'Reunions' Is Yet Another Winner From Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell both subverts and embraces country and rock tropes on Reunions, his new album with the 400 Unit.
Upstate's "Everything Changes" Is Unexpectedly in Tune With the Times (premiere)
You can't plan for songs to sync with world events but when they do, the results can be remarkable, as on Upstate's "Everything Changes".
Ferdinand the Bull and the Accidentals Team for "Who's Got My Good Times?" (premiere)
Indie folk powerhouses Ferdinand the Bull and the Accidentals' Sav Buist and Katie Larson team up for a song about self-dedication and self-worth, "Who's Got My Good Times?"
All Things Blue Say Goodbye to "Chad" (premiere)
Los Angeles dream poppers All Things Blue get off emotional see-saw and into full action with their new single, "Chad".
Orions Belte Travels '600m Per Minute' (EP stream) (premiere)
Norway's Orions Belte deliver a wide-ranging but cohesive collection of instrumentals on 600m Per Minute. "You pick up inspirations from words you read, cities you go to, a painting hanging in a corner at an exhibition," says guitarist Øyvind Blomstrøm.
'Pacific Breeze 2' Is Another Refreshing Dive into the Waters of City Pop
Reissue label Light in the Attic follows up last year's Japanese musical excursion with another collection, Pacific Breeze 2, that's sure to please lovers of international retro-pop.
The 10 Best Americana Albums of 2007
If 2007 didn't invite any gripping controversies, it was certainly filled with competitive comparisons -- between young and old, past and present, and among splintered factions -- and both surprising hits and disappointing misses. All in all, a dynamic and at times resurgent year for the broad scope of Americana.
Tidiane Thiam's Spare and Beautiful 'Siftorde' Never Wastes a Sound
Guitarist Tidiane Thiam plays Senegalese folk over river ambiance on his nimble debut, Siftorde.
Yes, Melkbelly's 'PITH' Is Pithy and Expressive
Melkbelly's PITH wondrously pivots between noise-rock abandon and the warmness of lo-fi pop.
Nicki Minaj Is the Greatest Rapper of the Decade Bar None
2020 and it's finally time to acknowledge Nicki Minaj's right to G.O.A.T. status, as the best female rapper AND the best rapper of the past ten years — no gender preposition required.
Nat King Cole Says to 'Straighten Up and Fly Right'
Straighten Up and Fly Right reveals Nat King Cole's talents as a pianist and bandleader.
Scott McCaughey Is Scott the Hoople with Sad Boxes and Singing Chickens
Recorded last month in his basement, Scott the Hoople's (a.k.a. Scott McCaughey's) Sad Box & Other Hits is a low-key collection of quality pop quaran-tunes.
Joy Oladokun's "bad blood" Is Mesmerizing, Meditative, Healing Pop (premiere)
Joy Oladokun uses various roots music influences on her serene and memorable new tune, "bad blood", a song that she describes as "an apology".
Luke De-Sciscio's "Human Heart" Shows the Power of an Apology (premiere)
English folkie Luke De-Sciscio's "Human Heart" is met by a moving video featuring a multitude of fans expressing heartfelt apologies on handwritten signs.
The Best 10 Electronic Albums of 2005
Journey back 15 years ago, as 2005's best electronic albums are so emotionally involved and organically expressive that it's easy to forget they were created with advanced technology.
Counterbalance No. 15: Van Morrison - 'Astral Weeks'
Van Morrison ventured in the slipstream between the viaducts of your dreams with his 1968 LP Astral Weeks and made it to Number 15 on the List. Klinger and Mendelsohn recount the journey in this latest installment of Counterbalance.
The Ruthie Foster Big Band Swings the Best Live Record of the Year So Far
Featuring several originals paired with timeless covers, Live at the Paramount finds the Ruthie Foster Big Band bringing the house down.
Adeline Hotel's 'Solid Love' Is a Bracing Experience That Beams with Soothing Energy
Dan Knishkowy returns with Adeline Hotel and Solid Love, a new album full of folk-leaning songs that are both gentle and arresting.
Jazz Vocalist Luciana Souza Beguiles on 'Storytellers'
In arranger Vince Mendoza and the WDR Big Band, singer Luciana Souza has partners who understand that it's important she beguile rather than batter.
Arab-American Songwriter Naima Shalhoub Sings of "Two (Rivers in the Desert)" (premiere)
Naima Shalhoub finds healing waters in her new video for the single "Two (Rivers in the Desert)".
