style and substance on his fourth album, reminding listeners why he long ago transcended heartthrob status.
Harry Styles Is Surprisingly Subdued on ‘All the Time’
Harry Styles sounds tired of trying to check boxes on someone else’s list, and he’s trying to figure out his own sound as an adult man in his third decade.
Al Stewart’s “Time Passages” Completes His “Year of the Cat”
Folk-pop-rock singer Al Stewart scored a career-boosting hit with 1976’s “Year of the Cat” and continued the momentum with “Time Passages”.
Ruel Creates Sunny, Self-Assured Pop Creates Happiness
Australian singer-songwriter Ruel opts for an optimistic tone on his sophomore album Kicking My Feet, mixing soft rock, funk, and pop.