May 12, 2022 By Ben Jardine Web Exclusive

On a Spring day in early April, Tarriona “Tank” Ball of the New Orleans funk-soul group, Tank and the Bangas, is driving to get some lunch. The night before, Ball was joined by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for a rendition of the National Anthem at the NCAA Men’s Basketball final between Kansas and North Carolina. “Right after the game, we went straight to the bowling alley to celebrate the birthday of one of the Bangas, Norman [Spence II],” says Ball. “And now we gotta go home and pack for California.” More

May 09, 2022 By Celine Teo-Blockey Web Exclusive

Warpaint, the Los Angeles-based quartet with a predilection for gauzy psychedelia and noize return after six years with Radiate Like This, a swirling, warm embrace with a focused message: that women are champions—for ourselves, and everybody else. This ode to the strength of womanhood, a sentiment as old as time bears repeating and is unmistakable on lead single, “Champion.” It opens with a sole voice, cooing languidly over a buoyant drum and bass, “I’m an ocean, breathin’ in and out, I’m a million years old. I’m a champion.” This chill wave enhanced by a dreamlike chorus of voices before culminating in the bridge with the collegial “and here it is, I got you”—all contribute to an incredible sense of well being for the listener. More

May 09, 2022 By Matt Conner Web Exclusive

Ali Larter discusses her latest film, The Last Victim, and what it means to achieve longevity in Hollywood these days. More

May 06, 2022 By Dom Gourlay Web Exclusive

Sunflower Bean have released their eagerly anticipated third album today. Entitled Headful of Sugar, it’s the follow-up to 2018’s critically acclaimed Twentytwo In Blue. More

May 05, 2022 By Dom Gourlay Issue #69 - 20th Anniversary Issue

Formed around five years ago by vocalist Joe Evans and guitarist Tom Sharkett after playing in various bands together beforehand, Manchester-via-Leeds collective W.H. Lung are the sound of the future dressed as now. More

May 02, 2022 By Chris K Davidson Web Exclusive

Over the past two decades, Norwegian songwriter Sondre Lerche has loved to play with the expectations of his listeners. What seems like an enticing, yet straightforward indie-pop song can take a turn either through a tempo change, mood shift, or tonal dissonance. More

Apr 29, 2022 By Celine Teo-Blockey Web Exclusive

UK band Bloc Party return today with Alpha Games, their much-awaited sixth album and the first where founding members Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack created songs from the ground up with new members, bassist Justin Harris and drummer Louise Bartle. The two members joined in 2015—after the departure of Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong—and whilst they both did some touring to promote 2016’s Hymns, it was an album and song cycle that highlighted the trials of a band in transition, that they had no hand in songwriting. Harris was involved in recording some of the studio tracks while Bartle was completely uninvolved. More

Apr 28, 2022 By Andy Von Pip Issue #69 - 20th Anniversary Issue

Two Ribbons, the third album from British duo Let’s Eat Grandma and the follow-up to 2018’s acclaimed I’m All Ears, is a beautifully honest body of work that explores themes of love, loss, and friendship, as well as reconnection and hope. It also reflects on an incredibly emotionally challenging period in the lives of Jenny Hollingworth and Rosa Walton as they attempted to reconnect and figure out how to move forward as artists whilst protecting their friendship. More

Apr 28, 2022 By Austin Saalman Web Exclusive

Founded as a high school vocal group in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood in 1959, The Chi-Lites eventually emerged as one of the most influential soul acts of their generation. More