Lady Gaga’s Creativity Is Trapped in Retro Sounds Now
Lady Gaga’s Mayhem shines a glaring spotlight on a wildly creative artist who finds herself behind the times, following trends instead of setting them and seeming out of step.
pop
Katy Perry’s Mortality-Tinged ‘143’ Marks Her Smartest Era Yet
Katy Perry’s morality-tinged 143 is self-aware and cunningly invites fans to tune in to her “love frequency”.
Laura Nyro Was New York’s True Earth Mother Diva
Laura Nyro’s catalogue confirms an admirable range that extends far beyond her mythic status as New York’s earth mother diva with a ‘60s urchin soul.
You’ve Gotta Get Satire to Get Dion DiMucci
Dion: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Philosopher is a tongue-in-cheek title that only Dion DiMucci can pull off with street panache—braggin’ is a blues tradition, after all.
Aimee Mann Launched Brilliant Second Act with ‘Bachelor No. 2’
Aimee Mann is a survivor, wizened by experience but willing to keep going with a bit of hope, and Bachelor No. 2 is the peak of her powers.
Laura Nyro’s Complete Musical Story Shows Her Genius
Those unacquainted with Laura Nyro might be surprised at how familiar she sounds. That’s because she has influenced so many contemporary musicians.
30 Years of Alison Krauss’ Country Music Breakthrough
Even if the world only knew Alison Krauss from ‘Now That I’ve Found You: A Collection’, her place in country music history would be assured.
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The 30 Best Pop Albums of 2024
The 30 best pop albums of 2024 radiate with unstoppable playlist power, much-needed sweet escapism, self-reflection, self-criticism, and killer melodies.
Michael Kiwanuka Delivers ‘Small Changes’ on New Record
Michael Kiwanuka’s most striking quality remains his voice, which has the power to evoke deep feelings, as his idols did for another generation.
Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Subverts Being Trapped in a Glass Castle
For her 1989 album, Taylor Swift wrote breakup songs that cleverly conveyed to fans she had personal freedom even from within her glass castle.
Carminho Expresses Her Passion for Life Through Song
For Portuguese singer Carminho, fado is more than a genre of music; it’s a language through which she expresses her spiritual growth.
Rob Sheffield on Taylor Swift and the Power of the Fangirl
Rob Sheffield, Taylor Swift, and Swifties understand intimately that we owe it to ourselves to pay homage to the music that lights our hearts on fire.