Flyte’s ‘This Is Really Going to Hurt’ Sports Two Distinct Styles
Flyte’s This Is Really Going to Hurt begins as gentle indie-pop but swerves hard into ’60s pop pastiche about halfway through.
pop rock
Alt-Pop’s Steff and the Articles Release Their “Inhibition” (premiere)
Steff and the Articles’ “Inhibition” navigates infectious alt-pop melodies and warm, jazz-inflected undertones.
Sharleen Spiteri Takes the ‘Hi’ Road in Guiding Texas Back to Future
While taking more chances with a new album and relishing a career of bright, shining moments, fiery frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri still wonders why her Scottish band named Texas didn’t get more love from America.
A Fascinating Cross: Elton John’s ‘The Fox’ at 40
Forty years after its release, it’s time for The Fox to be recognized as a minor classic in Elton John’s discography. It’s nothing less than a lost gem.
The Perennially Brilliant Paul Weller Drops Some ‘Fat Pop’
An airborne virus and the passing of time can slow down and even stop some people. Not Paul Weller. Fat Pop is full of highlights.
Gruff Rhys Returns with More Symphonic Delights on ‘Seeking New Gods’
Gruff Rhys’ Seeking New Gods is another wonderfully adventurous, multifaceted, stirring, and all-around eternal collection from this psychedelic pop artist.
Meanwhile and Far Away: The Moody Blues’ ‘Long Distance Voyager’ at 40
The Moody Blues’ Long Distance Voyager revitalized their career, created a new generation of fans, and become an integral part of an early ’80s moment in pop-friendly prog rock.
How Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License” Drove Her Into Pop’s Stratosphere
Olivia Rodrigo’s breakout single, “Driver’s License”, set her up for a career in pop’s stratosphere. But, will she ever reach the singer-songwriter heights of Taylor Swift?
Alarmed By the Seduction: Squeeze’s ‘East Side Story’ at 40
For East Side Story, British popsters Squeeze hired a brilliant producer and made an album that’s both eclectic and remarkably consistent 40 years later.
Field Music: Making Pasta Sauce As a Metaphor for Recording an Album
Field Music’s last album Making a New World concerned subjects like the Dada movement, social housing reforms, and sanitary napkins. Flat White Moon‘s subject matter is a little closer to home.
Imelda May Sings of Love and Social Justice on ’11 Past the Hour ‘
Imelda May’s 11 Past the Hour seems a deliberate attempt to widen her audience in the US. The music is much more conventional than her earlier records.
Canadian Pop-Punkers PONY Wrap ’90s Sounds Into Their Debut ‘TV Baby’
Canadian pop-punkers PONY release a debut, TV Baby, that hits close to home for millennials, and anyone who is a fan of 1990s alt-rock, pop-punk bands.