Killer Mike Returns to His Roots on Triumphant ‘MICHAEL’
Part autobiography and homage to the city that made him, MICHAEL is a lushly-produced and defiantly Southern hip-hop album from Atlanta rapper Killer Mike.
loma vista recordings
Show Me the Body’s ‘Trouble the Water’ Is an Empowering Proclamation for Truth and Action
Brooklyn-based hardcore band Show Me the Body strive to escape banality and preach for the sake of the outcasts on Trouble the Water.
Sampa the Great Soars Aabove Her Whole Industry on ‘As Above, So Below’
On Sampa the Great’s As Above, So Below, she makes music with incredible clarity of purpose and affirms a sense of interconnected self and heritage.
Andrew Bird’s ‘Inside Problems’ Burrows into Pop History
Andrew Bird’s Inside Problems burrows into Beethoven, the Velvet Underground, ’60s pop, and his own back catalog.
Soccer Mommy Seeks New Sounds and Mixes with ‘Sometimes, Forever’
When aesthetic balances are in place for much of Sometimes, Forever, Soccer Mommy glows like a moon reflecting a dying sun, one of the substantial artists of her generation.
Ghost’s ‘Impera’ Is a Morbidly Exhilarating Soundtrack to Dark Times
Twelve years after setting the underground metal scene ablaze, Ghost’s Impera establishes them as a commercial hard rock force.
The Strange, Emotional World of St. Vincent’s ‘Daddy’s Home’
It takes a real human being to be as disgusted with the world as the performance of St Vincent on Daddy’s Home shows. It requires the talents of Annie Clark.
The Avett Brothers Go Back-to-Basics with ‘The Third Gleam’
For their latest EP, The Third Gleam, the Avett Brothers leave everything behind but their songs and a couple of acoustic guitars, a bass, and a banjo.
Soccer Mommy Aims High on ‘color theory’
Soccer Mommy's latest album, color theory, proves that traditional stardom isn't an impossible dream, even if it's still a ways away.
Ghost’s ‘Prequelle’ Subverts Metal Clichés and It Has a Strong Sense of History
Beneath the catchy melodies and snazzy artwork, Ghost have created one of the cleverest heavy metal records in recent memory with Prequelle.
Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface
On their latest album, Manchester Orchestra show that gloominess pays off as long as you've got good songs and smart arrangements.
DJDS: Stand Up and Speak
Stand Up and Speak, though lackluster, has the benefit of at least giving one hope and the push to run to one's Point B.