Xiu Xiu – Xiu Mutha Fuckin’ Xiu, Vol. 1: The instrumentation on “Psycho Killer” adds an unhinged energy that surpasses the original, and “I Put a Spell on You” builds on the frenzied insanity of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ version. I’m not sure if I like the cover of Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” but it brings a different perspective to… Read more »
Jana Horn – Jana Horn: Horn could be the heir to one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Mary Margaret O’Hara. I am rarely enraptured by an artist like this within 30 seconds of the opening, but the strings behind Horn’s voice on “Go On, Move Your Body” got me. Those strings, like all the performances and arrangements on the record, pack… Read more »
Effie – Pullup to Busan 4 More Hyper Summer It’s Gonna Be a Fuckin Movie: I listened to this so much at the end of December that Pullup to Busan became my fourth-most streamed album for the month. Effie is pushing hyperpop to its limits while giving a middle finger to K-pop. I don’t particularly care about either genre, but… Read more »
Laufey – A Very Laufey Holiday: I’m not a fan of holiday music but I couldn’t let 2025 pass without playing this one. The first three standards were unremarkable interpretations that left me feeling grinchy. When Laufey’s original “Christmas Magic” came on, though, it made my heart grow three sizes. The next three tracks are sweet and charming versions of… Read more »
Cameron Winter – Heavy Metal: I didn’t want to like Heavy Metal, despite thinking Geese’s Getting Killed is arguably the best album of 2025, but I finally listened and it immediately grabbed me by the throat (or maybe the heart) and refused to let go. It is the yin to the yang of Getting Killed, an album of night and… Read more »
HAAi – HUMANiSE: As I let “Satellite” wash over me for the first time, it’s clear that HAAi has given us another set of songs that will slowly unfold and drop little shimmers of light as they do so. Robert Plant with Suzi Dean – Saving Grace: Is the band Saving Grace? Is the album Saving Grace? I prefer to get… Read more »
De La Soul – Cabin in the Sky: When I saw this, I wondered how De La would move forward without Dave Jolicoeur. When I started playing it, I wondered if Cabin would get lost in annoying skits the way so many of their records do. But then the end of the opening track came, and all my questions were… Read more »
Bruce Springsteen – Greetings from Asbury Park NJ: When my wife bought me a turntable a few years ago, I vowed to use it to fill some of the gaps in my musical knowledge. Springsteen is one of the more egregious gaps. Some friends told me to listen from the beginning, so I started with Asbury Park this week. What… Read more »
Laufey – Tiny Desk Concert | Amazon Songline: I’m still riding the wave of last week’s concert in DC, so Laufey was my go-to this week. The more I learn about her background—the way her Icelandic and Chinese and American experiences and her classical and jazz and pop influences all swirled together into a unique whole—the more I appreciate her… Read more »
Laufey – A Matter of Time: The more I listen to A Matter of Time, the more I find what I wanted—and didn’t get—from The Life of a Showgirl. A Matter of Time possesses a level of humility, vulnerability, and humanity that I just don’t hear on Showgirl. I didn’t expect to fall so hard for this record, but it’s… Read more »