We Can Work It Out: Covering the Beatles’ 1962-1966 Period
What’s remarkable about We Can Work It Out is how it emphasizes the Beatles’ foundation-shaking effect on culture that occurred almost from the beginning.
John Bergstrom
John Bergstrom has been writing various reviews and features for PopMatters since 2004. He has been a music fanatic at least since he and a couple friends put together The Rock Group Dictionary in third grade (although he now admits that giving Pat Benatar the title of "first good female rocker" was probably a mistake). He has done freelance writing for Trouser Pressonline, Milwaukee's Shepherd Express, and the late Milk magazine and website. He currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife and two kids, both of whom are very good dancers.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s ‘Bauhaus Staircase’ Shines
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark have honed their craft at creating towering, majestic synthscapes with bold analog melodies and shimmering sci-fi flourishes.
Slow Pulp’s ‘Yard’ Is Full of 1990’s Style Alt-Rock
Chicago-based Slow Pulp offer more 1990s-inspired indie rock on their sophomore album. Have they taken a step forward and did they even need to?
Modern Nature’s ‘No Fixed Point in Space’ Doesn’t Achieve Lift-Off
When it comes to the late Mark Hollis’ seminal work, Modern Nature’s No Fixed Point in Space crosses the line between inspired tribute and pale imitation.
The Spinners’ Atlantic Singles Were Their Peak
Recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Spinners made some great Philly-style soul with producer Thom Bell but are still defined by a single song.
Nation of Language Revel in Classic Synthpop on ‘Strange Disciple’
Strange Disciple finds Nation of Language’s devotion to their synthpop craft and the acts that inspired them admirably intact, even dogged.
‘Come Together: Adventures on the Indie Dancefloor 1989-1992’ Celebrates Madchester
Full of gems from the Happy Mondays, the Charlatans, the Stone Roses, and many lesser-known acts, this massive Madchester retrospective leaves surprisingly few holes.
Lanterns on the Lake Explore New ‘Versions of Us’
Atmospheric British dream poppers Lanterns on the Lake gain accessibility without sacrificing their signature complexity on Versions of Us.
Beach Fossils’ Guitars Jangle and Sparkle on ‘Bunny’
Beach Fossils’ Bunny is a pure, seamless combination of pristine production and newfound maturity with a post-punk-influenced, guitar-driven sound.
A-ha’s Debut ‘Hunting High and Low’ Gets a Vinyl Deluxe Edition
Norwegian synthpop trio a-ha’s not-quite-classic 1985 debut Hunting High and Low is once again reissued in expanded form, this time on vinyl.
Adrian Sherwood Highlights Female Reggae Artists on ‘Dub No Frontiers’
In a male-dominated genre, dub maestro Adrian Sherwood pushes boundaries by showcasing ten women’s voices from around the world in Dub No Frontiers.
Tim Burgess’ ‘Typical Music’ Is a 22-song Adventure
The more-is-more nature of Typical Music may be a mixed blessing, but Tim Burgess’ biggest gift is a generosity of spirit on this giddy, 22-song adventure.