Chad VanGaalen Finds Fertile Ground on ‘World’s Most Stressed Out Gardener’
Chad VanGaalen’s World’s Most Stressed Out Gardener has elements of hurt and darkness, but he sounds at ease in his ever-changing musical gambits.
sub pop
Clipping Take a Stab at Horrorcore with the Fiery ‘Visions of Bodies Being Burned’
Clipping's latest album, Visions of Bodies Being Burned, is a terrifying, razor-sharp sequel to their previous ode to the horror film genre.
L7’s ‘Smell the Magic’ Is 30 and Packs a Feminist Punch
Abortion is under threat again, and there's a sex offender in the Oval Office. A fitting time, in short, to crank up the righteously angry vocals of feminist hard rock heavy hitters like L7.
Wolf Parade’s ‘Apologies to the Queen Mary’ Turns 15
Wolf Parade's debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary, is an indie rock classic. It's a testament to how creative, vital, and exciting the indie rock scene felt in the 2000s.
Shabazz Palaces Bring the Funk on “Bad Bitch Walking” (premiere)
A sultry, locomotive shuffle of hip-hop and hot blue funk, Shabazz Palaces' "Bad Bitch Walking" features Ishmael Butler as a susurrating lover whose languid gaze of a woman is slowly supplanted by the erotic ellipses of female motion.
Hip-Hop Since the Don of Rhyme: Shabazz Palaces’ ‘The Don of Diamond Dreams’
With the release of Shabazz Palaces' The Don of Diamond Dreams, producer-rapper Ishmael Butler envisions yet another lunar world of sound disturbed by his anxieties and desires.
Bully’s ‘SUGAREGG’ Is Loud and Noisy
The good news is that Bully are still loud and noisy on SUGAREGG. That's what makes them such a great live band. Alicia Bognanno explodes with energy.
Washed Out’s ‘Purple Noon’ Supplies Reassurance and Comfort
Washed Out's Purple Noon makes an argument against cynicism simply by existing and sounding as good as it does.
Omni Bring Old-School Post-Punk to the Modern World with ‘Networker’
With a move to a Sub Pop Records, Atlanta post-punkers Omni go for a more understated, stripped down affair on their third album, Networker.
Marika Hackman Cranks Up the Volume and the Honesty with ‘Any Human Friend’
With Any Human Friend, British singer-songwriter Marika Hackman largely ditches her folk leanings and makes a sharp, emotionally resonant statement.
With Experience Comes Artistic Maturity: Kyle Craft Gets Darker with ‘Showboat Honey’
Portland-based rocker Kyle Craft adds more variety and edge to his music with his third full-length album, Showboat Honey.