Amulets Experiments in Powerful Ambient Soundscapes
Experimental tape wizard Amulets’ Not Around But Through is a lush, all-encompassing, enveloping sound that consumes the listener whole.
music review
Mdou Moctar Mourns with Sadness on ‘Tears of Injustice’
Mdou Moctar’s Tears of Injustice is cause for mourning and melancholy. It makes time for lamentation, knowing there is more to sustaining resistance than fighting with fire.
Lonnie Johnson’s Guitar Genius Is the Star on ‘Blues & Ballads’
The re-release of Lonnie Johnson in 2025 suggests that audiences can still draw inspiration from the painful past with hope for the present and future.
Hour’s ‘Subminiature’ Takes Gentle Ambience Into a Live Setting
Hour temper their unusual style with deep emotion and contemplation. There’s nothing conventional about them, but they always find new ways to provide comfort and joy.
Doves’ ‘Constellations For the Lonely’ Is a Bit Surprising
With Jimi Goodwin sitting out on some tracks, Doves create a familiar mood, even if they do not achieve the same level of greatness.
Katy Pinke Soars on Her Brilliant Sophomore Album
Katy Pinke’s Strange Behavior continues to showcase thrilling, inventive songwriting but sees her working with a broader musical palette.
Them Coulee Boys Bring 1970s Love to Their Country Rock
Them Coulee Boys’ folkie Americana songs would fit in during the early to mid-1970s when acts fused old-time country with contemporary rock to create a new sound.
Sam Fender Is a Genuine Generational Talent
Sam Fender takes another big step forward on People Watching, which includes a satisfying collection of songs about the human experience.
Sean McConnell Reflects on Growing Older But Not Wiser
Sean McConnell poeticizes and philosophies from everyday personal experiences. What does it mean to be locked in our own skin?
Phillip Golub Experiments with Loops on Mesmerizing LP
Loop 7 is yet another in a series of ambitious experimental projects from Phillip Golub and another stunning home run for Joseph Branciforte.
Sunny War Refutes Complacency and Embraces Defiance
Sunny War’s music and lyrics stand in resistance and vulnerability, evoking a reminder of music’s powerful ability to inspire change.
Vashti Bunyan’s Folk Classic ‘Lookaftering’ Is Still Astonishing
Twenty years later, the Expanded Edition of Vashti Bunyan’s Lookaftering sustains the quiet force of an artist entirely in command of her craft. Nothing else sounds quite like it.