Anna von Hausswolff. (Credit: Philip Svensson) It seemed inevitable that Anna von Hausswolff would make an album inspired by This Mortal Coil, the 4AD collective that covered songs by Gene Clark, Alex Chilton, and more, […]
Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo Team Up and Get Dirty
Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo. (Credit: Bayley Hanes) On the surface, and let’s be honest, underneath the surface too, Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo make unlikely collaborators. The intersection of DIY noise rock and instrumental […]
The Belair Lip Bombs Are Ready to Explode
The Belair Lip Bombs. (Credit: Bridie Fizgerald Pulling back the curtain for a moment, one of the perks of reviewing albums is that when you fall in love with a new album, you have an […]
Brandi Carlile Returns to Herself
Brandi Carlile. (Credit: Collier Schorr) Enviable collaborations with the likes of Elton John and Joni Mitchell have inspired and elevated Brandi Carlile’s musical profile in the last several years. And at this point, the multi-Grammy […]
Video Premiere: Sitting on Saturn’s “Ghouls”
Video Premiere: Sitting on Saturn’s “Ghouls” Just in time for the scariest of holidays, and fresh off the road with 311, Sitting on Saturn are bringing the Halloween vibes home with a bone-chilling, guitar-thrashing video […]
Cowboy Junkies Ride Unplugged… Again
Cowboy Junkies Ride Unplugged… Again Time has not diluted the Cowboy Junkies’ dreamy mix of tempestuous torch songs and soup-for-the-soul soundscapes, but it has given it a naturally more seasoned feel and bittersweet bite that […]
‘Cornucopia Live’ Captures Björk At the Height of Her Live Power
Bjork in New York City, performing a DJ set in 2024. (Credit: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images) The best concert albums bring home the excitement of the live experience. Though the songs might not sound as polished […]
Rafael Toral Is Murdering the Classics
Rafael Toral. (Credit: Vera Marmelo) Rafael Toral’s most recent album, 2024’s Spectral Evolution, consisted of a single 42-minute track, divided into loose, flowing movements, but based on the chord changes of the Gershwin chestnut “I […]
John 5’s Cathartic Instrumentalism
John 5. (All photos by Jen Rosenstein) Instrumental music is not for everyone. Still, lots of creative people enjoy it when they seek a vibe but not a vocal that might distract from thought or […]
Boris’ ‘Pink’ Still Simmers and Boils 20 Years Later
Though Boris has been steadily releasing albums since 1996, there will always be a before and after Pink for the band. Formed in Tokyo in 1992, Boris has released 29 studio albums, 14 EPs, and […]
Tortoise’s Slow, Steady Roll Continues On ‘Touch’
First, we need to note that Tortoise releasing a record with anyone other than Thrill Jockey after a 30-plus-year relationship is a shocker for a group not known for dramatic changes. It’s akin to Autechre […]
Soulwax Rock, Sans Guitars, On ‘All Systems Are Lying’
The intersection of rock and electronic music has been clusterfucked for years, and it takes extraordinary skills to stand out. Belgium’s Soulwax have been in that nexus for decades. The group’s creative core of David […]

