I’m not going to pretend to have a new angle on what Lana Del Rey represents, or her disastrous SNL debut, or her sustained popularity in the aftermath of all that hate to close the decade as one of the most widely admired artists in pop. That story is an interesting one. Her music is…
“Whatever” – The Beths
Some of my favorite indie rock in recent years has come from Australia and New Zealand, though I haven’t been able to tell whether this constitutes any kind of defined scene. The most prominent example is Tame Impala who, when not selling out stadiums or headlining festivals, is one Australian guy named Kevin tinkering in…
“A Little God in My Hands” – Swans
Swans had their first ever top 40 record in 2014, more than 30 years after the release of their debut LP. No one said “it’s about time,” because Swans is not the kind of band that was ever supposed to be in the top 40 of anything. In their early years, Swans were best known…
“Brill Bruisers” – The New Pornographers
I’m a power pop guy at heart. Big hooks over manic drums and surprise minor chords? Can’t beat it. That’s my disclaimer before I call The New Pornographers the best band of the last 20 years. It’s not a popular choice, generally well-liked though they are. But to my ears, no one can match the…
“Surgeon” – St. Vincent
For all the hand-wringing about rock’s demise in the early aughts (and the absurd pressure on unassuming post-punk revivalists like The Strokes and The White Stripes to save it), come the ‘10s, rock ‘n roll had disappeared from the charts and nobody seemed all that bothered. Gen Z has fully moved on, but it was…