Annie Clark sure knows how to make a statement. In releasing “Digital Witness” as a response to a world that is growing obsessively consumed by technology, Clark simultaneously addresses her own technological dependence in the form of electronica mixed under a funky horn section. … read more
I could probably fill most of the shoegaze reviews I write with half-hearted comparisons to Slowdive and be done with ’em. That’s what I thought here, at first, with the opening song “You Whir,” but a different narrative unfolded upon subsequent listenings. … read more
Sonic Avenues blasts out with a garage power pop twist that complements the legacy left by The Exploding Hearts rather nicely—they do an excellent job with poppy yet twisted, snotty distorted vocals that are coupled with a raw, ’77-influenced punk sound. … read more
Saxon = Accept + Judas Priest … read more
Sharon Van Etten is on the rise. Her last album, Tramp, saw her really come into her own as a songwriter, while gaining wider recognition touring with acts like The National. … read more
Every song is like an island in a geographically-close chain, and each is closely related in overall vegetation, but every one has both subtle and clever differences. Schematically, this album is an intricately beach-infused psychedelic wonderland—for the heaviest dose, see “Lonely Hunter.” … read more
With a falsetto that ignores gender identity and production help from GODMODE head Nick Sylvester, the Northtown EP is an assertive debut. … read more
Shabazz Palaces = Outkast + JJ Doom … read more
Seventrain = Alter Bridge + early Daughtry + a dash of classic rock … read more
Santé Les Amis = Valentin y Los Volcanes + The Faint / Cut Copy … read more
Sharp Practise = REO Speedwagon + The Who – Little River Band … read more
SBTRKT = James Blake x Jai Paul … read more
