Episodes
On 'Sundays,' Andrew Combs seeks a roadmap to redemption
August 23, 2022 10:06In the aftermath of an early-pandemic breakdown, Combs sought solace in a regular songwriting routine. The result is a beautiful, intimate album that grapples with personal and existential questions. (Image credit: Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
'Cheat Codes' is the album Black Thought couldn't have made until now
August 22, 2022 10:18A proper standalone LP from the voice of The Roots was rumored for two decades at least. Finally here, Cheat Codes isn't just excellent: It's a product of all the years it went unmade. (Image credit: Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Megan Thee Stallion resets her terms with 'Traumazine'
August 21, 2022 10:19The rapper's second studio album reaches for a confessional mode, making space for ruminations and grief — while reaffirming her skills as one of rap's bar-for-bar heavyweights. (Image credit: Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Loudon Wainwright III goes back to the basics on 'Lifetime Achievement'
August 20, 2022 10:21The singer-songwriter is known for his intensely autobiographical writing. When Wainwright turned 75 recently, he decided to make an album about trying — and mostly failing — to age gracefully. * This article was originally published here
'Cheat Codes' is the solo album Black Thought couldn't have made until now
August 19, 2022 10:22A proper standalone LP from the voice of The Roots was rumored for two decades at least. Finally here, Cheat Codes isn't just excellent: It's a product of all the years it went unmade. (Image credit: Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Album review of Danger Mouse & Black Thought's 'Cheat Codes'
August 18, 2022 10:18Music writer Jack Hamilton reviews the new collaboration album from Danger Mouse & Black Thought, Cheat Codes. * This article was originally published here
New release is a reminder of Judy Garland's artistry and vocal prowess
August 16, 2022 10:31On the occasion of what would have been Garland's 100th birthday, Warner Bros. has been re-issuing her films on Blu-Ray; classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the most recent release. * This article was originally published here
Album review of Black Thought and Danger Mouse's 'Cheat Codes'
August 15, 2022 10:19Music writer Jack Hamilton reviews the new collaboration album from Black Thought and Danger Mouse, Cheat Codes. * This article was originally published here
Megan Thee Stallion gets vulnerable on hot sophomore album 'Traumazine'
August 14, 2022 10:18NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Sidney Madden from NPR Music about Megan Thee Stallion's sophomore album Traumazine. * This article was originally published here
On 'No Rules Sandy,' Sylvan Esso finds freedom outside the formula
August 12, 2022 10:31The duo's fourth album is marked by experimentation and a focus on living in the present moment. Relaxed and unselfconscious, it's a testament to the ease of collaboration between longtime partners. (Image credit: Brian Karlsson/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
'Renaissance' places Beyoncé at the very center of pop music right now
August 07, 2022 10:24The escapist aesthetic of Renaissance is its own kind of statement — Beyoncé's way of asserting the primacy of Black musical forms throughout American pop history. * This article was originally published here
Deaton Chris Anthony reconfigures the sound of nostalgia
August 06, 2022 10:24The new album from Deaton Chris Anthony, Sid the Kid, conjures a glitchy, abrasive, digital nostalgia from his childhood in Kansas. * This article was originally published here
Interpreting the music of Julius Eastman, Wild Up honors the composer's vastness
August 05, 2022 10:19The feat the Los Angeles group Wild Up achieves in interpreting the music of Julius Eastman is the refusal to attempt impersonation — the musicians make him their muse without fetishizing him. (Image credit: Ron Hammond) * This article was originally published here
Revolutionary Fun: Why we can't stop talking about Beyoncé's 'Renaissance'
August 02, 2022 10:03The era-defining star's seventh album sparks a conversation about the infinite possibilities of dance music, the difference between fun and pleasure and why disco is always political. (Image credit: Carlijn Jacobs/Via Parkwood Entertainment) * This article was originally published here
Tyshawn Sorey's 'Mesmerism' celebrates the everyday miracle of the jazz rhythm trio
July 29, 2022 10:31Each player in this trio addresses the beat in a spontaneous way, without constant chaos. A casual romp like this session makes for breezy listening. * This article was originally published here
Singer/songwriter beabadoobee expands her sound dramatically on 'Beatopia'
July 13, 2022 10:15Born in the Philippines and raised in London, Beatrice Kristi Laus takes her stage name from a former Instagram handle. The music on beabadoobee's new album is a blend of timelessness and immediacy. * This article was originally published here
Jacob Garchik's boldly mixed 'Assembly' is quintessential COVID-era jazz
July 12, 2022 10:13Garchik's album started as a socially-distanced session which was then mixed — sometimes seamlessly, sometimes brazenly. It's music for an era of frequent disruption — and prized moments of calm. * This article was originally published here
