Hüsker Dü’s ‘New Day Rising’ Still Sparkles at 40
Hüsker Dü’s New Day Rising provided equal parts muscular intensity and melody as the band laid the groundwork for the future of alternative music.
Music
Features, reviews, interviews, and lists about music, covering the latest as well historical topics.
The Weather Station Discover Our ‘Humanhood’ in Shared Descent
Humanhood finds the Weather Station going deep to find whatever heaven may exist on the surface above. There is an identifiable signature to the music.
Saint Etienne Delve Into Ambient on the Bold ‘The Night’
Saint Etienne follow their creative intuition. The ambient music of The Night is a fascinating turn in their ever-adventurous discography.
Music/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2024
The 30 Best Polish Albums of 2024
The best Polish albums featured intriguing new projects, greater stylistic diversity, along with superb post-punk and diffusion jazz.
5 Great Books That Reinvent Music Criticism
This is by no means a comprehensive survey of contemporary music criticism, but these five books all point a way forward for the field.
John Cale’s Orch-Pop Masterwork ‘Paris 1919’ Is Brilliant
With his 1973 album Paris 1919, John Cale created one of his most serene and accessible works, a contrast to the frenetic style of the Velvet Underground.
‘Rome’ Captures the National’s Amazing Live Show
Rome proves to be a strikingly good example of a great National show, even if nothing quite compares to the real thing.
Sunn O))) Bring Thunderous Drone Metal to Lincoln Center
Sunn O))) brought their thundering drone metal to Lincoln Center as part of Unsound New York, resulting in a performance both constrained and elevating.
Alice Ivy’s New Music Is Gorgeous with Organic Sounds
In trading sample-packs for organic instruments and whistles, Australia’s Alice Ivy returns after four years with an album that moves out of the clubs and into real stardom.
Field Medic’s Quest For Inner Peace Is Astonishing
Boundless & True captures Field Medic’s Kevin Patrick Sullivan almost entirely by himself, delivering masterfully fingerpicked and beautifully written songs.
Dave Mackay Dives Into Electronics on ‘The Looking Chamber’
In a reaction to the pandemic, British jazz pianist Dave Mackay explores synthesizers on his adventurous new release, ‘The Looking Chamber’.
Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2024
The 80 Best Albums of 2024
The best albums of 2024 challenged orthodoxies, blended and created new genres, and spanned a vast range of musical styles and traditions, while looking forward.