The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Freedom Tower: No Wave Dance Party 2015 Mom + Pop Music “C’mon fellows, we’ve got pay respect!” Jon Spencer howls on “Funeral,” kicking off the Blues Explosion’s second post-hiatus LP. After 2007, the Jon Spencer [...]
of Montreal Aureate Gloom Polyvinyl Records Another year, another of Montreal release. Another smattering of discord psychedelic-funk-glam-breakbeat tracks that fascinate and confound in equal measure, with catchy melodies, sing-along hooks and [...]
Drake If you’re reading this it’s too late Cash Money Records If there’s an Aziz Ansari equivalent in the rap genre, it might be Drake. But comedian Ansari’s swag lust and posturing comes off as personable and self-aware. Drake, [...]
Alison Moyet Minutes and Seconds – Live Cooking Vinyl Former Yazoo frontwoman Alison Moyet has the voice. Not just “a” voice but “the” voice, the instantly recognizable, iconic voice. Her bluesy, often husky contralto voice sold more than two [...]
Alvvays Alvvays Royal Mountain Records If Alvvays’ (pronounced “Always”) music sounds familiar, that’s because you’ve heard this band in The Smiths, The Beach Boys, Beach House, Magnetic Fields, Best Coast and Camera Obscura. The Toronto-based [...]
The Mary Onnetes Portico: Labrador Records The Mary Onettes have strayed. The Swedish band’s self-titled debut doubled, seamlessly, as ‘80s jangle-pop. If you didn’t know it was new, you might have gone crate digging for some dollar vinyl. Think [...]
Nicole Atkins Slow Phaser Oh’Mercy! Records I have a half-baked theory that music occupies space in the world. The great music, the music that continuously rewards upon repeat listening and informs and deepens this crazy human existence of [...]
Ra Ra Riot Beta Love Barsuk Records Ra Ra Riot’s debut LP, The Rhumb Line (2008), opened with a few bars of cello. Shortly thereafter a plucked violin string, followed by persistent snare. That track, “Ghost Under Rocks,” grabbed our [...]
The Generationals Lucky Numbers EP Self-released digital download The Generationals (the New Orleans-based duo of Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer) dropped the wholly under-buzzed album Actor-Caster early in 2011. It was a sublime collection of [...]
Alt-J (∆) An Awesome Wave Atlantic/Infectious Music While it’s true that no band fails to leave a footprint in any specific genre, what Alt-J has done is come down squarely on the musical equivalent of the Four Corners quadripoint of the [...]
