Merrill Garbus has performed as tUnE-yArDs since 2009, and that band name has always been synonymous with forward movement—whether because of her explosive performance style or the always-surprising way in which her songs unfold. First gaining notice with the debut BiRd-BrAiNs, which The New York Times called “a confident do-it-yourselfer’s opening salvo: a staticky, low-fi, […]

Death Cab for Cutie knew immediately that Kintsugi would fit perfectly as the title of their eighth studio album. A philosophy derived from the Japanese art of repairing cracked ceramics with gold to highlight flaws instead of hiding them, kintsugi speaks to the way an object’s history is part of its aesthetic value. “Considering what […]

“I Love You, Honeybear” was recorded intermittently from 2013 to 2014 in Echo Park, Los Angeles and produced with Jonathan Wilson, who I also recorded and produced 2012’s Fairly Fun with. There’s a case to be made that it sounds and acts a bit like Scott Walker, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, and Dory Previn. Blammo. […]

For more than 15 years, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has carried the torch for true rock and roll. From the guitar-heavy sonic aggression of the earlier BRMC years, to the blues-Americana stylings of studio releases like Howl (2005) and Baby 81 (2007) to the present, guitarist Peter Hayes, bassist Robert Levon Been and drummer Leah […]