Mogwai Find New in the Familiar with ‘The Bad Fire’
Despite moments of overfamiliarity and some flat vocal experiments, Mogwai’s 11th studio record captures a band still reinventing their signature sound.
indie rock
Illiterate Light Lack Authenticity on ‘Arches’
Illiterate Light would be wise to ignore certain impulses concerned with image in favor of what might naturally set them apart.
Poster Children Discuss 1995’s Brilliant LP ‘Junior Citizen’ at 30
Poster Children‘s Junior Citizen remains a refreshing, barely-polished masterpiece, like garish, late-night anime on steroids. The group discuss the album.
‘Rome’ Captures the National’s Amazing Live Show
Rome proves to be a strikingly good example of a great National show, even if nothing quite compares to the real thing.
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The 10 Best Shoegaze Albums of 2024
The genre rediscovery via TikTok during the first stages of the pandemic has been going on long enough that we might consider it a Shoegaze Revival Revival.
Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2024
The 25 Best Rock Albums of 2024
As always, rock was a guitar-led extravaganza in 2024 with artists drawing from an ever-widening musical well. These are the 25 best rock albums of the year.
Peach Pit Prove Their Worth on ‘Magpie’
The songs on Peach Pit’s Magpie have little idiosyncrasies. They are built around sophisticated chord progressions and unique vocal and guitar melodies.
Michael Kiwanuka Delivers ‘Small Changes’ on New Record
Michael Kiwanuka’s most striking quality remains his voice, which has the power to evoke deep feelings, as his idols did for another generation.
Father John Misty Beautifully Chronicles Our Messed-Up World
Father John Misty has come as close to perfecting his artistry as anyone can. Mahashmashana is a masterpiece of exceptional songwriting and performance.
Mount Eerie’s ‘Night Palace’ Is a Beautiful Slow Burn
Mount Eerie’s new LP takes listeners on a slow journey through somber moods and reflective soundscapes, rich with poetry and imaginative storytelling.
‘Louder Than You Think’: The Improbable Origins of Pavement
Louder Than You Think documents the early origins of indie rock’s Pavement through the cracked life and times of the band’s first drummer, Gary Young.
St. Lenox Offers a Fifth Installment of Modern American Songs
St. Lenox’s new LP reveals there’s always time for new beginnings while working toward the greater goal of a worthy existence. It’s a sardonic masterpiece.