Max Jaffe Takes Experimentalism to Another Level
Percussionist Max Jaffe chronicles his years in New York City with the twitchy, unsettling, experimental jazz of Reduction of Man.
PopMatters Picks
Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2014
The 10 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2014
Jump back a decade to revisit the best indie rock of 2014, where newer acts did more than just fill the vacuum left by the usual suspects.
No More Apocalypse Father Plead We Are Winter’s Blue and Radiant Children
On their first missive, We Are Winter’s Blue and Radiant Children create beauty amid the contemporary horror of a vicarious, voyeuristic existence.
Masayoshi Fujita Embraces Melodic Calm on ‘Migratory’
Japanese multi-instrumentalist and composer Masayoshi Fujita weaves mallet percussion and synths together for an arresting experience on Migratory.
Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2014
The 20 Best New Musical Artists of 2014
Travel back ten years ago to 2014 and discover the best new musical artists that lit up the year, and hear their latest music to see how they’ve evolved.
Nala Sinephro Composes Cosmic Jazz on ‘Endlessness’
Nala Sinephro’s Endlessness is music that is good for the ear, the mind, the heart, and the very future of the philosophical orientations of jazz.
One Pioneer to Another: Laurie Anderson Meets ‘Amelia’
Trailblazing avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson tells the story of Amelia Earhart in a wonderful, engaging musical documentary.
Venice Film Festival in Focus: ‘Queer’, ‘Joker: Folie a Deux’, ‘2073’
In the vein of socially relevant topics at Venice Film Festival 2024, Queer, Joker: Folie a Deux, and 2073 got the island of Lido talking for different reasons.
Lollise Makes a Splash With Brilliant Debut ‘I Hit the Water’
Lollise’s I Hit the Water is brilliant, swirling, and compelling with its blend of Afrobeat, soul, and electronics. It’s a debut deserving all your attention.
El Khat Refuse to Stay Silent on Captivating ‘Mute’
El Khat’s music is unlike anyone else’s. It is a sparkling array of DIY tools that work toward vital social messages and spreading Yemeni Jewish tradition.
Los Bitchos’ ‘Talkie Talkie’ Is a Genre-Defying Celebration
Los Bitchos’ Talkie Talkie builds an immersive experience with a larger narrative. They challenge the conventions of rock through sound and representation.
The Journey Motif in ‘The Half-Life of Guilt’ Is No Guilt Trip
There is no guilty pleasure in reading Lynn Stegner’s The Half-Life of Guilt. There is only pleasure.