Ethers a union of accomplished musical friends
Given the band members’ collective pedigree in a host of estimable indie bands over the last decade, it should come as no surprise that Ethers’ self-titled debut album sounds so...
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Amanda Shires sees the writing on the wall
Amanda Shires just released a turning-point album, one that takes her to a new level as a songwriter and sonic adventurer. But “To the Sunset” (Silver Knife/Thirty Tigers) didn’t arrive...
Idles turn resistance into celebration on ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’
Near the end of Idles’ second album, “Joy as an Act of Resistance” (Partisan), singer Joe Talbot turns Solomon Burke’s soul classic “Cry to Me” upside down. He’s not calling...
How Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin teamed up to make a blues album
Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin grew up 1,100 miles apart in Lubbock, Texas, and Downey, Calif., respectively, but their musical paths crossed long before they met each other nearly...
Interpol looks to exit its moody cul-de-sac on ‘Marauder’
It’s surprising that it took six albums for Interpol to release a song titled “Surveillance,” but it finally arrives on “Marauder” (Matador). It’s emblematic of an album that tries to...
Idles find compassion, catharsis in fractured times
On Idles’ summer single “Danny Nedelko,” singer Joe Talbot and his fellow Brits blast out a tribute to the song’s namesake, a Ukrainian immigrant who became a friend and confidant....
Drake at the United Center: Celebration wins out over petulance
Though he’s the most commercially successful hip-hop artist of the last decade, Drake has lately been sounding put-upon, anxious, even paranoid. But there was little time for moping Friday in...
‘The Lubbock Tapes: Full Circle’ review: Where it all began for Joe Ely
When the Clash started kicking around with Joe Ely in the late ’70s, they were drawn to this West Texas wild card who didn’t like rules. Ely was a singer-songwriter...
Superorganism’s musical connection spans continents
The multi-national octet Superorganism is in the midst of an insane touring schedule as it plays festivals across continents, sometimes within the same week. Norway one day, Los Angeles a...
7 essential Aretha Franklin recordings
The seven recordings any Aretha Franklin die-hard fan or neophyte should listen to: “You Grow Closer” (1998): The teenage Aretha cuts loose in the ’50s, revving up a raucous congregation...