Album Reviews

Saturday Looks Good to Me
One Kiss Ends It All

Jun 19, 2013 Issue #46 - June/July 2013 - Charli XCX

Over the last decade, Fred Thomas has operated a revolving-door policy that surpasses even Mark E. Smith's (of The Fall). But so far his fluid approach to Saturday Looks Good to Me's line-up has always come up trumps, delivering such vivacious sonic offerings as 2007's excellent Fill Up the Room.

Primal Scream
More Light

Jun 18, 2013 Issue #46 - June/July 2013 - Charli XCX

Primal Scream albums are—to quote Forrest Gump—like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. The group's 10th album, More Light, comes five years after its confusing predecessor, Beautiful Future, and it follows up the group touring its seminal album, 1991's Screamadelica.

Classic Interviews

Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts
Deconstructing Masculinity and the Mainstream With Tom Fleming

May 27, 2011 Web Exclusive

Kendal, England's Wild Beasts have just released their third album, Smother, to what is pretty much worldwide acclaim. Known for their elaborate but spacious arrangements and the flabbergasting vocal techniques of the male alto Hayden Thorpe, Wild Beasts make music where the weird meets the gorgeous, the creepy meets the sexy and the devastating meets the inspirational.

Comic Book Reviews

Red Handed: The Fine Art of Strange Crimes
First Second

Jun 07, 2013 Issue #45 - Winter 2013 - Phoenix

Matt Kindt's done it again. This original graphic novel from the writer/artist/designer is refreshing in a similar manner to some of his other works, such as 3 Story and Super Spy.

Book Reviews

Neil Young
Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream

Jan 03, 2013 Web Exclusive

Neil Young's autobiography, although written in somewhat unconventional form, is a fascination portrait of a master. 

Video Game Reviews

Omerta: City of Gangsters: Xbox 360
KALYPSO MEDIA

Mar 26, 2013 Web Exclusive

Atlantic City, for the early half of the 20th century, was regarded as America's Playground. Before it devolved a slightly dirtier, East Coast version of Vegas, the City by the Sea was theplace for Americans from any walk of life to cut loose and enjoy some of life's little decadences.

Interviews

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Jun 19, 2013 Web Exclusive

Released this past April, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's second post-reunion and 12th studio album, English Electric, goes above and beyond what anyone could—or should—have expected from two '80s synth superheroes both now approaching their mid-50s.

Molly Green and James Leffler

Jun 17, 2013 Web Exclusive

There's a scene early in the romantic road-trip comedy, Forev, where Sophie (Noël Wells), an aspiring L.A. actress, invites herself into the apartment of her neighbor, Pete (Matt Mider), and plops down in the middle of the floor to ponder the status of her life. She's just returned from a humiliating audition for a hot dog commercial, on the heels of an even worse date night out with a guy. The apartment scene stems from a time when Forev's co-writer/co-director Molly Green was going through a rough period and would come over to co-writer/co-director James Leffler's place to do the same.

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Pleased to meet you

Vondelpark

Jun 06, 2013 Web Exclusive

Seabed, the full-length debut from London-based trio Vondelpark, slickly melds dance grooves, sample-heavy guitar pop, and sweet R&B-influenced vocals for a sound that's remarkably difficult to place in any one genre or era.

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Lists

Ranked: Radiohead

Jun 14, 2013

Welcome to Ranked, our recurring series in which one of our writers takes an artist's catalogue and ranks all of their official studio albums from most essential to least essential. The order is decided by the individual writer, rather than our editors. If you disagree with our ranking then please let us know in the comments section. This time Dan Lucas ranks Radiohead. And then at the end several of our other writers provide their own ranking of Radiohead's albums.

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Galleries

The Governors Ball NYC Music Festival 2013
The Governors Ball NYC Music Festival 2013


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Live reviews

Coachella Day 3 Recap: Featuring DIIV, Jessie Ware, and Father John Misty

Apr 22, 2013 By Laura Studarus

Mental haze threatening to become an impermeable fog, I took the quality over quantity approach to the final day of Coachella, and caught impressive sets from DIIV, Jessie Ware, and Father John Misty.

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Blog

Self-Portrait: Jamie Lidell

May 30, 2013 By Jamie Lidell

When we asked Jamie Lidell to take a self-portrait, he provided several. We also asked him to write a list of personal things-interesting facts that perhaps Lidell's fans may not know about him. Earlier this year the British soul singer/songwriter/musician released his latest album, simply titled Jamie Lidell, on Warp. He's currently based in Nashville.

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Current Issue

Issue #46

Jun 14, 2013 Issue #46 - June/July 2013 - Charli XCX

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Cinema Reviews

Man of Steel

Jun 14, 2013 Web Exclusive

Let's cut to the chase. Is Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen), a good film? Yes. Does Henry Cavill fit the part of Superman? Yes. Is Man of Steel better than the Bryan Singer-directed Superman Returns from 2006? Yes. Is it on par with the Richard Donner-directed Superman starring Christopher Reeve? Not so much.  

DVD Reviews

Les Misérables Blu-ray/DVD
Studio: Universal

May 17, 2013 Web Exclusive

Tom Hooper won an Academy Award for Best Director for his mind-numbingly average character study The King's Speech, the sort of film that was made for middle American parents traveling to megaplexes around holiday time. When it was announced that his follow up would be the long-awaited film adaptation of the beloved Broadway classic Les Misérables, it felt as though his terribly British sensibilities might be a good match for the built-in drama of the iconic musical. After all, generations of fans already know the story, characters, and songs, so adequately capturing the spirit of the show should be victory in itself. He accomplishes this, to an extent.

Television Reviews

Arrested Development (Season Four)
Netflix

Jun 07, 2013 Web Exclusive

Arrested Development has always been a show that rewards repeated viewings. Last week, the release of 15 all-new episodes kept that trend going—but instead of retreading familiar territory, the long-awaited new season is as original and clever as its debut was almost 10 years ago.