veery

Belle and Sebastian are now the better part of two decades removed from what was already a second creative career peak in the mid-aughts, and it’s understandable that the now-54-year-old Stuart Murdoch is no longer writing the best music of his career. That said, the past few Belle and Sebastian releases have taken a particular nosedive in quality — the terribly sleepy 2019 rerecording of “Get Me Away From Here, I’m Dying” spotlighted a band drained of their former ... read more

As The Punch Brothers’ career has progressed, they’ve become the de facto public face of progressive bluegrass for those less attuned to the scene, partially thanks to the success of their poppier 2015 breakout “The Phosphorescent Blues,” partially due to Chris Thile’s visibility as an NPR host. But after their 2018 LP “All Ashore,” which I found too precious and self-impressed for its own good, The Punch Brothers wisely use “Hell on Church ... read more

As much as I enjoyed Hatchie’s 2019 debut “Keepsake” for its melodic richness and willing embrace of dream pop’s poppiest instincts, I understood the vocal minority who found the album too bubblegum-polished for its own good — indie pop’s answer to Taylor Swift, before Swift herself tried to become indie pop’s answer to Taylor Swift. Luckily for fans and doubters alike, “Giving the World Away” is an unmistakable artistic progression for ... read more

Now eight albums into their career, Beach House must be in the conversation of indie rock bands with the all-time most consistent discography. Having long ago passed Steven Hyden’s five-album test, the duo have taken their time between releases but reliably follow through by releasing albums that meet their exceptional standards, simultaneously meeting expectations of how a Beach House album should sound while subtly forging ahead and expanding their scope. Their first double-album, ... read more