Tennis — composed of husband and wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley — has warmed indie-loving hearts with their unique vocals and knack for writing whimsical lyrics, all without the typical love-smitten angst of the genre. Their latest album, “Small Sound,” changes Moore and Riley’s lyrical mood from sweet and soft to sorrowful and hopeless. While that may...
“Oh, when love is gone / Where does it go?” questions Arcade Fire lead singer Win Butler in the song “Afterlife,” off the band’s latest album, “Reflektor.” The album stands as the band’s most ambitious and sonically complex work to date, serving as a more-than-worthy follow-up to 2010’s Grammy Award for Album of the Year, “The Suburbs.” Themes of...
California girl Katy Perry’s fourth studio album, “Prism,” is full of hit songs which reflect her bubbly and eccentric personality. Although several of her lyrics are basic and simplistic, Perry’s messages are full of depth. Many slow and thoughtful songs accumulate with biblical references throughout. “Prism” lets fans of Perry see several sides of her –– and in that...
AFI is no stranger to the post-hardcore punk scene. With more than 10 years as a band, eight studio albums and countless EPs under their belt, the group returns with their latest record, “Burials.” Reflective of lead singer Davey Havok’s personal tribulations, the album displays the collective sounds and lyrics that fans of the band have grown to love.
The...
In the midst of mainstream releases from the likes of Drake and DJ Khaled comes a new project from the underground rapper and notorious troublemaker, Cage. No newcomer to the hip-hop scene, his most recent album, “Kill the Architect,” arrives with his signature loud mouth and nonchalant mentality, seemingly throwing his middle finger in the air with every track.
Cage...
Over the past few years, folk music has been making a comeback — with a big change. Rock’s influence has added new guitar riffs and edgy vocals. The Avett Brothers thrive on this change. Only 13 months after the release of “The Carpenter,” they dropped “The Magpie and the Dandelion,” using songs they recorded in the same sessions as...
This brings me back. TLC’s “20” marks the 20-year anniversary of the group’s career. Music has made many shifts and changes, but one thing is clear: TLC still remains the top-selling all-girl group ever, and this collection reminds us why. This greatest hits collection features an eclectic mix from the group’s catalogue, ranging from breakup songs to songs of...
After their return to the mainstream rock scene with the album “Save Rock and Roll,” Fall Out Boy is back six months later with an eight-song EP, “Pax Am Days.” In this release, the band strays away from their catchy, arena-rock sound for a raw, punk-rock roar.
Each song is a quick burst of energy, with seven of the eight...
Who would have thought that a 71-year-old man could sound so decidedly … indie? On Paul McCartney’s latest album, “New,” the music legend gives his unmistakable style a modern-indie rock feel, while never losing touch of what made him popular in his remarkable career, including his classic sound. The album as a whole has its ebbs and flows, but...
Since the release of their self-titled debut album back in 2011, a lot has happened to lead singer Madeline Follin and guitarist Brian Oblivion, who together make up Cults. After going their separate ways romantically, the two came back together musically for their second LP “Static.” The record chronicles the duo’s breakup, and the feelings and emotions that come...