Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier on Making a Joyful Noise in Dreadful Times
Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, the hyper-expressive drummer, reflects on the band’s longevity, new LP, and the possibility of making a better world.
art rock
‘The Velvet Underground’ Film and the Exploding Lou Reed Inevitable
Todd Haynes’ audiovisual blast delves into the creative combat that birthed America’s first great avant-garde rock ‘n’ roll band, the Velvet Underground.
‘Velvet Underground’ Soundtrack Could Use More Idiosyncratic Curation
The soundtrack for Todd Haynes’ new documentary on Velvet Underground contains unimpeachable music but fails to offer a cohesive argument about the iconic band.
Pepe Deluxé Are in Exquisitely Eccentric Form on ‘Phantom Cabinet Vol. 1’
When you open Pepe Deluxé’s Phantom Cabinet, you have to jump in with both feet. Even setting wacky instrument antics aside, it’s a musical baptism worth total immersion.
Pulp’s Swansong ‘We Love Life’ Turns 20
Pulp’s We Love Life exists in the shadow of Different Class and This Is Hardcore, with no iconic singles. Yet it’s the Sheffield band’s most cohesive and heartfelt work, which has the distinction of being, well, a sort of folk album.
My Morning Jacket’s Infinite Jest
On My Morning Jacket, Jim James sifts through perceptions about technology and nature, offering a treatment for getting washed away by modernity.
Absolutely Free’s ’80s Style Synthpop Is a Little Too Reverent on ‘Aftertouch’
Absolutely Free are back with their first album in years, Aftertouch, and have fully embraced ’80s synthpop as their music template.
The Gentle Eschatology of Suuns’ ‘The Witness’
Suuns’ The Witness is most easily described as gently terrifying. A creature that holds you and whispers sweet nothings in your ear about the end of the world.
Be-Bop Deluxe’s ‘Live! in the Air Age’ Gets the Expanded Treatment
Everybody loves an excellent live album, don’t they? And Be Bop Deluxe’s Live! In the Air Age is one of the best.
Manic Street Preachers Reckon with an Uncertain World on ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’
Manic Street Preachers’ The Ultra Vivid Lament is as rich, melancholic, and intelligent as ever, but also riddled with doubts and anxieties.
PJ Harvey Gives Us a Peek at Her Sketchbook With ‘White Chalk Demos’
PJ Harvey’s White Chalk Demos is open, honest, and raw. Maybe too raw. We learn that sometimes the early versions of songs only hint at what they’ll become.
Amusement Parks on Fire Return in Thrilling Fashion on ‘An Archaea’
On the first new Amusement Parks on Fire record in over a decade, Michael Feerick continues to push the boundaries of what a rock album can be.