Patti Smith’s “Piss Factory” and “Hey Joe” Remain Prophetic 50 Years On
Patti Smith’s “Hey Joe” and “Piss Factory” expresses her unremitting fight for freedom: when she went from a factory girl to a poète maudit.
All Things Reconsidered
Hüsker Dü’s ‘Zen Arcade’ at 40: Do You Remember?
In the early 1980s, Hüsker Dü paved the way for alternative rock, adding the power, anger, and pain of hardcore punk to a mix of 1960s and 1970s pop-rock styles.
Joyce Manor’s ‘Never Hungover Again’ Is a Timeless Snapshot of Fading Youth
Joyce Manor’s ‘Never Hungover Again’ still sounds urgent and endlessly replayable cranked up loud with the windows down, and it will stay that way.
A Comeback Story for the Ages: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Californication at 25
Red Hot Chili Peppers made an LP on their own terms with Californication. They silenced the doubters and launched the second act of their extraordinary career.
Upon the Edge of No Escape: Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’ at 45
A unique-sounding album, Unknown Pleasures retains the dark mystery of Ian Curtis and Joy Division while anticipating future moods and genres.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s Opus Remains Powerful and Prescient
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor reminds us that sometimes the most powerful protest is (nearly) wordless.
If You Love Her, Let Her Know: How Olivia Newton-John Became a Country Star
Olivia Newton-John’s chart-topping 1974 album remains a touchstone for 1970s culture, bringing the best of country music into mainstream pop.
Pretty When She Cries: Lana Del Rey’s ‘Ultraviolence’ at 10
Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence used rock to kickstart a new career direction that culminated in autobiographical work without spoiling the mystery of her persona.
Songs: Ohia’s ‘Magnolia Electric Co.’ Remains a Dark Triumph
Songs: Ohia’s Magnolia Electric Co. remains a dark triumph in the face of adversity. It was the turning point and apex of Jason Molina’s brief life and career.
The Dark Beauty of Alice In Chains’ ‘Jar of Flies’
Unplanned and unprepared, when Alice in Chains recorded Jar of Flies‘ catchy songs on the fly, they created some of their career’s darkest yet warmest music of their career.
A Dreamer of Pictures: Neil Young’s ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’ at 55
Alternating brooding rock anthems with ragged country-rock, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere set Neil Young on a musical quest that continues 55 years later.
The Killers’ ‘Hot Fuss’ 20 Years On: A Layered Hit That Still Slays
The Killers’ Hot Fuss is made for the hips and heart, not the brains. Their best tunes are eminently digestible, meant to have you vibrating from the first few bars.