Cocteau Twins and Harold Budd Visit ‘The Moon and the Melodies’
The collaboration between ethereal pop trio Cocteau Twins and avant-gardist Harold Budd, The Moon and the Melodies, hits vinyl for the first time since 1986.
Music Reviews
Fake Fruit Are Caught Between Catchy Hooks and Sloppy Playing
When Fake Fruit find a strong musical hook on Mucho Mistrust, their songs are a lot of fun. When they don’t, their sloppiness comes to the fore.
Susanna Distills Life with ‘Meditations on Love’
Norway’s Susanna aims to distill the world and bring it down to a set of uncomfortable truths on this album. Love will tear us apart again and again.
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.
Brazil-Rooted Ayom Party with Purpose on ‘Sa.Li.Va.’
Ayom’s Sa.Li.Va. is meant to be heard and felt to move a listener literally and figuratively. Complex in its makings, its joy is straightforward.
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.
Nada Surf Have a Good Time on ‘Moon Mirror’
Moon Mirror finds long-running power poppers Nada Surf relaxed and having fun with the same strong, catchy songs they’ve written for nearly 30 years.
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.
Sunset Rubdown Miss a Critical Piece Upon Their Unexpected Return
Sunset Rubdown return without electric guitars and create some beauty that can be added to Spencer Krug’s substantial catalog as an auteur.
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.
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.