Music Reviews

Sleater-Kinney Releases A Last Album, Ending An Era For the Indie Rock Trio

5:54pm August 20, 2019

by Will Hermes

Sleater-Kinney's longtime drummer is leaving the band — but not before they release one last album together. It marks the end of an era for the indie rock power trio.

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Sleater-Kinney performs on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on June 19, 2019. On July 1, drummer Janet Weiss announced her departure from the band after more than 20 years.

Music & Culture

What It Means To Listen To Sleater-Kinney Now

2:21pm August 14, 2019

by Hanif Abdurraqib

What happens when an artist you count on to be one way suddenly isn't? For writer Hanif Abdurraquib, appreciating the left-turn album The Center Won't Hold has meant letting go of years of nostalgia.

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon replaces the last album's airless, cluttered laptop-orchestra sound with more organic, approachable textures on i,i.

Music & Culture

Bon Iver Balances Prayer And Despair On 'i,i'

5:00am August 13, 2019

by Tom Moon

Justin Vernon shares thoughts on identity and devotion to higher ideals in ways that reflect (and sometimes even celebrate) deep engagement with the outside world.

Music & Culture

'The Balance': Abdullah Ibrahim Is Deeply Rooted Yet Sounds Like No One Else

2:31pm August 06, 2019

by Kevin Whitehead

The latest album from the 84-year-old South African composer and pianist showcases his work as a master composer of melodic mood pieces.

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Cuco's debut album, Para Mí, is out now via Interscope Records.

Music & Culture

Cuco Redefines The Role Of A Teen Idol With 'Para Mí'

5:40pm July 29, 2019

by Miguel Perez

Para Mí, the debut album from self-identified Chicano singer Cuco, masterfully layers his signature dream pop sound with instrumental abilities and Chicano influences.

Music & Culture

Titus Andronicus Explores Its Punk-Rock Side In 'An Obelisk'

2:38pm July 29, 2019

by Ken Tucker

Titus Andronicus, fronted by Patrick Stickles, favors a louder, more aggressive style in its new album. While the music sounds simple and raw, the ideas behind the songs are quite complex.

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Music & Culture

Buddy And Julie Miller Create Their Own Genre On 'Breakdown On 20th Ave. South'

1:25pm July 24, 2019

by Ken Tucker

The married musicians offer their own synthesis of folk, country, rock and the blues on their new album. The music that results is unsettling, with a beauty that's both comforting and soothing.

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Thom Yorke's third solo album ANIMA represents a recalibration of his creative process.

Music & Culture

Thom Yorke Recalibrates And Digs Deeper Into His Dread Of Technology With 'ANIMA'

5:48pm July 19, 2019

by Tom Moon

Thom Yorke has always had a dread of technology. But the Radiohead frontman's latest album, ANIMA, explores that dread with the help of technology.

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The Patrice Rushen compilation Remind Me: The Classic Elektra Recordings 1978-1984 revisits that formative period in Rushen's industry-spanning career.

Music & Culture

Forget Her Nots: Patrice Rushen Compilation Captures Formative Elektra Years

5:24pm July 18, 2019

by Oliver Wang

Patrice Rushen's years singing for Elektra Records in the 1970s and '80s helped define late-era disco and R&B. Now, a collection of her classic R&B and dance tunes is being released.

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Vocalist Nella is featured on this week's exploration of Latin jazz.

Music & Culture

A Tour Of The Best New Latin Jazz

10:31am July 07, 2019

by Felix Contreras

NPR's Lulu Garcia Navarro speaks with Alt.Latino host Felix Contreras about his latest Latin jazz picks, including artists both new and long-loved.

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