‘Oh, You Pretty Thing’: David Bowie’s Glam Masterpiece ‘Hunky Dory’ Turns 50
David Bowie’s Hunky Dory is self-conscious about artifice and image. It maintains a resounding undercurrent of human longing for connection and recognition.
glam rock
The Darkness Blow a Raspberry at Covid with ‘Motorheart’
No misplaced macho nonsense. No self-righteous pomposity. The Darkness hit the dress-up box hard, knock out some killer riffs, and are laugh out loud funny while they’re doing it.
Orwellian Times: On Manic Street Preachers’ ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’
Manic Street Preachers’ The Ultra Vivid Lament is driven by George Orwell’s aim to make political writing into art.
MIKA’s ‘Last Party’ Is a Glorious Celebration
With over 100 classical musicians and choristers, MIKA has ventured to the Royal Opera of Versailles to re-record orchestral versions of his biggest hits.
T. Rex Launched Glam Rock with ‘Electric Warrior’ 50 Years Ago
Fifty years ago, T. Rex released their most successful album, Electric Warrior, helping kick off the glam rock movement. Marc Bolan leaped from playing rock to being a rock star.
Spacehog’s Royston Langdon Keeps Us Company with the Jaunty ‘Chains’
Royston Langdon possesses the rare gift of applying a glam varnish to small, personable songs while somehow not drowning them in theatrics.
Tony & the Kiki Bring Gender Ambiguity Back to Rock with “Listen” (premiere)
Thank whatever deity you may believe in for the return of both androgyny and people of color to rock music. Or just listen to Tony & the Kiki.
Is Billy Idol Still Vital?
Billy Idol’s string of pop-punk hits and unmistakable sneer propelled him to 1980s stardom. Idol sounds more mature than ever on the new EP The Roadside.
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.
A KISS Army Loyalist on How KISS Transformed His Life and How the Band Should End It All
A KISS Army stalwart muses on the band’s legacy and a lifetime of super-fandom as KISS nears the “End of the Road”.
‘The Width of a Circle’ Captures David Bowie’s Awkward 1970 Adolescence
A new two-CD set collects radio sessions and other material from the months before David Bowie recorded The Man Who Sold the World.