Photo Credit: Polydor Records/Universal Music Group When the word “future” appears in not only a record’s title but in that of three – count ‘em three – of the songs contained therein, it’s probably a safe bet that what we’re about to hear will end up being a concept album with a science fiction theme. That is… Read more
Photo Credit: Sariel Elkaim Kyle Harvey – known also as K.i.D, SuperDuperKyle, Kidd Kash, and, most commonly, just Kyle – has made a name for himself through his work with other artists. His breakout hit was the now-Platinum certified “iSpy” with Lil Yachty – his only other Platinum-certified track is “Playinwitme”, featuring Kehlani. On It’s Not… Read more
Photo Credit: Bad Suns Promo via Website The fourth full-length studio album by Woodland, California band Bad Suns Apocalypse Whenever doesn’t actually convey either indifference or the end of the world. On the contrary: most of it is both characteristically fun (if not “fun” with a serious side), and a great deal of care and planning went into making… Read more
Photo Credit: Bryan Lasky One thing that’s impossible to deny, for better or worse, is that John Mellencamp’s voice is not what it once was. On his twenty-fourth studio album, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, the veteran rocker’s singing sound deeper, rougher, and considerably more gravelly (part of this could be just aging, but probably has more… Read more
Photo Credit: Michael Buisha It’s hard for the listener to know after only about a week which tracks will remain in your playlist rotation over time from an 80-minute, 20-track mega album such as this. Similarly, it can be hard for a songwriter to know the difference between a charming throwaway and a stunning little… Read more
Photo Credit: Rosie Foster No other group today makes music quite like Black Country, New Road. Their aptly titled 2021 debut For the First Time is one of the most ambitious debuts ever released; a freewheeling, ferocious record that incorporated klezmer music and jazz fusion alongside post-punk and art-rock. Isaac Wood’s frenzied deliveries and weird poetry soon… Read more
Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz Laurel Hell was never meant to exist. In June 2019, Mitski Miyawaki announced that a September show in Central Park would be her “last show indefinitely.” “Indefinitely”, she assured fans, did not mean forever, but privately, she had already decided she was quitting the music business. However, she later realized, her recording… Read more
Photo Credit: Tyler, The Creator via YouTube Tyler Gregory Okonma, better known as Tyler, the Creator, is leagues ahead of the competition on the trap-influenced West Coast hip-hop scene of today. When he released Flower Boy back in 2017, it was the first sign that something big was in the making – a huge leap away from… Read more
Photo Credit: Mat Hayward/Getty Images Ever since Lana Del Rey had her breakthrough back in 2012 with what some critics described as the “shallow,” “overwrought,” and “depressing” Born to Die, Lana has remained a contemporary pop mystery who rarely appears on TV shows or in interviews. Even though Born to Die would prove some of the most negative… Read more
Photo Credit: Courtesy Republic Records Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s After Hours wasn’t just a success, it was a record-breaking triumph. The album’s second single “Blinding Lights” spent over a year in the Top 10 and was recently declared the biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit of all time. Meanwhile, “Save Your Tears” – buoyed by a remix featuring Ariana Grande… Read more