Twelfth is the upcoming album from the much-lauded Old 97’s, a record that finds the veteran act in fine form. Arriving as frontman Rhett Miller Continue Reading
Music Dose
The Superficial Approach to Chicano and Pachuco Culture in 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels'
Set in Victorian London, Showtime’s Penny Dreadful blends gothic horror and the mythologies of Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, vampires and werewolves into one campy thrilling series. Continue Reading
Isolation Resonates in Tomine's Ode to Loneliness
Adrian Tomine’s autobiographical The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist is self-aware, funny, and ultimately a poignant account of the realities of Tomine’s chosen profession. The Continue Reading
Distance Remakes the Heart in Gabriel García Márquez’s 'Love in the Time of Cholera'
It seems that now more than ever, the role of distance defines so many of our relationships. As COVID-19 outbreaks spread across the globe, we Continue Reading
Radiator King's "Madame Marie" Is a Wistful Look Back on Childhood (premiere)
If Adam Silvestri channeled elements of Springsteen as Radiator King when he first graced PopMatters with “So Long (Charlie)”, now the NYC Americana artist is Continue Reading
Danielle Ponder and Karate Boogaloo Stand in Solidarity with BIPOC on "Look Around" (premiere)
In the past, both Danielle Ponder and Karate Boogaloo alike have been celebrated for their own individual efforts. The former is a commanding soul singer Continue Reading
Trixie Mattel on Horror Movie Gin, Writing a Book, and How Not to Photograph a Drag Queen
“Can you fucking believe it?” asks Trixie Mattel. “2020 is equal parts garbage, but … so lit. Like, it’s all perspective.” Not many people can Continue Reading
The "Luxurious Loneliness" of Anime Film 'Perfect Blue'
It sometimes seems that loneliness has never been quite so visible. The experience of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to trigger discussion around Continue Reading
GS Sultan's 'Music for a Living Water' Is a Meditative Love Letter to Liquid
Electronic music has its share of detractors, and many of them complain that the format is overly cold and clinical. Some composers, like GS Sultan, Continue Reading
VEAUX's "Tell Me That You Love Me" Examines Life as a Black Man in a Conservative Community (premiere)
VEAUX began as Medic, an indie rock outlet that played alongside the likes of Blondie and Dinosaur Jr. Comprised of Aaron Wagner, Andrew Black, and Continue Reading
Tobi Debuts the Soulful Pop of "Can't Control Me" and "Puzzle Piece (Mirror)" (premiere)
Ashley Tobias, better known as Tobi (Gogol Bordello, Dälek) releases her latest EP, Puzzle Pieces, 24 July via Internet & Weed. The vocalist/percussionist/dancer teamed with Continue Reading
Italian Producer Populous Collaborates with Women Around the Globe on 'W'
Producer Andrea Mangia — better known as Populous — named new album W in honor of women. It isn’t an empty gesture, either. Over the Continue Reading
David Ramirez Storms Into New Ground with 'My Love Is a Hurricane'
David Ramirez was a great folk singer, but he hasn’t been for some time. To be clear, it’s not because he’s fallen off, but because Continue Reading
Evicshen Is the Mad Scientist of Industrial Noise with 'Hair Birth'
Victoria Shen, the Massachusetts-based noise artist known as Evicshen, is a wildly ambitious and unpredictable musician. Working with electronics for more than a decade, she Continue Reading
Ottessa Moshfegh's 'Death in Her Hands' Is Not What It Seems
What happens to a murder mystery without the murder? It’s a mystery. But not in the sense of the literary genre, or a secret. It’s Continue Reading
Going Beyond the Neutron Dance with Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters
Wednesday, 4 March 2020. It’s Motown night at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar, New York City. The club has a surprise for Ruth Pointer, whose Continue Reading
The 12 Best Brian Wilson Songs
12. “Surf City” from Surf City and Other Swingin’ Cities (1963) Written by Brian Wilson and Jan Berry The Beach Boys were the first band to give Continue Reading
Kent Russell Seeks the Soul of Florida on Epic Road Trip, on Foot
In his off-kilter adventure story/cultural history In the Land of Good Living, Kent Russell says he doesn’t want to pander to those who filter their Continue Reading
We the Commas Dish Out Summertime Magic with "Custom Made" (premiere)
Bands like the Beach Boys and Rivieras have long symbolized Southern Californian culture. For many, their classic surf music has come to define the region. Continue Reading
Jockstrap's 'Wicked City' Is an Unfolding of Boundaries
With a name like Jockstrap, you might expect the UK duo of Taylor Skye and Georgia Ellery to play facetious art-pop tunes. Well, they do, Continue Reading