dead oceans

Cassandra Jenkins Trips the Cosmos on ‘My Light, My Destroyer’

Cassandra Jenkins Trips the Cosmos on ‘My Light, My Destroyer’

Brimming with cosmic musings and darkened Americana, My Light, My Destroyer earns Cassandra Jenkins a place among the best contemporary singer-songwriters.

Khruangbin Are Still Easygoing and Effortlessly Cool

Khruangbin Are Still Easygoing and Effortlessly Cool

A LA SALA delivers on what Khruangbin are known for: chill, mostly easygoing guitar melodies backed by a deep rhythm section groove.

Mitski Beguiles on ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’

Mitski Beguiles on ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’

Mitski’s The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We marks a shift away from her earlier work toward a more mainstream sound that might even be called Americana.

Slowdive’s ‘Everything Is Alive’ Is a Masterpiece of Subtlety

Slowdive’s ‘Everything Is Alive’ Is a Masterpiece of Subtlety

From the haunted guitars to the impressionist vocals, from the most spell-binding drones to the brisk tempos, this is a Slowdive album through and through.

Kevin Morby’s ‘More Photographs (A Continuum)’ Expands the Conversation

Kevin Morby’s ‘More Photographs (A Continuum)’ Expands the Conversation

More Photographs has its moments, and for anyone wanting to explore old photos, memory, and mortality with Kevin Morby, it broadens the thinking.

Durand Jones’ Solo Debut Is Powerful and Personal

Durand Jones’ Solo Debut Is Powerful and Personal

Braiding stirring songwriting prowess and beautiful vocals, Durand Jones has created one of the most assured and brightest debut albums in quite some time.

Wednesday’s ‘Rat Saw God’ Is a Vivid Tapestry of Misery

Wednesday’s ‘Rat Saw God’ Is a Vivid Tapestry of Misery

On Wednesday’s spectacular Rat Saw God, the North Carolina quintet weave a vivid tapestry of misery led by Karly Hartzman’s ekphrastic storytelling.

Mitski Warns Us About the Dangers of Love and Death on ‘Laurel Hell’

Mitski Warns Us About the Dangers of Love and Death on ‘Laurel Hell’

Mitski’s Laurel Hell possesses a kind of weird timelessness. The album seems like an artifact from the past that somehow seems relevant in the present.

Kevin Morby Opens the Door on ‘A Night at the Little Los Angeles’

Kevin Morby Opens the Door on ‘A Night at the Little Los Angeles’

Sundowner and A Night at the Little Los Angeles work together to satisfy multiple moods and develop a complete picture of Kevin Morby’s work.

Durand Jones and the Indications Keep Innovating Modern Soul with ‘Private Space’

Durand Jones and the Indications Keep Innovating Modern Soul with ‘Private Space’

Durand Jones and the Indications push the boundaries of soul music with Private Space, reminding us that the genre was never a relic of the past.

Shame Are an Unstoppable Force on ‘Drunk Tank Pink’

Shame Are an Unstoppable Force on ‘Drunk Tank Pink’

Shame's Drunk Tank Pink emphasizes something that's become even rarer than a rock star: a legitimately exciting band.

Kevin Morby Gets Back to Basics on ‘Sundowner’

Kevin Morby Gets Back to Basics on ‘Sundowner’

On Sundowner, Kevin Morby sings of valleys, broken stars, pale nights, and the midwestern American sun. Most of the time, he's alone with his guitar and a haunting mellotron.