If Jeff Lynne makes a record under the name “Jeff Lynne’s ELO” without the ELO, and the record drops more than four decades after the band’s best work, does it still make the wonderful noise of old? Not really. Is new record From Out of Nowhere still ELO? Yes and no. From Out of Nowhere…

Some might argue that it’s impossible for Jeff Goldblum to be boring, and they’d be right. The man’s charisma has almost become its own sentient entity. Unlike many actors-turned-musicians, he has the musical chops to back up his entertaining personality. His Capital Studios Sessions debut with the Mildred Snitzer…

If you were around in the mid-’90s and listened to the radio at all, then you know who Hootie & the Blowfish are. Cracked Rear View earned these four friends from South Carolina much attention in 1994 with an engaging mix of roots rock groove and timeless lyrics. But even…

Miranda Lambert has never experienced a slump. The award-winning country singer started strong with a No. 1 album on the country charts and has established her sound and supplied herself with a healthy following through a string of hits. Her new album’s title, Wildcard, suggests Lambert has a new trick…

Nile has long distinguished itself with a unique concept. Guitarist, vocalist and principal songwriter Karl Sanders propelled the South Carolina band by infusing technical death metal with Egyptology and Lovecraftian horror. It’s served the band’s first eight albums well. But for Vile Nilotic Rites, Brian Kingsland replaced longtime guitarist Dallas…

For those who haven’t kept up with Alexander O’Connor’s work as Rex Orange County, perhaps his work on Tyler the Creator’s Flower Boy will ring a bell. His combination of neo soul, alternative hip-hop and art-pop has set him apart since his 2016 self-released debut, bcos u will never b…

While Deafheaven popularized blackened shoegaze, France’s Alcest planted the stylistic seeds. Stéphane “Neige” Paut has spent the past two decades refining his amalgamation of palpable beauty and harrowing melancholy. His creative journey reached a crucial milestone with 2016’s immaculate opus Kodama, which suddenly put Alcest at the forefront of…

Norwegian black metal band Mayhem’s groundbreaking career is often overshadowed by the macabre events that defined its early years. The murder of founding guitarist Øystein “Euronymous” Aarseth and the suicide of vocalist Per “Dead” Ohlin only scratch the surface. Suffice it to say, there’s a reason this band and the…

After completing a definitive comeback album streak, New York experimental rock titans Swans once again transformed. Mastermind Michael Gira has reinvented his band numerous times since 1982, but he now settles on a six-member core band, along with several contemporaries, friends and inspirations. This new lineup takes the 15th…

The specter of aging looms over any rocker. Some age gracefully and lose significance. Others fail to grow out of youthful recklessness and find themselves in mid-career doldrums, leaving the rest to fade away as self-parodies. Neil Young continues his pondering on the significance of mortality with the same ethos…