Music Reviews
John Cale’s Orch-Pop Masterwork ‘Paris 1919’ Is Brilliant
With his 1973 album Paris 1919, John Cale created one of his most serene and accessible works, a contrast to the frenetic style of the Velvet Underground.
Music Features
The 30 Best Polish Albums of 2024
The best Polish albums featured intriguing new projects, greater stylistic diversity, along with superb post-punk and diffusion jazz.
Film
International Film Buffs Should Pounce on MoMA’s To Save and Project Festival
From silent classics to Thai melodrama, home movies to Brazilian sambas, MoMA’s To Save and Project festival is catnip for international film buffs.
Television
What If Donald Trump’s Cabinet Picks Really Were Looney Tunes?
Many of Donald Trump’s 2025 cabinet picks came from Fox News. Would the nation be better served if he binged Looney Tunes instead?
Books
5 Great Books That Reinvent Music Criticism
This is by no means a comprehensive survey of contemporary music criticism, but these five books all point a way forward for the field.
Games
The 24 Best Video Games of 2024
PopMatters’ 24 Best Video Games of 2024 highlight achievements in game design and the risks creators take to lure gamers into the magic circle.
Lists
The 30 Best Polish Albums of 2024
The best Polish albums featured intriguing new projects, greater stylistic diversity, along with superb post-punk and diffusion jazz.
Interviews
Alice Ivy’s New Music Is Gorgeous with Organic Sounds
In trading sample-packs for organic instruments and whistles, Australia’s Alice Ivy returns after four years with an album that moves out of the clubs and into real stardom.
PopMatters Picks
The 30 Best Polish Albums of 2024
The best Polish albums featured intriguing new projects, greater stylistic diversity, along with superb post-punk and diffusion jazz.
