Rufus Wainwright is into the double digits of his discography with Unfollow the Rules, but that doesn’t mean he is letting his sound get stale. What Unfollow the Rules can demonstrate, in particular, is that while Wainwright maintains his distinct voice and tone,…
Album Review: The Beths – “Jump Rope Gazers”
The Beths’ sophomore album, Jump Rope Gazers, does precisely what you want a second album to do: it lets the band sound older, wiser, and even more talented. Jump Rope Gazers begins with “I’m Not Getting Excited,” which acts as a great segue…
Album Review: Caroline Rose – “Superstar”
On her fourth album, Superstar, Caroline Rose concocts an irresistible and delightfully self-aware depiction of falling in love with fame. The slim album tracks a classic “girl meets celebrity, girl loses celebrity, girl vows to get celebrity back no matter what”…
Album Review: HAIM – “Women in Music Pt. III”
HAIM’s long-awaited third album, Women in Music Pt. III, is a refreshing and relaxed collection of personal yet pop-perfect songs. Haim sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana have already well established their ability to craft infectious hooks and harmonies, which is not…
Album Review: Bob Dylan – “Rough and Rowdy Ways”
Bob Dylan’s 39th studio album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, finds the aging Nobel Prize-winning singer-songwriter looking to the past and settling comfortably there both in terms of sound and subject matter. Although it has been eight years since Bob Dylan…
Album Review: Jehnny Beth – “TO LOVE IS TO LIVE”
Jehnny Beth’s first solo outing, TO LOVE IS TO LIVE, is a brisk, bold album that examines human experience through an array of musical experimentation. The frontwoman, formerly of Savages and John & Jehn, continues her career of creating stark moods…
Album Review: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – “Temple”
Thao & the Get Down Stay Down’s fifth album, Temple, is a rhythmic and clever personification of personal liberation. Thao Nguyen has explained that Temple addresses the reservations her family had about her living publicly as a lesbian, explaining that “fear has been such an…