Lizzo’s message throughout is clear and concise: love yourself. And given that many in society have been feeling displaced recently, her message is not just musical or political, it’s crucial.
Read moreEric Boss Elevates His Melodic, Multidimensional Soul with ‘A Modern Love’ | Album Review
Across his debut solo album, Boss demonstrates a dialed-in acumen for making both peak-time boogie joints that slap and subtle plush music for intimate moments that follow.
Read moreTank and The Bangas’ ‘Green Balloon’ Is An Aural Feast for the Ears | Album Review
‘Green Balloon’ fulfills the promise of the group’s dynamic debut (2013’s ‘Think Tank’), without sacrificing the wit and humanity that sparked so furiously on the preceding affair.
Read moreCarly Rae Jepsen Saves Her Confessions for the Dance Floor on Exultant ‘Dedicated’ | Album Review
From beginning to end, ‘Dedicated’ finds Jepsen drilling down to the juicy nuggets of obsession and desperation that drive her—and all of our—emotional highs and lows.
Read moreCiara Achieves Her Career Pinnacle to Date with ‘Beauty Marks’ | Album Review
While Ciara has yet to unleash her true masterpiece, an effort as consistent as ‘Beauty Marks’ hints that she is closer to doing just that with her next project.
Read moreTanika Charles’ Confidence & Charisma Illuminate ‘The Gumption’ | Review & Interview
What distinguishes ‘The Gumption’ from its precursor is its notably broader palette of sounds and textures, couple with Charles’ growth in songwriting that only adds to her burgeoning reputation.
Read moreJamila Woods Cements Her Own Mighty Musical Legacy on Salient, Self-Assured ‘LEGACY! LEGACY!’ | Album Review
As evidenced throughout her second studio LP, Woods’ fearless and decisive conceptions of music and activism create a new path for future radical organizers in creative spaces.
Read moreMac DeMarco Tips His Hat to the Tried-and-True on Reflective ‘Here Comes the Cowboy’ | Album Review
‘Here Comes the Cowboy’ reinforces the slow, hazy quality to DeMarco’s music, as if it lives in a puff of smoke, cigarette or otherwise, and it always seems to be winking at you.
Read moreRosie Lowe Triumphs with Unconventional, Unequivocally Brilliant ‘YU’ | Album Review
At the beating heart of Lowe’s spellbinding second act are the various manifestations of love that compel her—love for herself, for her partner, and for making music.
Read moreVampire Weekend’s Overstuffed ‘Father of the Bride’ Falls Short of Its Hype-Fueled Expectations | Album Review
From the curious title to the retro-camp of the album cover to the hits & misses contained therein, ‘Father of the Bride’ might leave Vampire Weekend fans scratching their heads.
Read moreThe Cranberries Bid Farewell with Grace & Gravitas on ‘In The End’ | Album Review
O’Riordan’s haunting tones and presence enthrall on the record’s ten tracks which detail the troubled and joyful intricacies of everyday life and love.
Read moreDave Triumphs on Magnificent, Meditative Debut Album For The Ages ‘PSYCHODRAMA’ | Album Review
Dave’s excellent debut LP reminds us of the notion that the closest we ever feel to god, is when we are confronted with a great piece of art.
Read moreErick Sermon Curates Another Musical & Lyrical Masterclass with ‘Vernia’ | Album Review
‘Vernia’ has all the makings of an E-Dub masterpiece, and quickly shakes off the ring-rust that emerges in a few instances.
Read moreBananarama Reclaim Their Enduring Class Act Status with Incandescent ‘In Stereo’ | Album Review
As original rule breakers, Bananarama have nothing left to prove. That they can produce a record of such quality and care is in and of itself a laudable, if not surprising feat.
Read moreAnderson .Paak Fires on All Soulful Cylinders Throughout Vibrant ‘Ventura’ | Album Review
The currency of Paak’s fourth studio affair is an abiding need for a groove and the eleven tracks here are all variations upon that theme.
Read moreThe Yawpers Revel in Their Kinetic & Kaleidoscopic Brand of Rock on ‘Human Question’ | Album Review
The album’s individual songs possess a seamlessness that feels like driving on an empty highway and suddenly realizing you're going 85 miles per hour.
Read more‘Amazing Grace’ Captures Aretha Franklin at the Summit of Her Spiritual Power | Film Review
Photo courtesy of NEON
“Aretha Franklin looked for excellence in everything she did, and she wanted excellence from this film,” the film’s co-producer Tirrell D. Whittley explains.
Read moreEmma Bunton Returns in Reverent & Ravishing Form with ‘My Happy Place’ | Album Review
‘My Happy Place’ sources its infectious feel-good spirit from Bunton’s own enthusiasm that is readily expressed in the content of the album.
Read moreLÉON Defies Categorization, Delivers Dynamic & Distinctive Self-Titled Debut | Album Review
When you listen to LÉON’s eponymous debut album from start to finish (headphones recommended), you’ll understand what all the fuss is about.
Read moreBohannons Keep It Simple Yet Stirring with ‘Bloodroot’ | Album Review
It's not so much that the Bohannons make simple rock & roll. Their talent is in making the complex feel simple, and ‘Bloodroot’ is the prime manifestation of this.
Read more