On 'Found Light,' Laura Veirs documents newfound freedom with attentive awe
July 09, 2022 10:31Written after her divorce from her longtime producer, Veirs' new album vibrates with a sense of potential, balancing the weight of experience with the rewards of staying attuned to wonder. (Image credit: Shelby Brakken/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Charming and catchy, Bartees Strange cuts across boundaries on 'Farm to Table'
July 07, 2022 10:02As a Black artist in the indie-rock space, Strange makes distinctively original music. Where his debut album showcased a highly eclectic performer, his sophomore effort is even more impressive. * This article was originally published here
New releases help cement the legacy of Hungarian violinist Joseph Szigeti
July 06, 2022 10:14Though he never became a household name, many music lovers regard Szigeti, who died in 1973, as the greatest classical violinist in living memory. This new collection captures his early recordings. * This article was originally published here
Pianist David Virelles shows off the depth and breadth of what he can do on 'Nuna'
July 02, 2022 10:28Though he's been a New Yorker for over a decade, Virelles remains preoccupied with the rich, rhythmically charged music of his native Cuba. His new album shows where he's been — and where he's going. * This article was originally published here
On 'The Spur,' Joan Shelley weighs what it takes to be human
June 24, 2022 10:15Shelley expounds on country living, newly married life and the birth of her daughter. But life's joys are never far removed from the deeply worrying state — and fate — of the world. (Image credit: Mickie Winters/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
3 songs prove just how elastic the definition of country music has become
June 21, 2022 10:22The range of country music is on display in Kane Brown's hit single; a duet by Wynonna Judd and the alt-rocker Waxahatchee; and the title song of Big Time, indie singer-songwriter Angel Olsen's album. * This article was originally published here
'Requiem for the Enslaved' holds a major university's truths up to the light
June 18, 2022 10:24Georgetown University owes its survival to slavery. A new album by Carlos Simon, an assistant professor at the school, unflinchingly confronts that legacy. (Image credit: Toko Shiik/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
For pianist Vadim Neselovskyi, Ukraine war adds urgency to his most personal work
June 15, 2022 10:16On a new album, "Odesa," written in tribute to his father, the pianist, former child prodigy and composer also paints a portrait of the album's namesake, currently in the midst of a Russian invasion. (Image credit: Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Kendrick Lamar looks inward on 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers'
June 02, 2022 10:22Though drenched in deep melancholy, Lamar's new album avoids superstar-level self-pity. Instead, the hip-hop artist summons up specific memories and works through his issues with uncommon grace. * This article was originally published here
For Angel Olsen, the shortest distance between loss and love is a country song
June 01, 2022 10:18For the songwriter's sixth album, she leans into a retro country sound for a big-hearted set of songs about grief and burgeoning love. (Image credit: Angela Ricciardi/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
In Ethel Cain's music, hell is a place on Earth
May 31, 2022 10:19On the artist's debut album Preacher's Daughter, drives deep into the heart of gothic Americana. (Image credit: Helen Kirbo) * This article was originally published here
On 'Harry's House,' Styles faces the perils of pastiche
May 25, 2022 10:31On his third solo album, Styles relies on a proficient but unadventurous process of combining his influences. His habit of paying homage to his idols too often conceals his own creative vision. (Image credit: Lillie Eiger/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
'SNL' just wrapped its 47th season: It's time to cruelly rank its musical guests
May 24, 2022 10:30A cold and methodical ranking of Saturday Night Live performances by Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Young Thug, Arcade Fire, Saweetie, LCD Soundsystem, Camila Cabello and more. (Image credit: NBC/Will Heath/NBC) * This article was originally published here
Jack Harlow wants to be legendary. His new album proves he's still finding his voice
May 23, 2022 10:24A cultural chameleon with a handful of viral hits, the rising rapper's Come Home The Kids Miss You misses the mark. (Image credit: Urban Wyatt) * This article was originally published here
On its new album, Porridge Radio searches for truth in life's contradictions
May 22, 2022 10:30Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky is filled with ruthless self-interrogation and existential fear; rather than suggesting easy solutions, these songs offer space to try to figure it all out. (Image credit: Matilda Hill Jenkins/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Max Roach's 1960 landmark 'We Insist!' proves timeless in a reissue
May 21, 2022 10:21Roach's album was recently named to the National Recording Registry, a roster of works deemed culturally, historically or aesthetically significant; We Insist! scores in all three categories. * This article was originally published here
Jack Harlow wants to be legendary. His new album proves he's still finding his voice.
