The project’s title suggests that this is just the first installment from this legendary pairing. And we’re all ears.
Read moreYour Old Droog Showcases the Breadth of His Talents on Impressive ‘Movie’ | Album Review
‘Movie’ is simultaneously a victory lap and a new beginning for Droog, as his career really does feel like it’s hitting its next gear.
Read moreVince Staples Looks Deep Within to Examine Life, Love and the Limelight on ‘Dark Times’ | Album Review
As the title suggests, much of ‘Dark Times’ is tinged by melancholy, as loss and existential dread weigh heavy on Staples.
Read moreDa Beatminerz’ Artistry Thrives on Expertly Executed, Ironically Titled ‘Stifled Creativity’ | Album Review
Replete with their signature boom-bap soundscapes, a bevy of skills-oriented emcees, remixes, and bonus cuts, the duo’s new album honors the past while still sounding dope in the 2020s.
Read moreLalah Hathaway Reaffirms Her Artistic Identity and Self-Agency on Kaleidoscopic ‘VANTABLACK’ | Album Review
‘VANTABLACK’ may be Hathaway’s most accessible album to date and its influences are multitudinous.
Read moreRapsody Navigates the Depths of Her Psyche with Candor and Clarity on Revelatory ‘Please Don’t Cry’ | Album Review
Rapsody doesn’t require any more accolades to justify her greatness, but the bravery and depth of feeling that she displays on her fourth studio affair is moving.
Read moreMach-Hommy’s ‘#RICHAXXHAITIAN’ Illuminates the Lyrical Gifts of the Enigmatic Emcee | Album Review
Another high-quality release from the extremely private artist, ‘#RICHAXXHAITIAN’ is also Mach-Hommy’s most accessible album and a great entry point for new listeners.
Read morePet Shop Boys Reexamine the Human Condition on Evocative, Elegantly Crafted ‘Nonetheless’ | Album Review
The duo’s fifteenth studio affair is a wise, wistful and sometimes witty collection of songs that often keeps its eyes on the past and its feet on the dance floor.
Read moreTaylor Swift’s Depth of Emotion and Lyrical Vulnerability Resonate Throughout ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ | Review
Staying true to Swift’s catalog, each track serves as a window into the turbulent psyche of its creator, delving into themes of love, loss, and existential angst with unwavering authenticity.
Read moreMeshell Ndegeocello and Her Kindred Musical Spirits Embody and Elevate the Genius of Sun Ra on ‘Red Hot & Ra: The Magic City’ | Album Review
As a tribute to the musical vision of Sun Ra, ‘Red Hot & Ra: The Magic City’ succeeds greatly in following but not retracing his astral footsteps.
Read moreShabaka’s ‘Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace’ Possesses Both Attributes in Abundance | Album Review
Ultimately, if you want peace, you’ll find it here on Shabaka Hutchings’ debut solo album in droves. And if you don’t, then maybe you never really wanted it or weren’t quite ready for it.
Read moreBeyoncé Defies Expectation, Lassos Inspiration with Convention-Breaking ‘Cowboy Carter’ | Album Review
Rather than a traditional country effort, ‘Cowboy Carter’ is an intricate pastiche of Americana, roots music, contemporary soul and country that rides well on the wild fusions it lassoes in.
Read moreWaxahatchee Captures Beauty Amidst the Chaos on ‘Tigers Blood’ | Album Review
While ‘Saint Cloud’ reinvented Waxahatchee for the sake of a redemption narrative, ‘Tigers Blood’ shows how her older sound, and older self, are still part of her even amidst that reinvention.
Read moreThe Black Crowes Return Revitalized with ‘Happiness Bastards’ | Album Review
The Brothers Robinson and crew reinforce that they are a key ingredient in the ever-evolving recipe of modern rock & roll and the genre just doesn’t pack the same punch without them.
Read moreKacey Musgraves Explores the Existential Truths on Soul-Affirming ‘Deeper Well’ | Album Review
Musgraves’ sterling sixth studio affair deserves to be embraced neither as epilogue of what’s come before nor as prologue of what comes next in her repertoire.
Read moreMasta Ace & Marco Polo’s Musical Symbiosis Shines Bright on Riveting ‘Richmond Hill’ | Album Review
Marco Polo’s no-nonsense, boom-bap approach to beats has served Masta Ace well for close to two decades, and ‘Richmond Hill’ is yet another great collaboration between the pair.
Read moreSy Smith’s ‘Until We Meet Again’ Melds Multiple Elements Into One Cohesive, Compelling Whole | Album Review
With the musical, vocal, lyrical, and emotional aptitude collected on ‘Until We Meet Again,’ it makes for a robustly embodied experience.
Read moreCleo Sol Enlightens the Spirit, Fortifies the Soul with ‘Gold’ | Album Review
Across ‘Gold,’ Sol offers faith, hope and the promise of a brighter future and in these times, that is in short supply.
Read moreNas & Hit-Boy Deliver Captivating Culmination of Their Recent Musical Partnership with ‘Magic 3’ | Album Review
A victory lap of an album, ‘Magic 3’ finds Nas celebrating the final (for now) chapter in his fruitful collaboration with Hit-Boy.
Read moreKylie Minogue’s Past and Present Coalesce in Captivating Form on ‘Tension’ | Album Review
Minogue’s sixteenth studio affair reinforces that its creator represents the best of what the pop genre can be: artistic evolution in motion.
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