The Weight and Power of Kiese Laymon’s ‘Heavy’ The Weight and Power of Kiese Laymon’s ‘Heavy’
His memoir is an affecting chronicle of both hope and despair in the American South.
Feb 7, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
SOPHIE and Blood Orange’s Thrilling Transformations SOPHIE and Blood Orange’s Thrilling Transformations
SOPHIE’s Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides and Blood Orange’s Negro Swan capture two high-wire acts of musical reinvention.
Oct 10, 2018 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
The Rise and Fall of Kanye and Drake The Rise and Fall of Kanye and Drake
The genres that West and Drake once defined are now the domain of a new generation of musicians.
Jul 19, 2018 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
Moby’s Relentless Pursuit of Authenticity Moby’s Relentless Pursuit of Authenticity
His new album, Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt, sounds teleported directly from 1999.
May 3, 2018 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
The Lamentations of Mount Eerie and David Byrne The Lamentations of Mount Eerie and David Byrne
Mount Eerie’s Now Only and David Byrne’s American Utopia both try to find meaning in a world of loss and death.
Apr 24, 2018 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
Music for Dark Times Music for Dark Times
MGMT and Poliça’s new albums offer songs of solace and alarm.
Mar 8, 2018 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
The alt-R&B of Rhye The alt-R&B of Rhye
Despite all of the sex baked into Blood, the album is striking for the sense of solitude that lurks beneath its surface.
Feb 15, 2018 / Bijan Stephen
CupcakKe’s Undeniable Joy CupcakKe’s Undeniable Joy
The exhilarating freedom and daring of Ephorize.
Jan 30, 2018 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
What ‘The Awl’ Gave Us What ‘The Awl’ Gave Us
The Awl showed many of us that diving into the weird and marginal could be fun and meaningful—and still produce great writing.
Jan 17, 2018 / Bijan Stephen
Lil Peep’s Optimist Love Songs Lil Peep’s Optimist Love Songs
Gustav Åhr was emo-rap’s most visible representative and the genre’s most mainstream success, but what set his music apart was not its despair but its deep sense of hope.
Dec 15, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen