Miriam Piilonen Strikes a Balance in Her Multi-Talented Approach
Electronic artist Miriam Piilonen’s Sharp Diamond demonstrates her wide-ranging singer-songwriter talents and it’s as multifaceted as a fine jewel.
John Garratt
John Garratt is a music fan who has been publishing with PopMatters since 2010. He holds a BA from Hanover College and lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and two daughters.
Wilco Play It Too Safe on ‘Cousin’
Wilco can stand out from the roots-informed indie pack, but Cousin shows they are content to go with the flow even as they get back to experimentalism.
Jlin Updates Her Approach to Percussion on ‘Perspective’
Synthetic or acoustic percussion, Perspective is another release that demonstrates Jlin is a genre unto herself and way ahead of the electronic music curve.
Experimentalists Radian Break Their Mold on ‘Distorted Rooms’
Spend enough time with Radian’s new LP, Distorted Rooms, and you will begin to sense the adjustments made to this musical niche right before your ears.
The Breeders’ Long-Beloved ‘Last Splash’ Is Re-Issued Again
It’s too bad these new songs weren’t parlayed into the bulging bag of goodies that was the 20th-anniversary re-release of the Breeders’ Last Splash.
Yussef Dayes’ Debut Is an Enormous Statement of His Talent
Black Classical Music takes the listener on a highly groovy and ultimately fulfilling ride through the peaks and valleys inside Yussef Dayes’ musical brain.
Slowdive’s ‘Everything Is Alive’ Is a Masterpiece of Subtlety
From the haunted guitars to the impressionist vocals, from the most spell-binding drones to the brisk tempos, this is a Slowdive album through and through.
Jazz Pianist Mal Waldron’s ‘Mal/2’ Gets Loving Reissue Treatment
Mal Waldron’s Mal/2 vinyl reissue is a handsome package that perfectly captures the late, great jazz pianist just as he was starting his 40-plus-year roll.
The Boo Radleys Still Sound Vital on ‘Eight’
The Boo Radleys’ Eight boasts too many potential singles to be written off as another wishful reunion. It proves they’re not only back but also thriving.
Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri Adapt ‘Oedipe’ for Modern Jazz
Though Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri’s Oedipe Redux is quite a technical achievement, it faces an uphill battle when it comes to stirring the soul.
The Orb Meet Their Expectations on the Occasionally Funky ‘Prism’
The Orb’s Prism is one of those albums that pleasantly bides its time, waiting for a rush of inspiration that turns out to be only a parade of pretty neat ideas.
Mats Gustafsson and Joachim Nordwall Bend the Avant-Garde to Their Will
Experimentalists Mats Gustafsson and Joachim Nordwall have united to create an album that, even by their compartmentalized standards, is pretty out there.