May 20, 2022 10:12A cultural chameleon with a handful of viral hits, the rising rapper's Come Home The Kids Miss You misses the mark. (Image credit: Urban Wyatt) * This article was originally published here
claire rousay transforms the mundane into sonic abundance
May 19, 2022 10:18On the largely wordless everything perfect is already here, the composer lets us experience the world through her ears with field recordings, strings and a little tenderness. (Image credit: Felix Walworth/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Kendrick Lamar is ready to talk. Is he ready to listen?
May 18, 2022 10:09The long-dormant, era-defining rapper makes one thing clear from the start of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers: He's not the hero you're looking for. (Image credit: Renell Medrano/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
'Fresh Air' marks the centennial of jazz great Charles Mingus
May 17, 2022 10:06Critic Kevin Whitehead reflects on the legacy of the musician who would have been 100 on April 22, 2022. Mingus died in 1979, leaving behind a catalog of music that reflected his outsized personality. * This article was originally published here
Third Coast Percussion's borderless music finds inspiration in fleet-footed beats
May 16, 2022 10:02On a new album, the most accessible so far, the Grammy-winning group reaches out to an EDM wizard, a famous film score composer and Philip Glass. (Image credit: Saverio Truglia/Courtesy of the artists) * This article was originally published here
Kendrick Lamar uses his grief-fueled new album to reveal just how human he is
May 15, 2022 10:06The new album by hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar is called Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers and is out Friday. It's been more than 5 years since his last album. * This article was originally published here
Bad Bunny's 'Un Verano Sin Ti' is a Caribbean love letter to Puerto Rico
May 14, 2022 10:22On his latest album, Bad Bunny opts for personal intimacy and cultural specificity. (Image credit: Eric Rojas) * This article was originally published here
On 'Palomino,' Miranda Lambert wants to be wild and free
May 13, 2022 10:13Miranda Lambert's Palomino is, at its heart, an album about the freedom afforded by the open road. But where country music's stuck on back roads, Lambert speeds down the interstate. (Image credit:... Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
Albert Ayler made sublime music. The world was not ready
May 12, 2022 10:24At his last recorded concerts, the avant-garde outlaw's seemingly disparate sound worlds came together. (Image credit: Philippe Gras/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published... Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
The Clarinet Trio's new album showcases the lovely sound of blended woodwinds
May 11, 2022 10:12Transformations and Further Passages, a lively new album by Germany's The Clarinet Trio, revives tunes written by German jazz composers in the 1950s and '60s. * This article was originally published... Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
Girlpool and Let's Eat Grandma explore the inherent grief of growing up
May 10, 2022 10:06Two new albums from Let's Eat Grandma and Girlpool wistfully accept the inherent grief that comes with facing adulthood. (Image credit: Alexis Gross/El Hardwick/Courtesy of the artist) * This... Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
Bonnie Raitt extends the boundaries of her signature sound with 'Just Like That...'
May 09, 2022 10:27More than 50 years after the release of her first album, Raitt's voice remains a subtle instrument: earthy with an ache around the edges. Its sly intimacy is, as always, a deep pleasure. * This... Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
Girlpool mixes rock, synth and dream pop in its electrifying new album, 'Forgiveness'
May 08, 2022 10:18Girlpool's sound has gotten bigger and bigger over the years. The Los Angeles band's new album "Forgiveness" is a far cry from their debut. * This article was originally published here Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
When it feels like the world's ending, Sharon Van Etten still cares
May 07, 2022 10:30On her new album, We've Been Going About This All Wrong, Van Etten turns her steady gaze towards the wreckage of the last few years and still finds a way to prioritize compassion. (Image credit:... Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
Spider-Man: No Way Home [Blu-ray]
May 06, 2022 10:27Tom Holland * This article was originally published here Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
Spider-Man: No Way Home [Blu-ray]
May 06, 2022 10:27Tom Holland * This article was originally published here Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!
Minecraft
May 06, 2022 10:13Mojang * This article was originally published here Go vist www.barberqrecords.com now!!