Rock

The Soft Underground – Morning World Reaction

'Morning World' is an incredibly eclectic mix of grunge ballads and bangers that evokes both nostalgia and hope for a better grunge future. Read More

2.5

Stars

Daughtry – Cage to Rattle Reaction

Daughtry does just enough, thanks in large part to the vocals, to keep Cage to Rattle from being a complete skip, but the margin isn't large. Read More

Ljubinko Zivkovic·

Scott Walker: From Pop Pap or (Pap of Pop) to Beating The Avant-garde at Their Own Game

The number of pop artists that have chosen to go avant-garde is extremely small, but none went so far as Noel Scott Engel, a guy from Ohio better known as Scott Walker. The British daily “Guardian” aptly put it, he is “Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen.” Read More

Stars

Dirty Projectors – Lamp Lit Prose Reaction

Dirty Projectors' latest is a bright, airy listen that may go overboard with some of its sappy love proclamations but still remains an infectious and wildly imaginative listen nonetheless. Read More

2.5

Stars

Dawes – Passwords Reaction

Dawes' album is surprisingly political (at least cultural) as they speak of our great cultural divide, and in lesser terms romantic divides, and tries to find understanding and common ground on which we can come together on. It's admirable, it's just not all that exciting. Read More

3.6

Stars

Ty Segall & White Fence – Joy Reaction

'Joy' is not a 'clean' project that's easy to listen to or follow along with, but, it is a hell of an (albeit chaotic) experience that delivers some great psychedelic rock. Read More

2.8

Stars

Panic! At the Disco – Pray For The Wicked Reaction

Panic! At the Disco's latest is all radio-friendly pop that's good for a listen or two but won't keep me coming back for more or get me excited for anything new from them in the future. Read More

4.5

Stars

Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer Reaction

The fact that Father John Misty can carry such a musically stripped down album with not much more than his vocals and some superb songwriting should say it all. It's a stand out. Read More

Stars

Florence + The Machine – High As Hope Reaction

Florence + The Machine try to strip things back for a more intimate listening experience. So there are more ballads and the production tries to be more subtle, but there's really only so much you can do to hold down a voice as powerful as Welch's. Read More

Stars

Florence + The Machine – “June” Reaction

Florence + The Machine have produced a superb song brimming with brilliant dynamics and depth here and it's a hard thing not to appreciate. Read More

Stars

Mike Shinoda – Post Traumatic Reaction

Post Traumatic is a commendable effort by Mike Shinoda and certainly a cathartic one for him but the actual music is nowhere near as compelling. Read More

3.9

Stars

The Smashing Pumpkins – “Solara” Reaction

All the good stuff that made Smashing Pumpkins great, but not quite the best song they've put out. Read More

Shannon Griffiths·

Opinions

Why is (was) nobody talking about The Matches?

You might have missed out on one of the best pop punk bands of the 2000's... The Matches may have been eclipsed by bigger name bands during the alt-renaissance of the 2000s, but there's no denying that their music is true to its roots 'til the very end. Read More

Kurt Heyde·

Photos

Wolf Alice : Rams Head Live

Wolf Alice’s sound is all about hidden sharp edges. Deep dangerous things lurking just beneath the surface until they come exploding out in an all-out barrage. A stage presence that is driven by their music, they visibly feed off the energy of the crowd creating a feedback loop through the ebb and flow of their set. Another band that recordings just don’t do justice to, especially the subtle power of Ellie’s voice. Check out our full gallery of shots and be sure to catch them on tour. Read More

3.5

Stars

Deerhunter – Double Dream of Spring Reaction

Deerhunter have crafted an ambiguous collection of songs that serves as art as much as it does as music. "Double Dream of Spring" is intentionally ambiguous and avant-garde, and there's some great experimental stuff here but it's definitely not for everyone. Read More

Stars

Ray LaMontagne – Part of the Light Reaction

Many folk records can feel a bit too one note at times, but not this one, Ray LaMontagne gives you everything from slow, country ballads, to the raucous and almost psych and metal-like, and his incredible vocals have no trouble playing to everything. Read More

Stars

Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Reaction

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino can be best described as hallucinogenic lounge music that's left-field, inventive, and smoldering. A highly unexpected direction from an established band that could've easily played things safe, but instead chose to take major risks that paid off in one of their most exhilarating albums to date. Read More

The Birth of Stoner Rock in Palm Desert

Cannabis is as influential to the sub-genre as the desert itself. 'Desert rock,' though used interchangeably with 'stoner rock,' is not necessarily the same thing. Desert rock was a localized phenomenon; stoner rock a psychedelic one. The birthplace of the two, however, is the same. Read More

4.4

Stars

Sleep – The Sciences Reaction

Sleep's latest album is solid stoner fare fit for your next bad trip. It was gnarly, but could be improved with more melodic range. Read More

3.5

Stars

Sting & Shaggy – 44/876 Reaction

At times it can be as hokey as you'd expect, crossing off a checklist of myriad Caribbean and reggae cliches, but damn if it isn't an enjoyable listen nonetheless. I can't remember the last time we've heard Sting having this much fun and their clear natural chemistry together makes for good vibes. Read More

Ljubinko Zivkovic·

Julian Cope – How Can You Cope With All This?

Julian Cope, a guy who once titled an album "Too Freud To Rock and Roll, Too Jung To Die", has a list of things he’s done or is doing, besides playing music, probably as long as anybody’s arm. Whether he's been able to turn himself into a mythological figure may not be certain yet, but he is certainly running close. Oh, and mythology is definitely one of the things he dabbles in, with dabble being an understatement. Read More

Kurt Heyde·

Photos

Sorority Noise : Rock & Roll Hotel

There is power in a band’s genuine relationship with their fans. A tangible connection that is somehow greater than simply... Read More

Ljubinko Zivkovic·