A Comeback Story for the Ages: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Californication at 25
Red Hot Chili Peppers made an LP on their own terms with Californication. They silenced the doubters and launched the second act of their extraordinary career.
rock
Summer 2024 European Music Festivals Light Up Major Cities
Sure, Glastonbury and Rock Werchter dazzle with pastoral grandeur, but if you’re more of a city-dweller, check out the best European music festivals this summer.
The Mysterines’ New LP Is Moodier, Darker, and Slower
The Mysterines’ new record is the aural equivalent of a spooky, creaky old house—at an amusement park. It gets the look and feel right, but it’s artifice.
Frank Zappa’s ‘Whisky a Go Go 1968’ Appears in Deluxe Edition
Released this month in a Super Deluxe Edition, Whisky a Go Go 1968 recovers a legendary “lost” performance by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.
Strolling Down the Beatles’ Penny Lane and Through Strawberry Fields
Jonathan Cott provides a concise overview of two of the Beatles’ greatest songs in his book Let Me Take You Down: Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse Find Fresh Sounds on ‘Early Daze’
Early Daze highlights Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s early connectedness that allowed their art to flourish not only immediately but over the decades, too.
Pretty When She Cries: Lana Del Rey’s ‘Ultraviolence’ at 10
Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence used rock to kickstart a new career direction that culminated in autobiographical work without spoiling the mystery of her persona.
Eels Are (As Always) Unafraid of Life’s Blemishes
On Eels Time!, Mark Oliver Everett offers up his many different temperaments and reminds us why he is cautiously optimistic despite the pervading melancholy.
A Dreamer of Pictures: Neil Young’s ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’ at 55
Alternating brooding rock anthems with ragged country-rock, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere set Neil Young on a musical quest that continues 55 years later.
Khruangbin Are Still Easygoing and Effortlessly Cool
A LA SALA delivers on what Khruangbin are known for: chill, mostly easygoing guitar melodies backed by a deep rhythm section groove.
Phish Loaded Up on Guest Stars for ‘Hoist’ 30 Years Ago
Phish’s Hoist was their fifth LP and they were in the mood to try new things. Consequently, it felt like their version of a big commercial swing.
“I Just Want to Hear Everything”: A Conversation with Paul Weller
Paul Weller, one of the most revered figures in British rock, is releasing his 17th studio LP. He discusses creative collaboration, John Coltrane’s influence, and more.