May 15, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

At first listen, a Violens tune can be hard to grab onto. Bat away layers and layers of silky atmosphere, burrow down to some primordial pop nugget, and it spirals off in an unexpected direction, not taking the frictionless path. It's heady, with dense production and disparate reference points/intentions that coexist somewhat precariously; they form a house of cards blueprinted by explosive and atmospheric '90s shoegaze, chorus-soaked '80s pop, and reverbed-out '60s psych. More

May 13, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

Remember that friend who decided they'd just take a few years off to relax and "enjoy life"? They were fun to be around: they threw some rad parties and knew the number to call to get the dankest weed. The years go by and people moved on, but that old friend is still up to the same shenanigans. Except now it's getting worrisome. More

May 10, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

Beach House isn't really an "ain't" kind of band, but the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" piece of folk wisdom runs strongly on Bloom. Despite the album title, the duo picks right up where it left off on 2010's Teen Dream.

May 09, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

Brian Jonestown Massacre, led by eccentric frontman Anton Newcombe, has gone through a particularly schizophrenic 2000s. Its recorded output has been uneven at best, with decent recordings sitting side-by-side with unlistenable dreck, and with each album it was not sure exactly which Brian Jonestown Massacre would show up. More

May 08, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

Kids, let this be a lesson to you: play a great set, and you could end up with friend-of-Radiohead Nigel Godrich producing your third album. Thus was the fate of Here We Go Magic, who landed help from the unofficial sixth member of Radiohead after playing Glastonbury in 2010 and impressing Godrich. More

May 08, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

Sean Bonniwell will be best remembered for his stint as the frontman of L.A. garage-rockers the Music Machine, but this 1969 solo album is a folksy singer/songwriter affair, with his soft, lilting croon accompanied by poppy, orchestral flourishes. More

May 07, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

Is anyone making babies to Prince's music these days? With artist-turned-symbol-turned man's copulation catalogue faded to a kitshy memory ("Hey, remember that time we made out to 'Little Red Corvette'?" it seems to shout), British producer Adam Bainbridge has thrown his hat into the ring to become the next in R&B royalty. More

May 06, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

There's something noble about Dr. Dee, Damon Albarn's latest passion project, a mostly folk record about 16th-century British mathematician and occultist John Dee. Albarn's desire to rescue a critical historical figure (Dee served as advisor to Elizabeth I and once owned perhaps the greatest library in England) from relative obscurity is certainly commendable. As a piece of music, however, the operatic folk of Dr. Dee doesn't leave much of an impression. More

May 04, 2012 Music Web Exclusive

Santi White starts her sophomore album with explosive momentum, opening with a Karen O collaboration appropriately titled “GO!”—the full caps and exclamation point are necessary to demonstrate how hard and fast it hits—featuring an incessant drum beat and nutty, high-pitched electronic vocals singing backup to her tribal rap-chanting. More