Lisa O’Neill Addresses the Personal and Cosmic on ‘All of This Is Chance’
On All of This Is Chance, Irish folk singer Lisa O’Neill turns the attention to herself, with what might be her most personal collection of songs yet.
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Bird Streets’ ‘Lagoon’ Delivers Melancholic Pop Pleasure
The aesthetic sensibility of Bird Street’s Lagoon is the urbane, soundtrack-ready, slightly melancholic popcraft ushered into the world by Club Largo.
No. 2’s First Album in Years ‘First Love’ Takes You for a Spin ’90s Style
No. 2’s First Love pulls right up in front of you and wastes no time, like a friend who comes to pick you up for a night out and leaves the car running.
Jockstrap Stretch Pop Music and the Notation of Genre
Jockstrap’s experimental pop makes their debut I Love You Jennifer a bewildering yet rewarding listen. Jockstrap play with expectations to keep listeners on their toes.
Black Midi Continue Their March Into Madness with Excellent ‘Hellfire’
With their third LP Hellfire, Black Midi continue to put out adventurous and challenging music that keeps listeners on the tips of their toes.
Caleb Nichols’ ‘Ramon’ Gives the Beatles’ Mean Mr. Mustard Respect
Caleb Nichols’ Ramon shows respect for Paul McCartney’s maligned Ram and sympathy for the misunderstood man in the Beatles’ “Mean Mr. Mustard”.
SOAK Explores Their Complicated Past on ‘If I Never Know You Like This Again’
SOAK shows on If I Never Know You Like This Again that using uncomfortable past experiences for personal growth doesn’t have to be a drag. It can be a blast.
Pinegrove Affirm Their Worth on the Verdant ’11:11′
Pinegrove’s 11:11 is the extolled group’s most sober collection of songs—a literate latticing of personal sorrow and environmental collapse.
Parquet Courts Chase a Hypnotic High on ‘Sympathy for Life’
Parquet Courts branch out into dance-rock and Madchester textures inspired by the rave’s communal, ecstatic atmosphere on their latest Sympathy for Life.
Black Midi Avoid the Sophomore Slump on ‘Cavalcade’
Black Midi’s Cavalcade is a great LP, and though not a fully brilliant or complete masterwork, it will leave many others imitating these guys sucking wake.
Dean Blunt Crafts Another Confounding Work of Avant-Indie Weirdness on ‘Black Metal 2’
Slight but rich in tonal complexities, Dean Blunt’s Black Metal 2 is another musical puzzle box from the enigmatic London musician.
Goat Girl’s ‘On All Fours’ Is Amazingly Gorgeous
What we have on Goat Girl's On All Fours are some hazy but deeply unsettling observations, carried along effortlessly on a bed of delirious voices, sailing over music quieter, slicker, and tighter than that on their debut.