Berated

Today, a venerable volcano of lo-fi indie pop/rock has been erupting from the New York scene (see Vivian Girls, Cymbals Eat Guitars, etc.). Sleigh Bells have taken elements of this scene and infused a grandiose sense of noise and rock so succinctly that it feels effortless in the face of so many down-tempo acts who rigorously attempt to provide their own uniqueness in a sea of similar bands.

Long-distance collaborations before the internet must have been daunting. Mere words can be transferred easily from one end of the world to another using many methods, but artistic ideas rarely mature properly in circumstances deterred by lack of spontaneous contact. This is especially the case in music, where many people exceed their own potential by [...]

Gogol Bordello are unarguably one of the finest live acts today. Like its predecessors, their fifth album struggles to maintain the band's uniquely spontaneous energy through some interesting choices in production. Their stellar songwriting, however, remains prevalent.

There is something very likable about Slothbear, even in addition to their name. Their sound recalls the best parts of vintage college-rock, which is presented with clarity through the band’s surprisingly adept methods of self-production. The feel of restraint that is often associated with home recordings is absent on Slothbear’s debut EP Qids, and instead [...]

Claire Boucher may scoff at the idea of a conventional press photo. Conceptual art describes her sound and image better than a forced mugshot, which can potentially depict an artist as restrained or confined to conventional ideals. Great music needs no visual stimulant to prove its worth, nor does it even require a press photo [...]

Whether referring to fusions or collaborations, co-creations are often best digested with familiarity of the two or more components at hand. For instance, the food grapple looks like an apple, but its skin tastes like a grape and the insides taste like an apple. Perfectly enjoyable, but those attempting to eat it without prior familiarity [...]

Librarians are certainly different than the professionals they take their name from. Their recent material finds solace in its own untidy ambition as opposed to systematic convention, a flexible ideology that allows their plethora of influences to shed their skins most appropriately. Their second album, Present Passed, will likely be one of 2010’s breakouts [...]

Lauren Tischler takes us through her top entertainment picks for this summer, along with some classic songs that sound best in the heat. Summer does not officially begin for over two months, but it is never too late to get in the spirit of things. These select tracks should help in doing so.

Ariel Pink is one of the most prominent causes of the recent “chillwave” movement, where recent artists like Washed Out, Neon Indian, and Memory Cassette have paid subtle tribute to Pink's incredible past work. This introduction should hopefully make sorting through his extensive discography much easier. One of this decade's most essential artists deserves no less.

This month's compilation coincides with spring's emergence as artists like Gorillaz, Paul Weller, and MGMT provide us with some familiar invigoration, along with recent breakouts like Kammerflimmer Kollektief, Sleigh Bells, and Phantom Power. We can hope the weather keeps up with the abundance of great new music.