Does Gay Fandom Help Pop Divas?
Looking at Rina Sawayama, Azealia Banks, Charli XCX, and Kim Petras’ rise and fall in the charts one wonders – does gay fandom help pop divas’ careers?
alternative pop
20 Years Ago Marianne Faithfull Went Pop Plotting Late Career Comeback with ‘Kissin Time’
Kissin Time is the sole moment in Marianne Faithfull’s more recent recording period in which she allowed her musical collaborators to shape her sound.
Shamir Thrills with New Album ‘Heterosexuality’
Pop renaissance man Shamir channels trauma, rage, and feelings of angst, and in response to our troubled times, he’s released an album of uncommon beauty.
Andy Bell’s Solo Career Just Keeps Getting Better with ‘Flicker’
Andy Bell’s Flicker is the sound of a musician known primarily in shoegaze/Britpop circles who decided to make a singer-songwriter album, and it’s smashing.
Animal Collective Surprise with Their Most Accessible Album ‘Time Skiffs’
Time Skiffs finds Animal Collective in a calm, contemplative state yet places them closer in style to most indie rock bands.
Lana Del Rey Wasn’t ‘Born to Die’, She Was Born to Rise Above
Lana Del Rey’s major-label debut Born to Die provides a roadmap for her songwriting journey, and her personification of America reinvents the past to tell modern stories.
Elena Setién’s ‘Unfamiliar Minds’ Basks in Quietly Foreboding Minimalism
Immersion into Elena Setién’s Unfamiliar Minds is not unlike watching a bowl being coaxed into shape on a potter’s wheel. The slightest touches can send it in another direction.
Damon Albarn’s ‘The Nearer the Fountain’ Is a Beautiful Album
Damon Albarn’s new album is beautiful, one worthy of the songwriter’s long and oddly-shaped legacy. No Blur or Gorillaz comparisons apply.
Anna Sun Celebrates the Pleasures of Obsession on “Mine”
Brooklyn-based indie-pop trio Anna Sun release their debut single, “Mine”, a sexy song about the pleasures of obsessive love.
Lizzie Loveless Delivers a Striking Debut with ‘You Don’t Know’
Formerly one-third of the indie-pop band TEEN, Lizzie Loveless is out on her own with a mature, sophisticated album that spans genres and moods.
Allie Dunn Feels the Power of “Tom Petty” (premiere)
Allie Dunn has more than a little Laurel Canyon in her soul, as evidenced by the folky and introspective nature of her song “Tom Petty”.
Halsey Offers Stellar Work Despite Iffy Production on New Album
Halsey’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power contains enough magic to be infectious. It’s an ambitious work by an artist exploring aesthetic possibilities.