Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine, courtesy. What could be more beautiful than an artist drawing inspiration from another piece of art to then create his own unique and personal piece? Taylor Swift did it with Reputation after watching Game of Thrones and Jay-Z took the name American Gangster…

It really feels like singers who were booted early on from “American Idol” or ultimately failed to win the most viewer votes have ultimately gone on to have more chart success and fame than the winners. There are a few exceptions like Carrie Underwood, whose presence in country music for…

Jon Batiste, courtesy. We’ve all been out of practice with navigating a massive music festival. Though you may have been lucky enough to enjoy live music at various points through the last tumultuous 18 months, a three-day festival in wine country is new again to all of us. To…

Halsey, courtesy. A mere month after giving birth, Halsey has returned to the music scene with their most garish and gory project yet. Influenced heavily by pregnancy and the beauty and complexity of childbirth, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power attempts to disrupt the discourse around pregnancy…

As Switchfoot releases its 12th studio album, interrobang (the first since 2019’s Native Tongue) fans of the San Diego band will be stoked to hear the group’s continued love for its signature rock sounds. interrobang Switchfoot Fantasy, Aug. 20 7/10 The quintet employs a range of pop, alternative and gospel influences…

Over three years after her international breakthrough with debut album Speak Your Mind, British pop star Anne-Marie Rose Nicholson (who goes by Anne-Marie) is back with her sophomore effort, Therapy. Following in the vein of the hyper and upbeat dance-pop tracks that launched previous singles like “Friends” and “2002”…

Simply put, Leon Bridges has one of those voices that is just plain beautiful and works in any situation. From appearances in “Big Little Lies” as Reese Witherspoon explains her fracturing marriage to her daughter through the lyrics and medley of “River,” to “Texas Sun” and its countless appearances on…

“And after three decades it’s still a good hang,” the Barenaked Ladies rap-sing on the bridge of “Good Life,” the second track off their 16th album, Detour de Force. It comes 33 years after their first release. Known for their lighthearted, sometimes improvised lyrics and eclectic, evolving sound, the group…

Cola Boyy, courtesy Ross Harris. Cola Boyy (Matthew Urango) has been changing the dialogue that mainstream music is willing to confront since his debut. A self-described “disco deviant,” his vibe is eclectic, to say the least. Incorporating styles and influences from hip-hop to French disco, he’s always trying to…

Bobby Gillespie, lead singer of Primal Scream, has teamed up with Jehnny Beth of Savages for their first collaborative endeavor, Utopian Ashes, a gorgeously grim and gray project. Its alt-rock styles feature a string of songs situated around a crumbling relationship. With the inevitable end of a marriage in…