Massive Attack’s sold-out show in Sydney in August was my first time seeing them — long overdue, as I’ve been a fan for over 30 years. As if I were being rewarded for waiting all that time, it was absolutely stunning, unlike anything I’ve seen before. Twenty-thousand of us at the unfortunately named Afterpay Arena … Continue reading Massive Attack’s unparalleled live fusion of music, cinema, and politics
This is a list of my favorite albums of 2025! It’s my fifth-annual end-of-year list and if you’re a regular reader, you know they’re always late! So let’s get right into it without a long intro! Several of my new and old favorite artists dropped new albums in 2025, including three who’ve been the subjects … Continue reading An as-always untimely list of the best albums of 2025
I won’t spend too many words introducing this list — I’ve already explained my taste and methodology several times on my previous year-end lists, dating back to 2021. The overarching themes here are shoegaze, hyperpop, ambient, electronic, and psychedelia, as usual; with a big helping of skewed folk and country this time around. This was … Continue reading A reasonably timely list of the best albums of 2024
If there were any justice in the world, All Over the Place would be widely considered one of the greatest debut albums of all time. A bright blast of jangly power pop and psychedelic garage rock marked by euphoric tunes, shimmering harmonies, and delightfully cynical lyrics about creeps and bad boyfriends, the Bangles’ first full-length … Continue reading Revisiting All Over the Place, the Bangles’ criminally underrated 1984 debut LP
I published the first of my year-end best-albums lists in early March of 2022, and sheepishly titled it “A belated list.” The next one was a little less late, landing in late February, and so that one was “A (somewhat less) belated list.” Well, the third edition is later than ever. It’s mid-March, 2023 has … Continue reading A belated (as usual) list of the best albums of 2023
This is a revised and expanded version of an article I wrote for Tone Deaf in 2018 (and which was later republished by Classic Album Sundays) Boards of Canada’s Music Has the Right to Children is without question the album I’ve listened to the most in the past 21 years. I can’t think of what … Continue reading Boards of Canada’s Music Has the Right to Children: Cinematic psychedelia, dope beats and audio therapy
It’s frustrating how long it takes me to get these best-of lists out. My best of 2021 was published in March of last year. I wanted this one up a lot earlier but my epic piece about Andor ended up taking a lot of time and energy at the start of the year (and no … Continue reading A (somewhat less) belated list of the best albums of 2022
In the weeks before seeing the mighty Khruangbin in the Concert Hall at Sydney Opera House last Friday night (the first of three sold-out shows for them there, and my first time seeing them), I told several friends I wasn’t so sure how appropriate a venue it was for them. I’m sure this might have … Continue reading Khruangbin live at Sydney Opera House: Sublime space-funk in the grandest of settings
Early this year, in my write-up of the best albums of 2021, I wrote this about young hyperpop artists like Banoffee and Charli XCX, who are making some of my favorite sounds lately: “I’m a 51-year-old dad and house DJ and this music is not made for me; the target audience is decades younger, not … Continue reading Wet Leg’s debut LP is a raunchy, joyous treat and an instant rock & roll classic
This is a reader-supported blog. If you like what you read, consider buying me a coffee! This essay is adapted from a presentation I gave at our Classic Album Sundays Sydney listening party celebrating Tame Impala’s Currents earlier this month. I’ve included a playlist, embedded below. There’s a paradox at the heart of the massive appeal … Continue reading Tame Impala’s Currents: A contemporary classic of epic, obsessive psychedelic pop
