Dave Bloom

Recent

Music

Darlene Love: Introducing Darlene Love

One of pop's greatest voices walks back to the spotlight on an album produced by Steve Van Zandt with songs by Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Joan Jett, Jimmy Webb, Linda Perry, and others.

Music

Richard Thompson: Still

The Jeff Tweedy-produced Still may not surprise, but surprises aren't what Richard Thompson albums are about.

Reviews

The Postal Service: Everything Will Change

Surprisingly, a bunch of sentimental laptop pop songs from ten years ago (Give Up) make for a dynamic and engaging live show.

Music

The Both: The Both

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo are a perfect pairing on their new band's immensely likeable debut.

Music

The Afghan Whigs: Do to the Beast

Greg Dulli, John Curley, and some other guys they're calling the Afghan Whigs channel the rock, soul, and dark undertones of the band's classic work on an excellent quasi-reunion album

Music

Liars: Mess

Liars continue their electronic phase with an aggressive turn that brings out the rock in their DNA that they've been trying to push back against. This isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Music

Lone Justice: This Is Lone Justice: The Vaught Tapes, 1983

This lively archival release captures the L.A. band in their early "cowpunk" stage before Geffen got '80s production all over them.

Music

Laura Marling: Once I Was an Eagle

Laura Marling explores the consequences of being emotionally remote on a brilliant, two-sided concept album about love, the devil, and the power of naïveté.

Music

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: Live from Alabama

Is it cheating when your best album is a live release that covers your entire career?

Music

Benjamin Gibbard: Former Lives

Death Cab for Cutie frontman steps out with a solo effort that works best when he falls back on the high-concept lyrical daring of his earlier work.

Music

Jens Lekman: I Know What Love Isn't

Lekman's sweetly melancholy third full-length is that rare breakup album that emphasizes mature, thoughtful perspective over wallowing, self-hate, or bile.

Music

WHY?: Sod in the Seed EP

WHY? provides a taste of their upcoming Mumps, Etc. with an EP that's slightly too heavy on glib sarcasm.

Music

Cate Le Bon: Cyrk II

This sequel EP to Le Bon's early 2012 release is done in by self-consciously arty sloppiness.

David Bloom

Music

Patterson Hood: Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance

The Drive-By Trucker frontman's third solo album is his best sustained work in years, an immensely satisfying release woven together from relationships past and present, wrecked and whole.

Music

Emeli Sandé: Our Version of Events

The debut from one of the UK's most justifiably hyped new R&B artists hits the U.S.

Music

The Antlers: Undersea

The Antlers dive into new, but not unfamiliar, waters on this worthy concept EP.

Music

Foxes: Warrior

Louisa Rose Allen (aka Foxes) won't have to fight too hard to win over fans of brooding, big-R Romantic pop with this remarkably assured EP debut.

Music

Craig Wedren and Baby: Baby

The ex-Shudder to Think frontman shows his playful, slightly electronic side on this re-release of his early '00s band's debut.

Music

McGough & McGear: McGough & McGear

This 1968 album of psychedelic rock and folksy poetry became a collector's item due to its rarity and long list of celebrity contributors. What happens when you strip away that mystique with a reissue?

Reviews

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Features

The 50 Best Songs of 2007

How the Template for Modern Combat Journalism Developed

10 Key Tracks From the British Synthpop Boom of 1980

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PM Picks

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We celebrate the career of experimental pop pioneer Scott Walker through 15 of his essential songs.

One of pop's greatest voices walks back to the spotlight on an album produced by Steve Van Zandt with songs by Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Joan Jett, Jimmy Webb, Linda Perry, and others.

The Jeff Tweedy-produced Still may not surprise, but surprises aren't what Richard Thompson albums are about.

Surprisingly, a bunch of sentimental laptop pop songs from ten years ago (Give Up) make for a dynamic and engaging live show.

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo are a perfect pairing on their new band's immensely likeable debut.

Greg Dulli, John Curley, and some other guys they're calling the Afghan Whigs channel the rock, soul, and dark undertones of the band's classic work on an excellent quasi-reunion album

Liars continue their electronic phase with an aggressive turn that brings out the rock in their DNA that they've been trying to push back against. This isn't necessarily a bad thing.

This lively archival release captures the L.A. band in their early "cowpunk" stage before Geffen got '80s production all over them.

Laura Marling explores the consequences of being emotionally remote on a brilliant, two-sided concept album about love, the devil, and the power of naïveté.

Is it cheating when your best album is a live release that covers your entire career?

Death Cab for Cutie frontman steps out with a solo effort that works best when he falls back on the high-concept lyrical daring of his earlier work.

Lekman's sweetly melancholy third full-length is that rare breakup album that emphasizes mature, thoughtful perspective over wallowing, self-hate, or bile.

WHY? provides a taste of their upcoming Mumps, Etc. with an EP that's slightly too heavy on glib sarcasm.

This sequel EP to Le Bon's early 2012 release is done in by self-consciously arty sloppiness.

The Drive-By Trucker frontman's third solo album is his best sustained work in years, an immensely satisfying release woven together from relationships past and present, wrecked and whole.

Stars recover slightly from the disappointing monotony of The Five Ghosts, but The North is still short on the high drama that invigorates the band's best work.

The debut from one of the UK's most justifiably hyped new R&B artists hits the U.S.

The Antlers dive into new, but not unfamiliar, waters on this worthy concept EP.

Louisa Rose Allen (aka Foxes) won't have to fight too hard to win over fans of brooding, big-R Romantic pop with this remarkably assured EP debut.

The ex-Shudder to Think frontman shows his playful, slightly electronic side on this re-release of his early '00s band's debut.

This 1968 album of psychedelic rock and folksy poetry became a collector's item due to its rarity and long list of celebrity contributors. What happens when you strip away that mystique with a reissue?