Jamie xx Arrives Fashionably Late with ‘In Waves’
Nearly a decade after his debut, Jamie xx returns with a long-awaited sophomore LP that stylishly swells and retreats with danceable beats and moody romanticism.
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.
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.
Bad Brains Reissue the Timeless ‘I Against I’
Canonical DC hardcore act Bad Brains remain as vital as ever. Almost 40 years after I Against I’s initial release, it’s remarkable how timeless it sounds.
Guided by Voices Reign on ‘Strut of Kings’
Going on 40-plus years, Guided by Voices return with a tight and upbeat album full of pomp and swagger that ranks as a late-career best.
Colin Newman and Malka Spigel on Nanocluster, Collaboration, and Musical Independence
Colin Newman and Malka Spigel discuss their collaborative project Nanocluster and the importance of collaboration to maintain artistic independence.
The Folk Implosion Begin Again with ‘Walk Thru Me’
After a quarter century, Lou Barlow and John Davis of the Folk Implosion return with an album that testifies to their enduring friendship.
MONO Recommit with Life-Affirming ‘Oath’
MONO return with a post-rock album about faith and commitment, which serves as a fitting epitaph for their long-term artistic collaboration with Steve Albini.
DIIV Go Deep on ‘Frog in Boiling Water’
DIIV’s Frog in Boiling Water aspires to be a statement album, reflecting our zeitgeist of right-wing extremism, global conflict, and environmental collapse.
‘Ghosted II’ Continues Enigmatic Project Led by Oren Ambarchi
Ghosted II is the intensely cerebral successor to 2022’s Ghosted, with Oren Ambarchi’s ensemble plumbing the depths of post-rock and avant-jazz.
Six Organs of Admittance Traverses Life’s Purgatory on ‘Time Is Glass’
Six Organs of Admittance’s Time Is Glass is ultimately about estrangement in this world with songs that inhabit the space between immanence and transcendence.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s ‘Fu##in’ Up’ is Fu##in’ Great
A track-by-track homage to their classic album Ragged Glory, Fu##in’ Up highlights Neil Young and Crazy Horse at their best – loose, loud, and long-lasting.
Shabazz Palaces Resist Profiling on Elusive ‘Exotic Birds of Prey’
Following Robed in Rareness from last fall, Shabazz Palaces continues a provisional series with the cryptic and digressive Exotic Birds of Prey.