Music Reviews

Marvin Gaye (and admirers) in London in the mid-1970s.

Music & Culture

How Do You Follow A Masterpiece? Marvin Gaye Tried With 'You're The Man'

5:32pm March 29, 2019

by Oliver Wang

In 1972, Gaye began work on a follow-up to his classic album, What's Going On. He laid down over a new dozen tracks, but the project stalled and most of the songs were not released until now.

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Music & Culture

First Listen: The Drums, 'Brutalism'

3:54pm March 28, 2019

by Vincent Acovino

With Brutalism, The Drums' sound feels bigger than it's ever been — which is ironic, given than the band itself has never been smaller.

Reba McEntire's Stronger Than the Truth is out April 5 on Big Machine Records.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Reba McEntire, 'Stronger Than The Truth'

9:51am March 28, 2019

by Jewly Hight

The country legend's new album returns to some of her commercial roots, telling stories of domestic betrayal in grand yet thoroughly grounded fashion.

Molly Tuttle's When You're Ready comes out April 5 via Compass Records.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Molly Tuttle, 'When You're Ready'

5:00am March 28, 2019

by Jewly Hight

The singer, songwriter and virtuoso guitarist shapes tuneful introspection around her remarkable flatpicking abilities on the guitar.

Music & Culture

Robert Forster Gets Playful — And Intense — On 'Inferno'

2:32pm March 25, 2019

by Ken Tucker

The former co-leader of the Aussie band The Go-Betweens reflects on success and failure on his latest solo album. Critic Ken Tucker says Inferno is proof of Forster's credentials as a pop musician.

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Music & Culture

Carsie Blanton Is Delightfully Surprising On 'Buck Up'

1:37pm March 21, 2019

by Ken Tucker

Blanton makes folk-based music that prizes wordplay and has an antic sense of humor. Rock critic Ken Tucker says the personal is always political on her new album.

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Fennesz's Agora is due out March 29 on Touch.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Fennesz, 'Agora'

1:19pm March 21, 2019

by Grayson Haver Currin

The Austrian electronic-music pioneer uses his laptop to splice, sample and otherwise subvert the sound of his guitar and field recordings, in the process forming crackling electric symphonies.

Mdou Moctar's Ilana (The Creator) comes out March 29 via Sahel Sounds.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Mdou Moctar, 'Ilana (The Creator)'

10:28am March 21, 2019

by Bob Boilen

The Tuareg musician may have just made the most insane psychedelic guitar album of the 21st century.

Quelle Chris' Guns comes out March 29 via Mello Music Group.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Quelle Chris, 'Guns'

5:00am March 21, 2019

by Rodney Carmichael

With both eyes trained on the absurd, the underrated veteran rapper parses ideologies that drive so much animus around the world.

Grupo Fantasma's American Music Vol. VII comes out March 29 via Blue Corn Music.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Grupo Fantasma, 'American Music Vol. VII'

5:00am March 21, 2019

by Felix Contreras

The nine-piece Latin funk band's new album is a perfectly executed bi-cultural statement, made for the millions of people who love mariachi as much as James Brown.