Porcupine Tree Return with a Question Mark on ‘Closure/Continuation’
Closure/Continuation captures and rejuvenates the cerebral and melancholic mood that’s Porcupine Tree’s signature, but uncertainty hangs over the proceedings.
Brice Ezell
Brice Ezell has written for PopMatters since 2011. His cultural criticism has also appeared in Consequence of Sound, Glide Magazine, and Sea of Tranquility. He earned his PhD in English at the University of Texas, where he specialized in modern and contemporary drama and theater.
The ‘Limitless’ Sondre Lerche
Norwegian songwriter Sondre Lerche calls Avatars of Love “a really fluid manifestation of song that I’ve hoped for my entire life, and maybe not even dared to dream that I could have.”
Judge – or Let the Market Be the Judge
Michael W. Clune argues that a popular mantra about art – everyone’s judgment is equal – impedes our ability to imagine a world outside of the capitalist marketplace.
Rhiannon Giddens Remains Timeless and Contemporary on ‘They’re Calling Me Home’
Rhiannon Giddens, joined by collaborator Francesco Turrisi, has put together a set of new and traditional songs exemplifying her rootedness in music history.
Ben Howard Becomes More Abstract on ‘Collections from the Whiteout’
Ben Howard’s Collections from the Whiteout, produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner, presents a refracted take on the singer-songwriter album.
The 10 Best Progressive Rock Albums of 2011
In 2011, there were only a few high-quality progressive rock albums, but those that stood out are some of the best the genre had seen in a while.
Steph Richards’ ‘Supersense’ Is Music So Wild You Can Smell It
With her experimental jazz album Supersense, trumpeter Steph Richards may have created the first-ever album that you can smell.
With ‘On My Own’, Lera Lynn Proves that Solo Doesn’t Mean Small
With her sixth studio album, On My Own, Lera Lynn does it all: songwriting, production, and instrumentation.
Balthazar Throw a Swanky Lounge Party on ‘Sand’
With a turn toward loungey, jazz-inflected pop, Belgian rockers Balthazar hit a new career-high on Sand.
Between the Grooves/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Music/Music Features/Pop Past/SAVE/ IGNORE: popular
Between the Grooves of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Houses of the Holy’ (1973)
Between the Grooves celebrates Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy by examining how the band were at their best on the underrated post-Zoso masterwork.
Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek on Growing Up Through Music
PopMatters talks with Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek about the beloved acoustic trio's vinyl reissues of their first three major studio albums.
Matt Berninger Takes the Mic Solo on ‘Serpentine Prison’
Serpentine Prison gives the National's baritone crooner Matt Berninger a chance to shine in the spotlight, even if it doesn't push him into totally new territory.