album reviews

Paul McCartney’s New is a deeply sad record. I don’t mean that in the sense of it being a disgrace (it’s not) or that it’s mopey or...

Attempting to put words to the sonic world of Tim Hecker is a tall order. For the past 15 years he has explored an uncharted backcountry of sound...

"For every path you follow there's another left behind/every door you don't kick open there's a million more to try," sings Glen Phillips on...

For the past few years, I’ve taught “The Braindead Megaphone” to my writing students at UMass Amherst. It’s a George Saunders essay about...

I was rather late to the game of songwriting. I recorded my first album when I was 30 and, as with most first attempts, it was, at least to me...

If you held a gun against my head and asked me who my favorite pop group is, I’d have to say Prefab Sprout. I’ve loved Prefab Sprout ever since I...

In 2008 Glasvegas were adored, at least here in the UK. Lead singer James Allan became famous for his Joe Strummer looks and his personal, emotive...

While today “melancholy” simply means being sad, it used to mean a variety of introspective attitudes and, as they were called back then, humors.

When the idea of writing about this album came up, I have to admit I was only familiar with the addictive single “I Love It.” It was a guilty...

Not many people need to write songs anymore. Most of us (humans) just need some kind of validation of the self, and everyone knows that being in an...

I was sitting around my apartment the other day, minding my own business while listening to Earth, Wind & Fire, when suddenly, and seemingly from...

I will confess that it was in the spirit of a perverse gamble that I agreed to review this album; Talkhouse editor-in-chief Michael Azerrad asked...