The Pretenders’ ‘Hate for Sale’ Maintains a Formidability That Rejects Compromise
On Hate for Sale, the Pretenders maintain an unapologetic devotion to the sound which defined their success.
Elisabeth Woronzoff
Elisabeth earned her doctorate in American Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green Ohio. Her research identified eighteenth century women who used music as a trade. She wrote her master thesis on the Smiths and Morrissey and published a chapter in the book "Morrissey: Fandom, Representations and Identities." Her areas of interest include gender, music, history, and popular culture. You can find her on Twitter @cupcakeharborer
The Band’s Discontented Third LP, 1970’s ‘Stage Fright’, Represented a World Braving Calamity
Released 50 years ago this month, the Band's Stage Fright remains a marker of cultural unrest not yet remedied.
Alanis Morissette’s ‘Such Pretty Forks in the Road’ Is a Quest for Validation
Alanis Morissette's Such Pretty Forks in the Road is an exposition of dolorous truths, revelatory in its unmasking of imperfection.
Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King’ Builds Identity From Afrofuturism
Beyoncé's Black Is King's reliance on Afrofuturism recuperates the film from Disney's clutches while reclaiming Black excellence.
Halle Butler’s ‘Jillian’ Is a Frank Account of Discontent
Evoking both sarcasm and empathy, Butler paints Jillian and Megan as harbingers of a relatable alienation.
The Chicks Boldly Reclaim Their Relevance on ‘Gaslighter’
Gaslighter is bold and incendiary, finding the Chicks reclaiming their relevance. Thankfully, the Chicks reject silencing as Gaslighter reestablishes their penchant for vocalizing raw truths.
Haux Compellingly Explores Pain via ‘Violence in a Quiet Mind’
By returning to defined moments of pain and struggle, Haux cultivates breathtaking music built on quiet, albeit intense, anguish.
Country Westerns Bask in an Unparalleled Sound and Energy on Their Debut
Country Westerns are intent on rejecting assumptions about a band from Nashville while basking in an unparalleled sound and energy.
‘High Cotton’ Is Culturally Astute and Progressive
Kristie Robin Johnson's collection of essays in High Cotton dismantle linear thinking with shrewdness and empathy.
‘Hex’ Drinks Deeply from the Poisoned Chalice
Whereas Rebecca Dinerstein Knight's novel demonstrates moments of emotional intensity and humor, Hex's proclivity towards toxicity is overburdening.
‘Conjure Women’ Brings Forth Racism and Reproductive Rights
It is Afia Atakora's reiteration of the current calls for racial justice that positions Conjure Women as an unadulterated masterpiece.
Larkin Poe Shove Cock-Rock Out of the Way with ‘Self Made Man’
Larkin Poe pack Self Made Man with unadulterated power. The multi-instrumentalist sisters strut their musicality while firmly rooting their sound in Southern rock 'n roll.