Demeter’s “Joanie”: Power, Abuse, and an American Nightmare
I was taught to respect the police from a very young age. I grew up (and still live) on Long Island, where everyone’s related to a cop and where you’ll find Blue Lives Matter bumper stickers in even the most liberal areas. The police marched in Memorial Day parades, organized barbecues in the park, gave […]
Braille Face’s “Softly Spoken”: Modern Alienation with a Sensitive Soul
When quarantine started, I resolved to learn something new. I didn’t know what, exactly, I wanted to learn about (fashion? Film history? Art? Drag? The possibilities were theoretically endless), but I figured that, if I wanted to fully throw myself into something new, this was as good an opportunity as I was going to get. […]
Concetta Abbate’s “Creatures”: A Lovely, Empathetic Modern Art Song
When I started listening to “Creatures”, the uncannily beautiful new song from the New York-based Concetta Abbate, it took me a few plays to realize that the plucking noise I was hearing came from a violin. It’s not that it’s an unrecognizable sound, or that it’s been slathered in effects until it sounds nothing like […]
Chatting with Hua Li About “Four More Days”, Quarantine, and Montreal
There’s something ironic about being lonely in a city. A city, after all, is defined by the fact that there’s a lot of people, and they usually serve as a cultural hub for the surrounding area. And yet so many people who live in cities find themselves feeling lonely or alienated, confined to offices, subways, […]
Uchechi’s “Violet Storm”: Mysterious and Beautiful as the Storm Clouds Gather
As I write this review, a storm is brewing outside my window. My neck of the woods is currently being menaced by Tropical Storm Fay (because, you know, we don’t have enough going on already), and while the storm isn’t making direct landfall on Long Island we’re still getting strong winds and torrential downpours. In […]
“Balcony Scene” by Nervous City Nervous Self: A Bittersweet Shakespearean Dream
Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, and as such one of his most misunderstood. It’s widely recognized as one of history’s greatest and most tragic romances, and the titular couple have become a byword for star-crossed lovers. However, others read it not as a romance but as a cautionary tale. To […]
Chatting with Sleepy Gonzales about “Sally on the Avenue”, Dream Pop, and Anthony Fantano
Dream pop bands aren’t known for their sense of humor. After all, dream pop prioritizes music over lyrics; from Mazzy Star to Cocteau Twins, dream pop lyrics range from cryptic to incomprehensible. The genre also values sincerity and romanticism, which doesn’t leave much room for irony. But Sleepy Gonzales, the Canadian band behind “Sally on […]
Oliver Say’s “Am I Always So Wrong?”: A Gorgeous, Falsetto-Rich Slow Dance
There’s something to be said for a good falsetto. In the wrong hands, it can be a weak, mewling stab at tenderness and intimacy, a crutch used by reedy-voiced R&B hacks and guitar-toting soft-bros. But when it’s done right, it’s a useful, versatile tool in any singer’s arsenal; depending on the needs of the song, […]
Madeleine McQueen’s “Family Song”: A Daughter’s Love
My mother likes to talk about a meeting with her guidance counselor in high school. With a condescending smile, the guidance counselor told my mom that she just wasn’t cut out for college, and that she should focus her attention on finding a husband to provide for her. My mom, indignant and newly motivated, set […]
“In Your Eyes I Look Bigger” by Liebeskid: Eerie Music for the Coming Storm
I talk a lot about music that sounds colorful, music that uses a lot of instrumentation and textures to create a big, brilliant burst of joy and beauty. But there’s something to be said for music that strips it all back, as well. Some songwriters favor sounds that are stark, minimalist, and haunting, using little […]
