Pom Poko Merge Complicated Guitars and Catchy Hooks
Pom Poko have figured out how to combine complex math rock with big pop hooks, but their willingness to stretch beyond these styles makes Champion intriguing.
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Personal Trainer Will Make You Fall in Love with Indie Pop
Personal Trainer’s adoration for slick, artful pop music is evident in every note and bristles with inspiration and crackles with enthusiasm the entire time.
Lanterns on the Lake Explore New ‘Versions of Us’
Atmospheric British dream poppers Lanterns on the Lake gain accessibility without sacrificing their signature complexity on Versions of Us.
Philip Selway Stretches the Canvas Wide for ‘Strange Dance’
Philip Selway makes up for what he lacks in melodic strengths with little hooks, and he’s the Radiohead member to sound the least like them when solo.
Tim Burgess’ ‘Typical Music’ Is a 22-song Adventure
The more-is-more nature of Typical Music may be a mixed blessing, but Tim Burgess’ biggest gift is a generosity of spirit on this giddy, 22-song adventure.
Marissa Nadler Tells Unorthodox Tales on ‘The Wrath of the Clouds’
Unorthodox subject matter and an ability to find the more macabre aspects of daily life take Marissa Nadler in fresh, less explored directions on The Wrath of the Clouds.
Penelope Isles’ Genre-Hopping Rarely Rises Above Pastiche on ‘Which Way to Happy’
Penelope Isles love a lot of different music, and they spend much of Which Way to Happy approximating those influences and not quite establishing their sound.
Pom Poko Unleash Another Joyously Unhinged Album with ‘Cheater’
The sophomore release from Norwegian art-punk quartet Pom Poko is full of the same kind of sweet, distorted pleasures that made their first album so much fun.
Ezra Furman Blasts Off on ‘Twelve Nudes’
On Twelve Nudes, Ezra Furman demonstrates how an explosion of negative feelings can create an enjoyable sensation.
Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell Partners with Her Husband for New Project the Soft Cavalry
Another post-reunion project for Slowdive's Rachel Goswell. In collaborator Steve Clarke she has discovered a talented songwriter and married him, no less.
Hannah Cohen’s ‘Welcome Home’ Is a Portrait of an Artist in Transition
Hannah Cohen creates a musical space in Welcome Home where an exploration of identity is conducted with intimacy and vulnerability.
Jambinai’s ‘ONDA’ Reminds That Korean Music Is Diasporic and Ever-Evolving
Jambinai's ONDA finds cross-cultural influences from traditional Korean music, post-rock, and atmospheric metal, but their ethos is certainly more complex than a fusion or hybrid project.