The title of Twin Shadow’s first release in three years, Caer, comes from the Spanish for “fall.” Twin Shadow, or George Lewis Jr., has succeeded in crafting an album that actually lives up to ideas expressed in the title. Besides…
Album Review: Janelle Monáe – “Dirty Computer”
Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer, her first release since 2013, is a fast-paced, outspoken, fabulously fun and original piece of work. Dirty Computer, at less than an hour, is the shortest and most streamlined of Monáe’s full-length albums. Although it isn’t…
Album Review: Laura Veirs – “The Lookout”
Laura Veirs knows who she is and what she does, and with The Lookout she returns after a long solo absence sounding as polished and assured as ever. Aside from her participation in the case/lang/veirs triangle that produced 2016’s case/lang/veirs…
Album Review: Wye Oak – “The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs”
Although Wye Oak’s latest album starts strong, and with a lot of elements in play, at the end of its run time it feels as if it has entirely slipped through our fingers and fallen away. The Louder I Call,…
Album Review: Sunflower Bean – “Twentytwo in Blue”
Sunflower Bean’s second album, Twentytwo in Blue, crystallizes their position as a band you need to know about. There’s a small chance this endless gray winter has made their sun-dried rock sound even more attractive to the ear, but I…
Album Review: Lissie – “Castles”
In her fourth studio album, “Castles,” Lissie retains the formula that’s been working for her, as well as venturing away from it only to add a thin sheen of pop to the recordings. This album can generally be heard as…
Album Review: Gwenno – “Le Kov”
Gwenno’s second album, Le Kov, is Cornish for “the place of memory.” This title couldn’t be more appropriate for this album which, outside of crafting a slightly haunting throwback musical vibe, is using a nearly-dead language to tell us about…