folk pop

L’étrangleuse Find Artful Balance with ‘Ambiance Argile’

L’étrangleuse Find Artful Balance with ‘Ambiance Argile’

L’étrangleuse’s music draws from all sides of the Mediterranean and beyond, creating something new and categorically nebulous in a way that works well.

Thin Lear Reveals an Uncanny Ear for Melody

Thin Lear Reveals an Uncanny Ear for Melody

Thin Lear’s EP is a unique and instantly lovable combination of indie folk and chamber pop and a superb showcase for Matt Longo’s immense songwriting abilities.

Alec Benjamin Hits the Right Note on ’12 Notes’

Alec Benjamin Hits the Right Note on ’12 Notes’

Alec Benjamin writes anthologies, and his fourth album, 12 Notes, is no different. This style of writing suits Benjamin’s propensity for parables.

Cat Power Sings Bob Dylan at the London Palladium

Cat Power Sings Bob Dylan at the London Palladium

Cat Power and her band are not a simulacrum of Bob Dylan; they gracefully step into the songs, striking the right balance between honoring and making it anew.

The Avett Brothers Are in Long-Term Career Mode

The Avett Brothers Are in Long-Term Career Mode

The Avett Brothers’ new self-titled album is solid but not spectacular, which can happen after a group have settled into a long-term career mode.

Abigail Lapell’s ‘Anniversary’ Is Mournful and Celebratory

Abigail Lapell’s ‘Anniversary’ Is Mournful and Celebratory

Abigail Lapell navigates space somewhere between folk, classic country, and lullabies for songs that harness a productive disquiet on Anniversary.

Jackie West Dazzles on the Stunning ‘Close to the Mystery’

Jackie West Dazzles on the Stunning ‘Close to the Mystery’

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jackie West effortlessly transcends genres and generations on her outstanding debut album, Close to the Mystery.

Call Me Spinster’s Debut Pleasantly Jumps Through Genres

Call Me Spinster’s Debut Pleasantly Jumps Through Genres

Indie pop’s Call Me Spinster possess rock-solid songwriting. Regardless of genre, they have a strong command of melody and an ear for intriguing arrangements.

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Is Ambitious and Experimental

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Is Ambitious and Experimental

The Tortured Poets Department‘s songs are calculated, complete, and the most experimental and ambitious of Taylor Swift’s work to date.

Arthur Melo’s ‘Mirantes Emocionais’ Is Much More Than Vintage Vibes

Arthur Melo’s ‘Mirantes Emocionais’ Is Much More Than Vintage Vibes

Even at this young age, Arthur Melo has a careful hand and a grasp on what’s timely as he crafts dreamy new música popular brasileira on his luscious new LP.

Taylor Swift Overcomes Breakup on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Taylor Swift Overcomes Breakup on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Taylor Swift advances the Midnights synth-based and diaristic formula, embracing increasingly sophisticated and minimalistic sonics on The Tortured Poets Department.

Maggie Rogers Turns Inward on ‘Don’t Forget Me’

Maggie Rogers Turns Inward on ‘Don’t Forget Me’

Maggie Rogers’ latest album, Don’t Forget Me, is a soft and breezy return to the musician we met on her debut studio effort Heard It in a Past Life.