Album Reviews
Montreal’s Majical Cloudz balance intense emotions and synth-pop hooks.
Queens of the Stone Age still rock sufficiently hard, even if the sequencing of …Like Clockwork seems a bit off.
UK singer-songwriter Laura Marling offers an ambitious and complex song cycle that’s also her best album yet.
New Jersey mathcore group continues to find new melodies and hooks between their lightning riffs.
On her seventh album, the UK singer-songwriter maintains her hushed, yet visceral intensity.
Fred Thomas goes for an even bigger sound this time around, which sometimes crowds out the melodies.
Barn Owl move further into fog-surrounded landscapes and mysterious darkness on their latest set.
North Carolina’s ASG pulls from punk and Southern rock to yield a unique, heavy blend on their Relapse debut.
Following a dark personal period, Kylesa catalyzes torment into a kaleidoscopic metal trip.
Austin’s Brazos move upward into a more fully fleshed-out indie pop sound on their second album.
Chris Flemmons & Co. return after a 10 year absence with a lovely tribute to an organ.
MS MR get the sound right on their hooky first album, but have some distance to go in fleshing out the details.
Onetime chillwavers grow more organic and understated on new full-length.
The legendary French house duo makes some lush, smooth funk on this return, without ever full realizing the promise of their new direction.
Members of Iceage and Lower layer on the synths and weird out, with interesting results.
Alex Zhang Hungtai descends into darker depths with his new double album, which splits into two distinct halves.
Guitarist pours an emotional backstory into a heartfelt set of instrumentals inspired by his home state.
On their sixth album, The National uphold the grace and elegance that have become defining traits throughout their career.
Liturgy’s Hunter Hunt-Hendrix pursues a more rhythm-based work of technicality with Survival.
Odd Future leader’s lament: “I got 99 problems and all of them’s being happy.”