Kill Audrey's "Hometeam" Is a Brutal Working-Class Flex (premiere)
Chicago-based Kill Audrey make hazy, chaotic hip-hop/party music for people who buy tall boys with their rent money. Watch the video for their new single, "Hometeam".
"Weird Music Is Still Good": Erik Hall on Isolation and Pulling Off an Impossible Steve Reich-ian Feat
Finding himself at a loose end, Erik Hall doesn't indulge in Netflix marathons or spends time sorting out his closet, instead he recreates Steve Reich's seminal masterpiece Music for 18 Musicians in his basement. And then he tells PopMatters about it.
The Best Jazz Albums of 2010
Jazz was working all the angles in 2010. Is there any other genre that has as much range -- from solo instruments to big bands, from instrumental to vocal, from European musicians to both North and South Americans, from truly pretty music to raucously avant-garde "noise"?
Sparks Still Ignite with 'A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip'
After nearly 50 years and two dozen albums, Sparks continue their reign of resonantly quirky art pop-rock delights on A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip.
Jaime Wyatt Delivers a Glimpse of Recovery and Redemption With "Desert Rose" (premiere)
Jaime Wyatt's Neon Across arrives on 29 May with production from Shooter Jennings and guest appearances by Jessi Colter and the late Neal Casal. Today, we present Wyatt and her mother in "Desert Rose", along with a Q&A; about her new music.
Markus Floats Creates a Warm Space That Never Dallies in One Place for Long
Third Album reflects experimental electronic artist Markus Floats' belief that music isn't just something one does. It's a life one leads, so each release is an excerpted component of an ongoing and all-encompassing journey.
Erik Hall Is One Musician Taking on Steve Reich's 'Music for 18 Musicians'
Erik Hall painstakingly and effectively recreates Steve Reich's minimalist classic, Music for 18 Musicians, with three instruments in his Michigan home studio.
On 'Last Flight Out' Steve Dawson and Funeral Bonsai Wedding Create Sublime, Eerie Beauty
Orchestral-indie torch-song chamber-folk? Time to break out your music genre thesaurus for this gorgeous, impeccably crafted gem from Steve Dawson & Funeral Bonsai Wedding.
Jazz's AJOYO Find Strength in Collaboration on "Better Love" (premiere)
Brooklyn-based jazz ensemble AJOYO's "Better Love" is a resonant example of how the collective comes together to spread positivity.
Lillian Frances' "Raincheck Summer" Is an Alt-Pop Quarantine Anthem (premiere)
Alternative pop's Lillian Frances crafts a delectably nostalgic summertime soundscape with her latest single, "Raincheck Summer".
The Beatles 'Let It Be': So Good They Ruined It for Everyone
The Lumineers' Wesley Schultz recalls the Beatles' influence on his band, perhaps most of all the Let It Be album, released 50 years ago this month and the subject of a forthcoming documentary.
Distant Cousins and Lindsey Ray Get Through the Thick of It in "Here and Now" (premiere)
Collaborating with Nashville's Lindsey Ray, Distant Cousins' folksy "Here and Now" is a timely tribute to the present and getting through tough times together.
Bridget Kearney and Benjamin Lazar Davis Journey to Ghana for 'Still Flying' (album stream)
Lake Street Dive and Okkervil River members Bridget Kearney and Benjamin Lazar Davis travel to Ghana to create the exhilarating new album, Still Flying. The pair talk about their musical partnership and phenomenal new music.
Natalia Lafourcade Stages a Stirring Benefit to Rescue Mexico's Musical Heritage
Un Canto Por Mexico is a true labor of love. Natalia Lafourcade led with her heart and was elegantly guided by her refined musical intelligence.
First Installment in El Ten Eleven Trilogy Good But Too Clinical
Tautology I's six songs lack the musical sorcery of post-rockers usually mentioned in the same breath as El Ten Eleven.
Sylvain Chauveau's 'Life Without Machines' Is an Indictment of How External Forces Falsely Shape Humanity
Whereas so many contemporary albums are created to harness flash and consumption, Life Without Machines allays bedazzlement. Sylvain Chauveau advocates for unplugging and disconnecting, and only then will we truly live.
© 1999-2020 PopMatters.com. All rights reserved.
PopMatters is wholly independent, women-owned and operated.


