Category: Reviews
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Since 1995 when he debuted with the much-praised album Maxinquaye, Tricky has released 11 full-length albums, if you count this, his latest, which he’s given his birth name, Adrian Thaws. Suffice to say that he’s been much more prolific than many of his peers. When you release that many albums, there are going to be some…
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Wednesday night I headed into Cambridge, Massachusetts, Boston’s sister city, to catch Sylvan Esso at The Sinclair. It’s a small club and the duo could’ve probably filled a larger one, being that they’ve exploded – especially on college radio – since they booked The Sinclair, but perhaps it’s better to have people crammed in like…
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okio Hotel have just released the above video for their new single, “Run, Run, Run,” and it is an astoundingly good — and beautiful — song that just might make you cry with its haunting, melancholic vibes. Seriously, this one cuts right through you like a master chef’s blade, going straight for the heart, through…
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interview by Michael McCarthy You know how they say there’s a first time for everything? Well, here’s a first for Love is Pop – an interview with a black metal band. Wiki’s definition of black metal: “Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted…
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On their last single, “Stops My Mouth,” Bat and Ball delivered electronic beats with sparse guitars and cool basslines. It was a somewhat melancholic tune with a haunting vocal courtesy of Abi Sinclair, who comprises the duo with her brother Chris. Now they’re back with their new single “Lizard Cuts,” a deeply melancholic song about “loss, desire…
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Sunday September 7, 2014 – Boston, Massachusetts: It’s no secret that I have fibromyalgia and one of the most important things when you have it is getting enough sleep. To that end, I slept in a bit on Sunday, missing the 11 o’clock train from Lowell to Boston, which meant I needed to wait for…
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Saturday September 6, 2014 – Boston, Massachusetts: Before I get into my reviews of the individual artists who performed on Saturday, I have to say something else about the people who attended the event. Not only were they peaceful, they were also friendly and trustworthy. I’d like to think that I made a few new…
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One of the most interesting things about Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Jillian Banks’ debut album, Goddess, is how decidedly *not* top 40 it is. Listening to her songs, you can’t help but think “if only.” If only the beats were more boisterous. If only the bass pulsated in a punchier way. If only the tempo were…
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Friday September 5, 2014 – Boston, Massachusetts The reason why the headline above indicates that this edition of the Boston Calling Festival takes place in September, as if that weren’t obvious, is simple: there was already a Boston Calling Festival this year, back in June. I’m still sorry that I didn’t ask for press access, especially since it…
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“I feel the magic,” sings Petite Meller during her wonderful, uplifting song “NYC Time.” You’ll feel it, too, on this delightful remix by Betablock3rs, who give it a delicious, thumping beat, rays of sunshiny synth, and perfect drum machine beats. Easily the best remix we’ve heard this month.
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DJ Shadow has been one of our favorite electronic artists for decades now. He never fails to be wildly imaginative, letting his thoughts and loops take him in new directions at every turn. And that’s precisely what he’s done here with his highly invigorating remix of Kimbra’s “90’s Music.” Slamming beats, throbbing bass, jangly percussion…
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I recently had the opportunity to hear Brother, the stunning debut EP of newcomers Mighty Oaks, who stand out from the ever-growing folk crowd by writing wonderful songs with big, catchy choruses, the sort that just sweep you away in their emotion and infectiousness. Although, to be fair, it might not be entirely accurate to…
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Printer Clips is side-project of Paul Noonan, best known as the lead singer of Bell X1. Interestingly, he did not sit back and create a solo album in his downtime. That would have been too easy. Instead, he did an album of duets with female singers. Although PJ Harvey and Emmylou Harris declined to participate,…
