To Be, and Not to Be: A Review of Michelles’ “The Empty Promises of Rock and Roll”
Throughout this wonderfully inventive and endlessly droll album, Michael Daly tacks between despair and delight, profundity and play.
Singing of War: Joe Goodkin Advances the Bardic Tradition
Goodkin follows a long tradition of retelling “The Iliad” to reflect the present moment. For example, he presents more women’s voices than men’s.
Music Top 5: April 2022
April highlights
Full Adhesion: A Review of Cosmic Bull’s “27×2”
Vickery’s songwriting is laced with imagery and wit, but it’s his voice that makes the strongest impression. He’s so fully a baritone that even his high notes reverberate in your tailbone.
From Agony to Ecstasy: A Review of Hollyy’s “If You’re Ever Lost”
Pop music doesn’t have a trademark on ecstasy; and as the retro-soul band Hollyy demonstrates, we shouldn’t shortchange its value at times like these.
XTC Redux: An Iconic Pop Band Finds Yet One More Incarnation
XTC was a pop band that harnessed frenetic punk energies and rode the punk wave into new wave and beyond.
Music Top 5: March 2022
The essential shows to see around town this month.
Our Gang: A Preview of Gang of Four at Bottom Lounge
Gang of Four’s DIY ethic helped developed a sound that, according to Jon King, eschewed the speeded-up Black Sabbath vibe of the Sex Pistols.
The Worth of a Song: A Review of Cloakroom’s “Dissolution Wave”
The tension between the album’s bursts of precision musicianship and the appealing shagginess of the enterprise keep you rooted in the moment.
The Doorway to Everywhere: An Alternate View of Music Streaming
Time—and tech—move in only one direction: forward. Let’s stop harping on streaming’s weaknesses and start using its strengths.
