Sign in Become a member

Jon Young

ALBUM REVIEW: Brandy Clark Explores Love in All Its Complicated Glory

ALBUM REVIEW: Brandy Clark Explores Love in All Its Complicated Glory

Love hurts, love consumes, and occasionally love uplifts, according to Brandy Clark. On her absorbing self-titled fourth album, this insightful singer-songwriter catalogs assorted varieties of love, from romantic and greedy to familial and spiritual, making the most universal of topics feel fresh and urgent. Brandy Clark is produced by Brandi

ALBUM REVIEW: David Wax Museum Mixes Sounds with Effortless Flair on ‘You Must Change Your Life’

ALBUM REVIEW: David Wax Museum Mixes Sounds with Effortless Flair on ‘You Must Change Your Life’

David Wax Museum calls its sound “Mexo-Americana,” but don’t expect a highfalutin cross-cultural experiment. Wax and his wife, Suz Slezak, play exotic-seeming stringed instruments (jarana jarocha, huapanguera) and percussion (donkey jawbone), but don’t prepare for an exercise in dry folklore. On the exhilarating You Must Change Your Life,

ALBUM REVIEW: Robbie Fulks Goes on a Joyous ‘Bluegrass Vacation’

ALBUM REVIEW: Robbie Fulks Goes on a Joyous ‘Bluegrass Vacation’

Robbie Fulks has covered a lot of ground since the mid-’90s, most of it qualifying as Americana. The singer-songwriter has released solo projects ranging from somber character studies (2016’s Grammy-nominated Upland Stories) to a rollicking celebration of overlooked country music ancestors (2001’s 13 Hillbilly Giants). He’s

ALBUM REVIEW: Nick Waterhouse Wrestles With the Persistence of Memory on ‘The Fooler’

ALBUM REVIEW: Nick Waterhouse Wrestles With the Persistence of Memory on ‘The Fooler’

Nostalgia is a trap, an alluring one to be sure, but often a dead end. California’s Nick Waterhouse has been tempting fate over the last decade, exploring a groove that draws heavily from early-’60s R&B and jazz, yet he’s never been a simple retro act.

ALBUM REVIEW: Waco Brothers Fight for a Better World on ‘The Men That God Forgot’

ALBUM REVIEW: Waco Brothers Fight for a Better World on ‘The Men That God Forgot’

Don’t be fooled by the scruffy, seemingly offhand presentation. On The Men That God Forgot, Chicago’s fearless Waco Brothers undertake a deadly serious mission, striving to help lay the foundation for a better world. Unleashing rousing barroom rockers that flirt with chaos yet never tumble into the abyss,

ALBUM REVIEW: The Cold Stares Make a Cathartic Racket on ‘Voices’

ALBUM REVIEW: The Cold Stares Make a Cathartic Racket on ‘Voices’

Consumed by regret, loneliness, and desperation, Chris Tapp is a forlorn traveler on the rocky road of life, weary yet resilient, fierce yet vulnerable. On the electrifying Voices, the frontman for The Cold Stares constantly seems to be on the verge of a meltdown – if he never quite loses it,

ALBUM REVIEW: Cat Clyde Creates a Refuge on ‘Down Rounder’

ALBUM REVIEW: Cat Clyde Creates a Refuge on ‘Down Rounder’

Listening to Cat Clyde is like spending quality time with a reassuring friend who puts the craziness of the world into perspective. On Down Rounder, her third album of original material, the Canadian singer-songwriter meets the challenge of leading a meaningful existence, confronting injustice, and living in the moment with