Sasha Frere-Jones: Portrait of the Critic as a Young Man
Sasha Frere-Jones’ anti-memoir memoir, Earlier, moves around in time without clear logic, keeping things alive and even suspenseful, though somewhat cryptically.
Christopher J. Lee
Christopher J. Lee is a contributing music writer at PopMatters. He spent some of his best years as a college radio DJ during the 1990s. Follow him on Twitter at @joonhai.
Can and Damo Suzuki Shimmer Brightly on ‘Live in Paris 1973’
Part of a recent series of archival releases, Live in Paris 1973 provides an indispensable glimpse of Can and their lead vocalist, Damo Suzuki, at their peak.
Against All Odds, Laetitia Sadier Is Still ‘Rooting for Love’
Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab sees love as a solution for our contemporary ills, whether personal, political, or planetary. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Personal Canons: Peter Coviello on Prince, Pavement, and Parenthood
Blending personal experience with popular culture, Peter Coviello seeks to democratize how criticism is understood and practiced in Is There God after Prince?
‘Walls Have Ears’ Captures Sonic Youth’s Abrasive Adolescence
Drawn from recordings of UK shows in 1985, Walls Have Ears is a wild, unvarnished listen that gets back to the difficult, defiant essence of Sonic Youth.
‘In Ribbons’ Reissue Revisits Experimentation of Pale Saints
Delayed a year due to Covid, the 30th anniversary re-release of In Ribbons by Pale Saints last October is a reminder of how expansive shoegaze can be.
J Mascis Stalls Out on ‘What Do We Do Now’
The venerable J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. drifts on this unimaginative release that takes no risks and leaves little enduring impression.
Future Islands Give Hope with ‘People Who Aren’t There Anymore’
Future Islands’ new LP is that rare album where you might find yourself with the unusual but life-affirming compulsion to dance and quietly sob at the same time.
‘Robed in Rareness’ Elaborates Shabazz Palaces’ Afrofuturism
On Robed in Rareness, Ishmael Butler aka Shabazz Palaces takes yet another step in his forward-thinking, far-sighted project of Afrofuturistic hip-hop.
Superchunk Document Their Late Style on ‘Misfits & Mistakes’
Superchunk’s Misfits & Mistakes is a fascinating glimpse of them trying new things while reaffirming their signature contributions to the indie rock canon.
Just ‘Kids’: Lou Barlow and John Davis of the Folk Implosion Return
John Davis and Lou Barlow revisit the song, album, and soundtrack that helped make the Folk Implosion a seminal trip-hop-indebted indie-rock success story.
‘In Utero (30th Anniversary Super Deluxe)’ Re-Canonizes Nirvana’s Best Album
Nirvana’s In Utero is both an acknowledgment of the deleterious impact of fame and a real-time endeavor to use that fame to beneficial ends.