Zzzahara Combines Thrills and Chills on ‘Spiral Your Way Out’
zzzahara’s new LP is about making the best of a bad situation, of transforming darkness into light. It’s a bittersweet testament to the spirit of Los Angeles.
pop rock
Natalia Lafourcade Is Brilliant at Carnegie Hall
Listeners should love this chance to luxuriate in Natalia Lafourcade’s beloved songs and spend an intimate evening with this gracious spirit.
How Shinedown Went from Drugs and Angst to Inspirational Advocacy
Hard rock band Shinedown are never quiet about their struggles and never will be as they assure fans that being “slightly awkward, kinda weird” is perfectly normal.
Bruce Springsteen Documentary ‘Road Diary’ Takes a Familiar Route
Bruce Springsteen documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band gets you there by taking a familiar yet still enjoyable route.
You Could Have Written Alex Van Halen’s ‘Brothers’
Alex Van Halen’s Brothers is infuriating for fans of Eddie Van Halen because we’ve read all this before. We don’t need this high school term paper of a memoir.
Charlie Kaplan Embraces Melodic, Psychedelic Grooves on ‘Eternal Repeater’
Office Culture’s Charlie Kaplan takes a little from garage rock and folk rock, producing his most satisfying solo release to date. It genuinely mesmerizes.
Lou Reed’s Pre-Fame Quest to Create a National Dance Craze
Lou Reed and John Cale met while touring a novelty act trying to make a hit on a discount record label. A new compilation highlights Reed’s wild pre-fame journey.
Pale Waves Put Forth Another Solid Effort on ‘Smitten’
Pale Waves ride nostalgia like they were old enough to have lived it. Whether their mimicry is incidental or purposeful, Smitten is another enjoyable record.
Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Mirage Tour ’82’ Features the Hits
Culled mostly from previously-released material, this triple-vinyl set catches Fleetwood Mac in the midst of their world-beating commercial phase.
Everything Feels Alright: The Promise Ring’s ‘Very Emergency’
The Promise Ring’s Very Emergency succeeds by subverting expectations but delivering ten nuggets of power pop and a rebuke of the emerging emo tropes.
Beabadoobee Is Timeless on ‘This Is How Tomorrow Moves’
On her third album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, Beatrice Laus, also known as beabadoobee, blends folk and rock to create a timeless fantasy world.
Alex Izenberg Makes a Grand Statement with His Exiles
Alex Izenberg & the Exiles sees the artist take another step in his evolution as a songwriter, and his supporting cast helps him reach that next crest.