50 Years On: Roxy Music and Robert Palmer Transcended Fashion
In 1974, Roxy Music and Robert Palmer transcended changes in musical fashions not only in terms of their influence but without sacrificing their artistry.
art rock
Vampire Weekend Return to Form While Adding New Wrinkles
Only God Was Above Us demonstrates that melodic, clean guitars are welcome but optional and that Vampire Weekend have plenty of other tricks up their sleeves.
St. Vincent Finds Pleasure in Pain on ‘All Born Screaming’
On All Born Screaming, St. Vincent suggests the end of life is really just a new beginning. Love is the purpose. There is no joy without pain.
The Ophelias Get Heavy on ‘Ribbon’
On Ribbon, the Ophelias weave moodiness seamlessly into a short but satisfying song cycle, and hopefully, the louder guitar is here to stay for a while.
The Fiery Furnaces’ Songs on ‘Widow City’ Are Multiverse 45s
The songs on the Fiery Furnaces’ Widow City are like a multiverse 45; they’ll never be hits on this Earth but might sell millions in a world slightly tweaked.
What Wilco’s ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ Got Right About Music Streaming
Wilco’s net-streaming experiment with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was part of the utopian promise for technology’s future, and it worked.
Elbow Stay “Guerilla”: An Interview with Guy Garvey
Weeks after his 50th birthday, Guy Garvey talks about Elbow’s electric new album, their wildest since their 2008 breakthrough The Seldom Seen Kid.
Elbow Bend with the Times on ‘Audio Vertigo’
Guy Garvey and company return with renewed energy, a punchier attack and infectious grooves on Elbow’s tenth studio album, Audio Vertigo.
Kings Will Be Crowned: Queen’s ‘Queen II’ at 50
Queen’s 1974 sophomore album, Queen II is an overlooked progressive rock masterpiece that predicted so much of their later work. It’s also still enormous fun.
This Is Your Life: XTC’s ‘Oranges & Lemons’ at 35
In 1989, XTC released Oranges & Lemons, one of their finest. There are nods to trippy 1960s touchstones, but it’s more of a lush, power-pop celebration.
Can and Damo Suzuki Shimmer Brightly on ‘Live in Paris 1973’
Part of a recent series of archival releases, Live in Paris 1973 provides an indispensable glimpse of Can and their lead vocalist, Damo Suzuki, at their peak.
Brian Eno’s ‘Here Come the Warm Jets’ After 50 Years
Brian Eno’s approach captured the best of what we wanted from punk, new wave, prog, glam, and classic ’60s pop and channeled their excesses by relying on chance.