Ratboys Seize ‘The Window’ of Opportunity
After breaking through with a lockdown-inspired set of songs, the Ratboys’ “post-country” stylings find a new audience, opening for the Decemberists.
indie rock
Chastity Belt Ruminate on Insecurities on ‘Live Laugh Love’
Chastity Belt are dovish and disarming on Live Laugh Love, which explores the self. It’s unadulterated self-expression in its purest form.
Yard Act’s ‘Where’s My Utopia?’ Suits Our Post-Pandemic Moment
Yard Act’s Where’s My Utopia? is a mother lode of cool sounds, critiques of late capitalism, meditation on fame’s futility, and a forecast of apocalyptic change.
The 10 Best Oasis Songs From the B-Sides
Oasis kept putting out singles all throughout their career, spawning some pretty memorable B-side tracks. Here are ten of their best.
Mannequin Pussy Assert Their Versatility on ‘I Got Heaven’
Mannequin Pussy continue to explore a spectrum of intensities, pinballing between two extremes and finding the group in their most mature and polished form.
Jack Antonoff Searches for Bleachers on ‘Bleachers’
Bleachers finds its primary strength in its serenity. Gentle moments of introspection about love’s redemptive power illuminate some of the brightest moments.
Mary Timony Explores Grief with Clear Eyes on ‘Untame the Tiger’
Rock guitar virtuoso Mary Timony’s Untame the Tiger is a clear–eyed, unsentimental, top-shelf record that emerged during hard times.
Grandaddy Try Country-Style Ballads With Mixed Results
With Blu Wav, their first album in seven years, Grandaddy ask, “What if we just forget the upbeat synth-rock this time and make sad ballads?”
Real Estate Go Back to Basics on ‘Daniel’
Daniel‘s “brand-new old-fashioned” version of Real Estate is totally workable but is also a reminder that the old-fashioned stuff was better.
Against All Odds, Laetitia Sadier Is Still ‘Rooting for Love’
Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab sees love as a solution for our contemporary ills, whether personal, political, or planetary. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Mannequin Pussy Level Up Again on ‘I Got Heaven’
Mannequin Pussy have reached another peak, delivering a complex, inquisitive album inspired by the threats from the outside world and from inside the house.
The Bevis Frond Return with Double LP ‘Focus on Nature’
The Bevis Frond’s Focus on Nature is a diverse set and a testament to how good songwriting and solid musicianship, in the right hands, never grow old.
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