Review: Dave Gahan & Soulsavers, ‘Angels & Ghosts’
The Depeche Mode frontman’s second album with Soulsavers sets his anguished cry against a sparse desert-rock sound that’s far from the music for which he’s known.
Category: Music Reviews
Review: Chic Gamine, ‘Light A Match’
The French-Canadian pop quintet’s new album examines the thought processes and motivations of a woman’s inner life, on a platform of classic R&B/soul.
First Listen: Maserati, ‘Rehumanizer’
Like the car for which it’s named, the retro-futurist band is built for comfort and speed. The bulk of Rehumanizer is sleek, pedal-to-the-metal rock, executed with a sly wink.
First Listen: Skatebård, ‘CDIII’
Clocking in at 80 minutes, CDIII finds Skatebård having copious fun with dance-music tropes across its 11 tracks, as the producer mixes heavy beat programming with lighter touches.
Review: Neon Indian, ‘VEGA INTL. Night School’
On the band’s new album, old and new technologies come together in a sly but seemingly sincere way, with throwback results that keep the prospect of a party in mind.
Review: Protomartyr, ‘The Agent Intellect’
The Detroit post-punk band’s third album simmers, ponders and haunts while dripping venom. The Agent Intellect represents a huge step, both upward and inward.
First Listen: St. Germain, ‘St. Germain’
The bestselling French DJ and producer returns with his first album in 15 years, aided by the great guitarist Guimba Kouyate.
First Listen: Saintseneca, ‘Such Things’
The Ohio band spends its new album shoehorning deep, dark ideas into pocket-sized pop-rock anthems. Every word and sound feels thoughtfully wrought, but Such Things also exudes freewheeling joy.
Review: Born Ruffians, ‘Ruff’
These are urgent, churning songs that sound like they needed to happen. They feel like gurglings from some nervous and squirmy place deep inside that had to be placated or purged.
Review: Autre Ne Veut, ‘Age Of Transparency’
Arthur Ashin draws on R&B tropes in his music, but rather than soundtrack a romantic moment, the songs instead voice the anxious thoughts that surround love.
Review: Childbirth, ‘Women’s Rights’
Seattle trio is the face of young, brash, punk feminism, making serious light of what it means to be a woman in the modern world
First Listen: Deafheaven, ‘New Bermuda’
After the crossover success of 2013’s Sunbather, New Bermuda is a resounding rebuttal to complacency. Entrenched in dark and decidedly classic metal moves, it’s got a seeking spirit that rages.
First Listen: Eagles Of Death Metal, ‘Zipper Down’
Josh Homme and Jesse Hughes’ new album may have taken seven years to make, but it still sounds as if they’d jumped out of a plane and recorded it on the way down.
Review: Chvrches, ‘Every Open Eye’
The Scottish pop band has fun on Every Open Eye, but its disco ball is tiled with galvanized steel. The whole album fizzes with jolting, unapologetic electricity.
First Listen: Julia Holter, ‘Have You In My Wilderness’
On her fourth album, Holter shares a part of herself that she’d always kept hidden. She’s always sung about running away, but never with such darkness or vulnerability.
Review: Mac Miller, ‘GO:OD AM’
The Pittsburgh rapper makes his major label debut and presents himself as a more balanced artist and human being.
Review: Darlene Love, ‘Introducing Darlene Love’
This is a huge-sounding album, not to mention an unapologetic celebration of the Wall Of Sound the 73-year-old singer helped build.
Review: Glen Hansard, ‘Didn’t He Ramble’
A veteran of The Frames and The Swell Season, Hansard possesses a worn but wonderfully flexible voice. Throughout his second solo album, his voice conveys kindness and warmth.
Review: Battles, ‘La Di Da Di’
Careful displays of sophisticated musicality sit next to wobbling, monstrous sounds on the band’s new album of instrumental broken-robot rock.
Review: Petite Noir, ‘La Vie Est Belle/Life Is Beautiful’
A bright new star from South Africa, Yannick Ilunga doesn’t need to be sonically tethered to his African roots to gather notice in rock and electronic-music circles.