Jordan Blum

Jordan Blum is an Associate Editor at PopMatters, holds an MFA in Creative Writing, and is the founder/Editor-in-Chief of The Bookends Review, an independent creative arts journal. He specializes in progressive rock/metal and also writes for The Big Takeover, Paste, Progression Magazine, Metal Injection, The Prog Report, PROG, and Classic Rock Society Magazine, among others. Finally, he records his own crazy ideas under the pseudonym Neglected Spoon. When he's not focused on any of that, he teaches English courses at various colleges. Feel free to contact him via email, Facebook, and Twitter.

Recent

Baroness Craft a New Benchmark of Creative Saturation with 'Gold & Grey'

Just about every listener—no matter their history or prior opinions—will deem Gold & Grey Baroness' masterpiece.

Music

Stronger Hooks Prevail with Thank You Scientist's Latest Video, "Swarm" (premiere)

New Jersey progressive rock/jazz fusion septet, Thank You Scientist are as lovably technical, zany, and catchy as ever on this latest single from their upcoming third LP, Terraformer.

Jordan Blum

Music

CHON Continue Their Intricate Yet Inviting Instrumental Excellence on Self-Titled Third LP

Fans CHON's previous work—as well as instrumental rock in a broader sense—will surely find plenty to enjoy about Chon. Just don't expect anything especially diverse or daring along the way.

Music

TesseracT's Daniel Tompkins Constructs an Alluring and Distinctive Solo Debut with 'Castles'

Progressive metal vocalist Daniel Tompkins of TesseracT successfully infuses his trademark serenity and intensity with plenty of experimental electronic edge on Castles.

Music

Gong Continue Their Stellar Revitalized Streak on 'The Universe Also Collapses'

The Universe Also Collapses is another singular victory for psychedelic rock masters Gong, chiefly due to its adventurous scope and cohesive ambition.

Music

Indie Folk Quartet Wylder Nails Pastoral Nostalgia on "Ghosts" (premiere)

The video for indie folk band Wylder's "Ghosts" is a wonderfully serene and rustic complement to the luscious lamentations of its namesake.

Music

I Know This Because Talbott Knows This: Chuck Palahniuk's 'Adjustment Day'

Adjustment Day may not be peak Palahniuk, but it is nonetheless entertaining and twistedly educational, providing abundantly peculiar and original paths within one of his most astute and necessary social commentaries to date.

Books

Kuri's "The Great Orator" Is an Exquisitely Powerful Avant-Folk Piano Ballad (premiere)

Former Oh Village frontman Scott Currie establishes a new persona as Kuri and a solo project with this gorgeously haunting new single, "The Great Orator".

Music

Brooklyn Duo Pale Ramon Ignites a Mesmeric Rebellion with "Beat Punk" (premiere)

Eclectic rock outfit, Pale Ramon take on the current political divide in America with raucous yet melodic poignancy on "Beat Punk".

Music

Cage the Elephant Mostly Engages and Affects with 'Social Cues'

Social Cues is easily one of Cage the Elephant's best efforts. Aside from a few uninspiring entries, every inclusion offers something valuable, be it fetchingly catchy radiance or notably moving self-reflection.

Music

Progressive Instrumentalists Valence Dominate with Creative Complexity on 'Cognitive Dissidents' (album stream)

Valence's new LP, Cognitive Dissidents, is a relentlessly intricate and unpredictable—yet remarkably unified and welcoming—bit of wordless storytelling that will captivate fans of progressive rock.

Music

'Periphery IV: Hail Stan' Is Worthy of Your Allegiance

Periphery IV: Hail Stan doesn't quite reach the heights of its two immediate predecessors, but it upholds enough of what made them great to satisfy while adding enough new characteristics to possess its own identity and merit.

Music

Dido Remains Singular and Special on 'Still on My Mind'

Still on My Mind is another rich outing for Dido in every way, with some truly awe-inspiring combinations of singer-songwriter radiance and novel sonic juxtapositions.

Music

Astralingua Beautifully Capture the Hopes and Heartaches of Existence on 'Safe Passage'

Flooded with gorgeous, philosophical melancholia from start to finish, Astralingua's Safe Passage is a masterful accomplishment in every way.

Music

JONO Shares Exquisite Artistry and Environmental Awareness on "North" Video (premiere)

Multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Bareford's latest release is as visually and sonically alluring as it is altruistically purposeful.

Jordan Blum

Music

Giancarlo Erra Breathes Classical New Life Into the Nymph Myth on "End IV" (premiere)

The music and visuals of Giancarlo Erra's "End IV" are wondrous and woeful in equal measure, spawning one of Erra's finest achievements to date.

Music

Pop Ten

Scorsese and Dylan: A Match Made in Fantasy

When the Camera Swings: Silent Film Master Paul Leni's 'The Man Who Laughs' and 'The Last Warning'

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