"Honey" by Samia
Samia packs a specific punch in her Sophomore album “Honey”. Released January 27th, produced by Caleb Wright from the band Normal Parents, this intimate record is a macrocosm of emotions told through minute detail. With a more electronic sound than her debut “The Baby”, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter has enriched the devastation of her already poetic despair. This album feels more deliberate than her former work because it is dripping with symbolism and intention; Some songs are stripped down while others are layered to a point of invoking anxiety…
Read More
"Strays" by Margo Price
Moving forward from her shiny, rock-heavy record That’s How Rumors Get Started, Margo Price presents a formidable follow-up, Strays. Though Price has been quite open with psychedelics’ influence on the album’s writing and production, Strays is as grounded as it is ethereal. Along with memorable instrumentation and production, the real star of the record is Price’s impressive songwriting.
Read More
"Midnights" by Taylor Swift
After a two-month-long mysterious promo campaign, one of the most anticipated albums of the year is here: Midnights by Taylor Swift. Midnights is Swift’s 10th studio album and comes following two re-recordings of the albums Fearless and Red. Consisting of 13 songs in the standard edition and 20 songs in the 3am Edition, the album has been described as a “concept album” of 13 sleepless nights.
Read More
"Weather Alive" By Beth Orton
With time, northern English musician Beth Orton has changed. She emerged in the late 90s; her 1996 freshman album Trailer Park and 1999 sophomore album Central Reservation became pillars of the folktronica sound alongside fellow northern English musician David Gray. Twenty years, though, is a long time in music, and Beth Orton has taken the time to refine her style with each project.
Read More
"Goodbye" by The Ghost of Paul Revere
On April 18th, 2022, Maine-based folk band The Ghost of Paul Revere shared a post to their social media platforms beginning with the question, “how does one write an obituary for a Ghost?” The band had been performing for the past eleven years, beginning in small venues in the local Portland area, eventually reaching enough success to take their tours abroad.
Read More
"Melodi" by Kit Sebastian
Kit Martin, based in both London and France, and Merve Erdem, based in London, make up the two halves of Kit Sebastian. The group was formed in 2018, with their debut album Mantra Moderne being released the following year. I had first caught a whiff of Mantra Moderne in 2020, date unknown, for all the inferable reasons.
Read More
"Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You" by Big Thief
The first thing that struck me about Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You was the cover: a white canvas with a drawing at the center. All four of Big Thief’s previous albums have had photograph covers full of life, while this cover is sparse. Ironically, the album is anything but. Released three years after Two Hands, Dragon is a turning point for Big Thief.
Read More
"11:11" by Pinegrove
On January 28, 2022, the American rock band Pinegrove released their fifth studio album, 11:11. To many of their devoted fans, the album was a bit of a letdown. Their single “Alaska '' was released back in November 2021 and it took on a newer feel and style that made many excited for the upcoming album. On the album, with its upbeat, catchy rhythms, it demonstrated the best parts of Pinegrove’s indie rock sound.
Read More
"Lazer Guided Melodies" by Spiritualized
With its eclectic blend of cosmic-sounding ambient noise, psychedelic experimentation, and the familiar drone of 90s shoegaze music, Lazer Guided Melodies gave new meaning to the term “space-rock.” Although the album had to compete with other burgeoning indie acts like Pale Saints and Galaxie 500 for recognition at the time of its release, Lazer Guided Melodies is, and always was, in a league of its own, causing it to resonate with listeners nearly 30 years later.
Read More
