Bloc Party Discovered Lightning in a Bottle 20 Years Ago
Bloc Party’s first and best record, championed by Franz Ferdinand, still captivates with its youthful energy, political commentary, and emotional center.
post-punk revival
Franz Ferdinand Frustrate and Dazzle With ‘The Human Fear’
Franz Ferdinand dazzle and frustrate with The Human Fear, their return to the recording studio after a seven-year hiatus. It’s a patchy album with brilliance.
The Dismemberment Plan’s Pre-millennial Tension: ‘Emergency & I’ at 25
Post-punk band the Dismemberment Plan’s Emergency & I is a landmark about loneliness, confusion, and isolation and how to bounce back from them.
A Place to Bury Strangers Don’t Let Up on ‘Synthesizer’
The Loudest Band in the World, A Place to Bury Strangers, draw from seminal, post-punk influences while taking things to new places on Synthesizer.
The Killers’ ‘Hot Fuss’ 20 Years On: A Layered Hit That Still Slays
The Killers’ Hot Fuss is made for the hips and heart, not the brains. Their best tunes are eminently digestible, meant to have you vibrating from the first few bars.
The Libertines’ ‘All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade’ Is a Welcome Return
The Libertines’ All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade is something of mixed bag, but it’s worth persisting with for its moments of beauty and always fun energy.
IDLES Continue to Bring the Joyful Noise on ‘TANGK’
IDLES are an easy band to like. They present a vision for hard rock and punk rock that’s inclusive, empathic, and open-hearted on their latest LP, TANGK.
Omni Wield Post-Punk Precision on ‘Souvenir’
Souvenir finds Omni continuing to carve out a distinct identity (with an exacto knife) and shining among the glut of post-punk revivalist bands.
‘The Gospel of the Hold Steady’ Captures Their Unhinged Magic
Michael Hann’s oral history The Gospel of the Hold Steady traces the band’s image, music, and challenges in a brilliant chronicle of the promise of rock ‘n’ roll.
Robocop Kraus ‘Smile’ and Tap Into 1983 on First LP in 15 Years
On Smile, Robocop Kraus still sound like their mandate is to take the cheap disposable postpunk of the early 1980s and make better versions of it.
10 Deep Tracks from Interpol’s Early Discography
With Interpol’s new LP out this week, revisit these early Interpol tracks you may have missed or skipped over in favor of those oh-so-relevant singles.
Interpol Make Artistic Baby Steps on ‘The Other Side of Make-Believe’
Interpol’s The Other Side of Make-Believe has its share of moments that sound good while they’re playing but just can’t make a lasting impression after they stop.