Shonen Knife Endure with ‘Our Best Place’
Japanese pop-punkers Shonen Knife recognize their perceived novelty to outsiders and utilize it to their advantage: cute and zany as a means of empowerment.
pop punk
Who Put the Pop in Gen Z’s Pop Punk?
Although beloved by millions, Gen Z’s pop punk may also be punk’s most hated form, yet its roots are deep in “pure punk” soil.
The Early November Ask What It Means to Turn ‘Twenty’
The Early November’s Twenty is an innovative retrospective album exploring memory, nostalgia, and aging. Ace Enders and drummer Jeff Kummers talk about its creation.
The Promise Ring’s ‘Nothing Feels Good’ Built the Bridge Between Emo and Indie Rock
The Promise Ring’s Nothing Feels Good became one of the first emo records to break through on college radio, paving the way for the next wave of 2000s emo.
All Things Reconsidered/Between the Grooves/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Music/Music Features/Pop Past
The B-52’s and Their Unique First Album (Between the Grooves)
We dance this mess around, get out our lava lamps, and explore why the B-52’s 1979 debut album is one of the best pop records ever made.
20 Years Ago OK Go Debuted With an Underappreciated Power-pop Gem
After 20 years, it’s clear that OK Go’s most complete album is their self-titled debut which combines a penchant for big hooks and a love for big guitars.
Mo Troper Releases Another Album of Scuzzy Power Pop
Mo Troper collects what sounds like scraps from his previous album and forges a charming spread of 1960s-inspired lo-fi bedroom pop on MTV.
So High School: Taking Back Sunday’s ‘Tell All Your Friends’ Is the Quintessential Emo Album
Taking Back Sunday’s Tell All Your Friends shows emo for what it is: a sonic representation of what it really feels like to be an American teenager.
Avril Lavigne’s ‘Let Go’ Is an Angsty Classic 20 Years Later
In 2022, most fans seek from Avril Lavigne what they sought in 2002: a place to air their angst and grievances, no longer teenagers but likely now disillusioned millennials.
Alt Rockers Placebo Attempt a Comeback with ‘Never Let Me Go’
Don’t call it a comeback: Placebo’s first new album in a decade, Never Let Me Go, shows their finest years are still behind them.
Here’s to Never Letting Avril Lavigne Grow Up on ‘Love Sux’
Capitalizing on early 2000s pop-punk nostalgia, Love Sux is an algorithm-appeasing record that feels like the most impersonal Avril Lavigne has ever been.
Fefe Dobson Is Ready to Rock Again
Twelve years since her last album, Canadian pop-rock singer Fefe Dobson talks about her new music and speaks frankly about growing up in a music industry that wasn’t always on her side.