SEAROWS SAILS THE OCEANS TO FIND HIMSELF
“Death in the Business of Whaling,” the second album from Searows, is a work of emotional, lyrical and musical depth that deploys seafaring imagery to trawl for broader truths. Portland, Oregon’s A...
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THE ANTLERS MOURN A DYING PLANET ON ‘BLIGHT’
More than 15 years since The Antlers followed the journey of a hospital worker and a dying patient on "Hospice," Peter Silberman has mined an equally grim vein for the band's seventh record, "Blight":...
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ARCADE FIRE GOES SMALL WITH BIG RESULTS ON ‘PINK ELEPHANT’
It had been since 2013’s “Reflektor” that Arcade Fire recorded an album with no skippable tracks -- “Everything Now” was mostly forgettable, and “We,” from 2022, came close but was done in by some plo...
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DR DOG’S REFOCUSED REBOOT WAS WORTH THE WAIT
When an artist self-titles an album deep into its career, it can be a signal of a comeback or a new direction, a blunt notice that no matter what has come before, this piece of work is representative ...
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KERRY KING’S FIRST SOLO ALBUM SHOWS THERE IS LIFE AFTER SLAYER
With the mixed signals of a farewell tour in 2018-19 and reunion shows later this year, Slayer fans aren't sure what's on the horizon for the heavy metal juggernauts. Against that backdrop, guitarist ...
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BABEHOVEN EXPLORES THE WONDERS OF NATURE ON SECOND FULL-LENGTH ALBUM
On its second full-length album, Babehoven have created a musical and lyrical landscape replete with vivid imagery inspired by the natural world. Throughout "Water's Here in You," the words could stan...
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MICHAEL LELLO’S FAVORITE CONCERTS OF THE YEAR
1. Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers with John Scofield, Kenny Garrett and Christian McBride, Town Hall, New York, June 3 2. Bob Dylan, The Fillmore, Philadelphia, Nov. 19 3. Peter Gabriel, Wells Fa...
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MICHAEL LELLO’S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Paramore– “This Is Why” 2. Peter Gabriel – “i/o” 3. Baroness – “Stone” 4. Lana del Rey – “Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” 5. Yo La Tengo - "This Stupid World" 6. Trevor Ra...
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WILCO GOES STRAIGHT TO THE HEART ON ‘CRUEL COUNTRY’
On “Cruel Country,” the sprawling 12th album by Wilco, the band sweeps aside Nels Cline’s dizzying electric guitar forays and Glenn Kotche's progressive drumming, stripping away the protective layers ...
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JAMES BARRETT TAKES LISTENERS ON LYRICALLY DEEP AND MUSICALLY RICH JOURNEY WITH SECOND ALBUM
On his second album, Northeastern Pennsylvania artist James Barrett is vulnerable and brutally honest with himself about life's disappointments. It's a lyrically rich and nuanced effort, particularly ...
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