One of the extant joys of modern pop music is the capacity for under-the-radar but persistent artists to emerge like a butterfly in creative reawakenings. With Sun Racket, indie rock work mules Throwing Muses throw their hats into the ring for a potentially vital resurgence. Sun Racket Throwing Muses Fire…

Narrow Head vocalist and guitarist Jacob Duarte had a point when he said, “Nobody has riffs anymore.” The current rock scene seems afraid to try to write some nasty parts to get people moving. Excluding metal and hardcore, it’s safe to say riff-oriented rock music has steadily wained in…

Debut single “Broken” captured the attention of millions for lovelytheband. About four years later and still riding that high, the group is back with its sophomore album, Conversations With Myself About You. Rich in indie pop sounds that at times venture into the ’80s techno sound vault, this offering demonstrates that…

You probably don’t need a reminder, but 2020 is a weird year. The Room Ricky Reed Nice Life, Aug. 28 6/10 As the national lockdown in the United States enters it’s sixth month, musicians have been busy completing their lockdown albums. Taylor Swift’s surprise release is of course the…

In 2013, a fan who was having a little too much fun at a concert struck then-71-year-old Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert, lead singer of Toots and the Maytals, in the head with a bottle of vodka. The incident caused Hibbert to suspend touring, and instead to hunker down in…

Brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence—better known as the duo Disclosure—are back with the follow-up to their Grammy-nominated Caracal. ENERGY is upbeat, catchy and aptly titled—even if Disclosure’s party music seems a bit out of step with the daily deluge of negative news. ENERGY Disclosure Capitol Records, Aug. 28 8/10 The U.K. duo has…

Following the mixed reception of their 2019 LP, Closer Than Together, The Avett Brothers newest record, The Third Gleam, takes the group away from the more experimental sounds they are known for blending into their folk and bluegrass songbook. The record, longer than an EP but not quite an album, is actually…

Since the mid-’90s, international megastar Toni Braxton has been a household name. Blessed with a voice that perfectly balances technical control, raw power and a touch of grit—Braxton rocketed to fame with a string of chart-topping albums and singles. Her massive success speaks to the widespread appeal of her…

Katy Perry has penned the songbook of summer. On multiple occasions her songs have dominated radio, playlists and pop culture just as the mercury has risen. Big, bombastic pop songs like “Firework” and “Dark Horse” defined her keen sense of writing larger-than-life anthems. Even on Perry’s darker electro-pop album, Witness, “Chained…

When an artist pulls off a Nirvana cover without sounding like Nirvana, pay attention. It’s a testament to the songwriting chops of the mind behind Bully. Started by Alicia Bognanno as a solo project in 2013, the past seven years and two LPs have landed Bully as one of…