the second from Wax Chattels is another blast of glitch-punk noise rock goodness. please watch every live clip you can find from this band. Clot is a BIG step forward, with song structures evocative of early Wire, and non-standard progression and development that is truly innovative. the absence of guitar is sublimely liberating and drummer Tom Leggett plays his heart out. the rapid-fire bass of Amanda Cheng and the death-ray keyboards of Peter Ruddell sound perfectly made for each other. it ... read more

we are witnessing the origins of an absolute superstar. Jessie Buckley has A+ acting chops, first on full display in "Taboo" and "Wild Rose" and now again in "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" and season four of "Fargo". she also has A+ vocal talent, with pure tone and emotionally charged timbre reminiscent of Bobbie Gentry. there is no one right now with her level of acting talent that comes anywhere close to her ability as a singer. I'm saying it now: if ... read more

post-Dream Syndicate Kendra Smith and post-Rain Parade David Roback formed this power-psych duo that eventually became the dream-country (or bootgaze, take your pick) slowcore band Mazzy Star, when Hope Sandoval replaced Smith (in the middle of a tour). there is almost nothing here that anticipates Mazzy Star on any level. this is a hard-driving psych-rock sound with smashing cymbals and creepy jam-band organ, along with Smith's laconic vocals and Roback's slashing guitar runs. a decent one and ... read more

her 2018 debut On Hold was a great record, full of amazing songs and featuring her velvety, whispery vocals. it was singular in its beauty and fragility but almost sonically translucent in its effulgence. her second album and her first on Dead Oceans, Breach provides more depth and much needed contrast, and the result is arrangements that frame her voice much more effectively. the songs are very good but maybe not quite up to the total quality of the debut, but they sound much more substantial. ... read more