Album Review: Julien Baker Embraces Struggles With Addiction In 'Little Oblivions'
Tennessee songwriter Julien Baker's new album "Little Oblivions" reveals new folds in the musician's road to recovery from addiction.
Music Reviews
Heartbreak, 3 Ways: New Songs Confront The Ache And Fury Of Lost Love
Jazmine Sullivan's "Pick Up Your Feelings"; Matthew Sweet's "At a Loss"; and Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License" prove that people experience heartbreak in as many ways as a heart can be broken.
Madlib Heads Back To The Future On 'Sound Ancestors'
For over two decades, Madlib's work has been defined not by any one style, but by the artist's stylistic breadth and tireless output. On a new album, the polymath compiles his artifacts.
On A New Anthology, Dusty Springfield's Take On Southern Soul Gets Another Look
In 1968, the British singer flew to the U.S. after signing with Atlantic Records. Her acclaimed recordings from this period are collected in Dusty Springfield: The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971.
With 'Some Kind Of Tomorrow' 2 Jazz Musicians Improvise Together Over Zoom
Soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom and bassist Mark Helias play together in a new remotely recorded digital album. These seasoned improvisers line up just right, despite the recording challenges.
Folk Musician Peter Stampfel Pays Homage To 100 Favorite Songs On '20th Century'
A new five-CD set features Stampfel's recording of a favorite song for each year of the last century. The resulting collection is a wonderful survey of popular music — as well as lots of great fun.
Bee Gees Documentary Traces The Gibb Brothers' Pathway To Stardom
Of the three Bee Gees, only Barry Gibb is still alive. His new album is Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook Volume 1. The HBO documentary, The Bee Gees, tells the story of the group's rise.
Joshua Abrams' Chameleonic Quartet Gets Exuberantly Ornery On 'Cloud Script'
Abrams' quartet can groove and play pretty, but they can also do free jazz. Their new album is about being part of something bigger, where each player is stronger for all the ways they interlock.
Remembering The Jazz Legends Who Died In 2020
Dozens of notable jazz musicians died this year, many from COVID-19. Fresh Air critic Kevin Whitehead remembers some of the legends lost, including Bucky Pizzarelli, Ellis Marsalis and Jimmy Heath.
3 New Holiday Songs Tap Into The Cheer — And Despair — Of The Season
The holidays have never felt more ambivalent — a feeling captured by Phoebe Bridgers' "Christmas Song"; The Bird and the Bee's "You and I at Christmas Time"; and Nick Lowe's "Winter Wonderland."