It seemed inevitable that Anna von Hausswolff would make an album inspired by This Mortal Coil, the 4AD collective that covered songs by Gene Clark, Alex Chilton, and more, injecting them with its gothic touch. Iconoclasts, the sixth album by the Swedish musician out October 31, may feel more like conventional music to those accustomed […]
On the surface, and let’s be honest, underneath the surface too, Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo make unlikely collaborators. The intersection of DIY noise rock and instrumental guitar soli (as John Fahey called it) has been a lonely crossroads, but somehow the Oklahoma City musicians make it look like a fruitful place to cut deals […]
Pulling back the curtain for a moment, one of the perks of reviewing albums is that when you fall in love with a new album, you have an outlet to shout about it. But sometimes it’s a double-edged sword, as writing a review also forces you to put into words why you love an album […]
Enviable collaborations with the likes of Elton John and Joni Mitchell have inspired and elevated Brandi Carlile’s musical profile in the last several years. And at this point, the multi-Grammy award winner could easily coast along via the connections she’s made, putting out more duets and tributes, or songwriting for superstars and legends, like her […]
Time has not diluted the Cowboy Junkies’ dreamy mix of tempestuous torch songs and soup-for-the-soul soundscapes, but it has given it a naturally more seasoned feel and bittersweet bite that fans (and those who only knew their music in the ’80s and ’90s) should appreciate. The Canadian band’s latest reintroduces and reimagines one of their […]
The best concert albums bring home the excitement of the live experience. Though the songs might not sound as polished as the studio versions, live records present us with different iterations of music that have continued to gestate long after the producer has applied the finishing touches. On triple-live album Cornucopia Live, released October 24, […]
Rafael Toral’s most recent album, 2024’s Spectral Evolution, consisted of a single 42-minute track, divided into loose, flowing movements, but based on the chord changes of the Gershwin chestnut “I Got Rhythm.” On his follow-up, Traveling Light (October 24), the Portuguese guitarist works smaller, refashioning six jazz standards using his “space instruments”— electronic contraptions of […]
Instrumental music is not for everyone. Still, lots of creative people enjoy it when they seek a vibe but not a vocal that might distract from thought or focused actions–like writing music reviews. I’m writing this one while listening to guitar virtuoso John 5’s latest, Ghost, and while it’s not exactly haunting, it is a […]
Though Boris has been steadily releasing albums since 1996, there will always be a before and after Pink for the band. Formed in Tokyo in 1992, Boris has released 29 studio albums, 14 EPs, and seven live albums since its inception. However, Pink remains their zenith, a sprawling 47-minute masterwork that marries sludge metal with […]
First, we need to note that Tortoise releasing a record with anyone other than Thrill Jockey after a 30-plus-year relationship is a shocker for a group not known for dramatic changes. It’s akin to Autechre abandoning Warp! Anyway, the important thing about Tortoise is that their last two albums before the International Anthem/Nonesuch-reared Touch — […]