Sunflower Bean’s Headful of Sugar Is More Mundane Than Sweet
Having grown past Twentytwo, NYC indie trio Sunflower Bean’s Headful of Sugar finds them inevitably taking on “late capitalism”. Cue the retro-disco beats.
John Bergstrom
John Bergstrom has been writing various reviews and features for PopMatters since 2004. He has been a music fanatic at least since he and a couple friends put together The Rock Group Dictionary in third grade (although he now admits that giving Pat Benatar the title of "first good female rocker" was probably a mistake). He has done freelance writing for Trouser Pressonline, Milwaukee's Shepherd Express, and the late Milk magazine and website. He currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife and two kids, both of whom are very good dancers.
Bill Evans’ ‘Morning Glory’ and ‘Inner Spirit’ Spotlight His Final Jazz Trios
These now-official Buenos Aires concert recordings from 1973 and 1979 capture the great jazz pianist Bill Evans with each of his final trios.
’80s Synthpop Duo I Start Counting Release Rarities on ‘Re-fused’ and ‘Ejected’
Thirty-five years later, twin albums of demos and outtakes from cheeky British synthpop duo I Start Counting have surfaced, and they’re not without their pleasures.
Alt Rockers Placebo Attempt a Comeback with ‘Never Let Me Go’
Don’t call it a comeback: Placebo’s first new album in a decade, Never Let Me Go, shows their finest years are still behind them.
30 Years Ago the Church Transcended Alternative Rock Limitations with ‘Priest=Aura’
In the 30 years since its release, the Church’s Priest=Aura has gone from a post-“Under the Milky Way” footnote to an acknowledged career pinnacle.
Coldcut Teams with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Suzanne Ciani, Steve Roach and More on ‘@0’
Coldcut’s @0 swaddles the listener in mellow, relaxing swaths of sound. Slow-building, expansive washes of synthesizer pads dominate, swelling and ebbing with each successive track.
‘Dr. Cholmondley Repents’ Collects the Jazz Butcher’s Odds and Sods
Have mercy! This sprawling, four-disc roundup Dr. Cholmondley Repents is a fine entry point to the wonderful world of British indie legends, the Jazz Butcher.
The Jazz Butcher’s Final Album Is ‘The Highest in the Land’
The final, sadly posthumous album from the great Pat Fish (aka the Jazz Butcher) shows the British indie-pop legend was taken much too soon.
Various Artists: Musik Music Musique 2.0 – 1981
This 51-track compendium of 1981-vintage synthpop tries mighty hard but ultimately falls short. Licensing issues likely kept some of 1981’s best from this set.
‘Lindsey Buckingham’ Sounds Like Lindsey Buckingham
On his first solo album in a decade, former Fleetwood Mac maestro Lindsey Buckingham reasserts his considerable talents and charms.
Saint Etienne Return With ‘I’ve Been Trying to Tell You’
The first album in four years from the British pop aesthetes sounds distinctly like Saint Etienne, which is ironic given some of the source material.
The Vaccines Go All Out Pop on ‘Back in Love City’
The Vaccines’ Back in Love City is their most convincing attempt yet at convincing the world they are a pop band that just happen to use guitars.