Music Features

‘The Beach Boys’ Documentary Brings the Sun and Surf to the New Kids

‘The Beach Boys’ Documentary Brings the Sun and Surf to the New Kids

The Beach Boys documentary appeals to Gen Z and Gen Alpha via Disney Plus with a breezy, linear, appreciation of the band’s sunny legacy.

The Complicated Life of Moby Grape’s Skip Spence

The Complicated Life of Moby Grape’s Skip Spence

This bio about Moby Grape’s Skip Spence dissects and casts a glowing light on his work as a composer of some of the most influential music of San Francisco’s psychedelic scene.

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of August 2024

MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of August 2024

In August’s best metal, Mamaleek defy categorization, Teeth evolve their dissonant death metal, and Vomitrot bounce between death/doom and black metal.

Frank Zappa’s Serious Transformation: ‘The Perfect Stranger’ at 40

Frank Zappa’s Serious Transformation: ‘The Perfect Stranger’ at 40

A prolific conductor and a sophisticated synthesizer make for an under-appreciated but vastly important album in Frank Zappa’s prodigious catalog.

Five Excellent Recent Books Blending Music and Personal Narrative

Five Excellent Recent Books Blending Music and Personal Narrative

Music writing often combines the personal, political, and historical in new and inventive ways revealing the interconnectedness of these categories.

Oasis’ ‘Definitely Maybe’ Still Sounds Fresh After 30 Years

Oasis’ ‘Definitely Maybe’ Still Sounds Fresh After 30 Years

Definitely Maybe is the definitive statement in the Oasis catalog, an album of its time but also transformative in what was yet to come.

Osheaga Festival 2024: Extremely Hot to Go!

Osheaga Festival 2024: Extremely Hot to Go!

After almost four years of darkness, violence, cultural malaise, and fascism’s threat, today’s young generation fight back with sincere joy at Osheaga.

Jawbox Discuss ‘For Your Own Special Sweetheart’ at 30

Jawbox Discuss ‘For Your Own Special Sweetheart’ at 30

Jawbox’s major label debut is their most beloved album, a perfect marriage of songwriting and production that sounds as thrilling today as it did 30 years ago.

The 10 Best Oasis Songs (Post-‘Be Here Now’)

The 10 Best Oasis Songs (Post-‘Be Here Now’)

To pay tribute to Oasis, these are the 10 best songs release post-Be Here Now. This list excludes B-sides and focuses exclusively on their album cuts.

How Dion DiMucci Influenced Bruce Springsteen

How Dion DiMucci Influenced Bruce Springsteen

Fifteen years before a 20-something Bruce Springsteen sweated out his original sin in clubs along the Jersey Shore, there was the rock and roller Dion.

Mr. Bungle’s ‘California’ Still Feels Fresh 25 Years Later

Mr. Bungle’s ‘California’ Still Feels Fresh 25 Years Later

Despite not being strictly metal, Mr. Bungle’s unhinged musical adventurousness showed heavy metal could get weird and silly without losing the heaviness.

The Beat Goes on for Jimi’s Woodstock Pal Juma Sultan

The Beat Goes on for Jimi’s Woodstock Pal Juma Sultan

Jimi Hendrix’s Woodstock percussionist, Juma Sultan, discusses his life with Hendrix, his experience in the New York free jazz scene, and current music.