music commentary

Our writer finds herself swooning, romanced and disappointed by Adele's third album. And then she locates the appeal of this vastly popular artist.

With her new album, Grimes creates a giant, esoteric world teeming with all sorts of poisonous Jurassic life.

This is the kind of music that demands patience and attention.

The guitarist of iconic post-punks Gang of Four finds Sleater-Kinney flouting staid ideas about what women should do with voices and guitars.

Josh Tillman’s transition from pious to prankster on his latest album makes Tim Showalter contemplate his own fall from grace.

An electronic music maestro stares down a smooth-jazz travelogue by the impeccably coiffed Kenny G.

On his previous album, Kendrick Lamar was a filmmaker. On his new one, he’s a writer — and maybe one of the best of his generation.

On Sufjan Stevens’ spare, lo-fi and brilliant new album, joy wages epic battle with desperation and mortality. Spoiler alert: joy wins.

What makes Björk’s new album Vulnicura so devastating? The combination of the private and the ordinary.

This is the sound of one of today’s most bewildering emcees reining in his runaway imagination in an acknowledgement of the rap game’s conventions.

Our writer feels kinship with Blink-182’s drummer, but the themes of desire, guilt and redemption in Travis Barker’s memoir will resonate with anyone.

This album functions great as a record of performance; it’s like you have seats with an extremely obstructed view, but you’re still enjoying yourself.