Album Reviews
The Round Robin Monopoly
Alpha (Jazz Dispensary Top Shelf Series)
Jun 27, 2024 Web Exclusive
Fifty years ago, a short-lived imprint of Stax Records called Truth released the veritable jazz/funk/soul classic Alpha by The Round Robin Monopoly.
Kneecap
Fine Art
Jun 26, 2024 Web Exclusive
The Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap try their best to make sense of our chaotic world.
Smoking Popes
Born to Quit (2024 Vinyl Reissue)
Jun 25, 2024 Web Exclusive
For a short time in the mid-‘90s, Chicago’s Smoking Popes burned bright, and this vinyl reissue of the band’s second album attests to why they were great.
News
Premiere: Flower Face Shares New Single “Skeleton Key”
Jun 27, 2024
Montreal-based singer/songwriter Ruby McKinnon makes dreamy and contemplative bedroom folk pop under the moniker Flower Face. She first broke through with her 2018 record, Baby Teeth, introducing her emotive songwriting and intimate instrumentation, all suffused with gothic heartache. Later this year, McKinnon is back with a new album, Girl Prometheus, the follow-up to her 2022 record, The Shark In Your Water.
Interviews
Tomer Capone on Playing Frenchie in “The Boys”
Jun 13, 2024 Web Exclusive
We sat down with Tomer Capone to hear more about his creative background, the trust he feels playing Frenchie, and how The Boys is a “jackpot” for an actor.
Sitting Down With The Cast Of “The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed”
May 12, 2024 Web Exclusive
The cast of The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed sits down for a discussion about the indie comedy’s commitment to authenticity.
Pleased to meet you
Sunday (1994) on Love, Dark Humor, and Leaps of Faith
Apr 30, 2024 Web Exclusive
Sunday (1994) recently made waves with their stunning debut single, “Tired Boy.” Not only does the single resonate like a lost classic, but the band also arrived with a fully formed visual aesthetic.
Lists
Seven Music Documentary Films and Series From 2024 to Watch (and Three to Skip)
Jun 16, 2024
Music documentaries and series are a sure thing, or so it seems. 2024 has seen quite a few of them hit theatres and even more turn up on streamers. Among these are the high-profile ones such as the newly restored 1970 film, The Beatles: Let it Be and Frank Marshall’s The Beach Boys, not to mention Taylor Swift|The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version), all on Disney+. Lil Nas X released his interpretation of Madonna’s Truth or Dare with his behind-the-scenes tour film, Long Live Montero (HBO). There is also Eno, the groundbreaking generative documentary feature on Brian Eno. Just as fascinating as the biographical docs are topical ones such as the recently released How Music Got Free (Paramount+).
Coming soon is Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple (HBO), which shines a much deserved spotlight on the multi-hyphenate talent, and I Am: Celine Dion (Prime Movies), which shares the singer’s challenges with Moersch-Woltman Syndrome.
Whether or not you’re into the artists, subjects, or the music, there is a voyeuristic and vicarious thrill in watching musicians, both in their professional setting and personal lives. Music documentary films and series are often worth the time—except when they’re not. Here are seven must-watch music docs and series released in 2024, and three from this year that you can skip.
Live reviews
Mulatu Astatke @ Sony Hall, NYC, US, June 18, 2024
Jun 26, 2024
Mulatu Asatke went down a storm at the Blue Note Jazz Festival earlier this month
Blog
Gene Clark – Reflecting on the 50th Anniversary of 1974’s “No Other”
May 24, 2024
Gene Clark was born (and is buried) in Tipton, Missouri and like the land in the center of the country he was deeply conflicted so he left home behind, moving to L.A. so he could become a singer/songwriter.
Current Issue
Issue #72
Apr 19, 2024 Issue #72 - The ‘90s Issue with The Cardigans and Thurston Moore