Nov 08, 2013 By Matt Fink Issue #47 - September/October 2013 - MGMT

The Kinks, The Smiths, Pulp—all quintessentially English bands that have, for whatever reason, found far more success in the United Kingdom than in the United States. Add to that list Arctic Monkeys, the million-selling, critically lauded quartet that, despite having made some inroads in recent years, largely remains a curiosity in the United States—too mainstream to be widely celebrated by the American indie press yet too identifiably British to really fit on the American Top 40 pop charts.

Nov 08, 2013 By Chris Tinkham Jess Weixler

There’s a hint of protectiveness in actress Jess Weixler’s voice when she discusses the anxiety issues suffered by Kristin, the character she plays in Best Man Down. After all, the film’s writer/director, Ted Koland, wanted to put Weixler’s character, a new bride, through extenuating circumstances while skewering the increasingly obsessive nature of wedding planning and the unrealistic expectations that go with it.

Nov 08, 2013 By Austin Trunick Postiljonen

The cool, breathless dream pop on Postiljonen‘s debut, Skyer, has a transportive quality to it. Their rolling synthesizer lines and love for big, audacious saxophone solos may call back to some of the 1980s’ cheesier pop songs, but in this producer trio’s skilled hands, it never feels anything but earnest and modern. It’s their sound’s ability to induce nostalgia that gave the project its name.

Nov 07, 2013 By Matt Fink Issue #47 - September/October 2013 - MGMT

As you might expect from someone who has developed an ingenious ability to infuse his songs with a deeply cinematic sense of everyday realism, Arctic Monkeys’ singer/guitarist Alex Turner finds it easier to talk in images when describing his band’s new album, AM.

Nov 06, 2013 By Austin Trunick Medicine

As recently as 2011, Brad Laner, guitarist and leader of the seminal Los Angeles shoegaze act Medicine, was saying that he would rather have a root canal than reform the band that split up acrimoniously in 1995.

Nov 05, 2013 By Tyler Huckabee Issue #47 - September/October 2013 - MGMT

Talking to Aluna Francis, you get the idea she was born to do this sort of thing. She sounds thoughtful without being pretentious, candid without appearing bitter, and articulate without sounding canned. Simply put, she seems like the sort of person who should be famous.

Nov 04, 2013 By Neil Halstead, Mark Van Hoen, and Nick Holton Web Exclusive

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. For this Track-by-Track we are featuring Black Hearted Brother‘s debut album, Stars Are Our Home.

Nov 01, 2013 By Danielle Sills Issue #47 - September/October 2013 - MGMT

One of the best parts of being a kid is the ability to dream without bounds. The world is just waiting for you to accomplish anything and everything. Doubts don’t cloud your vision; incredible thoughts seem close and obtainable.

Nov 01, 2013 By Laura Studarus Juana Molina

On the cover of Wed21, the sixth album by Argentinean singer/songwriter Juana Molina, there is a…creature.