‘VANTABLACK’ may be Hathaway’s most accessible album to date and its influences are multitudinous.
Read moreBeyoncé Defies Expectation, Lassos Inspiration with Convention-Breaking ‘Cowboy Carter’ | Album Review
Rather than a traditional country effort, ‘Cowboy Carter’ is an intricate pastiche of Americana, roots music, contemporary soul and country that rides well on the wild fusions it lassoes in.
Read moreSy Smith’s ‘Until We Meet Again’ Melds Multiple Elements Into One Cohesive, Compelling Whole | Album Review
With the musical, vocal, lyrical, and emotional aptitude collected on ‘Until We Meet Again,’ it makes for a robustly embodied experience.
Read moreJames Blake Delves Deep Into the Visceral on Prismatic ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’ | Album Review
Blake’s sixth studio affair is like a surround sound work meant to be experienced in a theater where the seats rumble to punctuate its big moments. These songs are to be felt, not only heard.
Read moreJoni Mitchell’s Resilient Spirit and Timeless Songs Take Center Stage on ‘Joni Mitchell at Newport’ | Album Review
Originally captured during her surprise performance at the Newport Folk Festival in the summer of 2022, Mitchell’s new live album is an inspired portrait of her artistry and vitality.
Read moreJanelle Monáe Savors Her Sensuality and Stimulates Our Senses with ‘The Age of Pleasure’ | Album Review
One can only hope a deluxe edition extends this bacchanalian delight to satisfy those who like a longer session. Perhaps Monáe intentionally chose to stop short because they like watching partners beg for more.
Read moreJidenna Examines Intimacy In Its Multiple Forms with Compelling ‘ME YOU & GOD’ | Album Review
‘ME YOU & GOD’ is an anthology of vignettes that works best as an uninterrupted listen.
Read moreEmily King’s ‘Special Occasion’ Celebrates the Vitality and Vicissitudes of Love | Album Review
Ostensibly, Emily King and Jeremy Most’s final act as a duo was to craft a spectacular, textured elegy to their union. Tragedy aside, ‘Special Occasion’ is an undeniable triumph.
Read moreBeyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Is a Resplendent, Reverential Experience for the Mind, Body and Soul | Album Review
Throughout the expanse of ‘Renaissance,’ Beyoncé’s artistic use of dance music as a medium investigates hidden corners of the genre with complex arrangements and atypical melodies.
Read moreRobert Glasper’s Sound and Collaborative Vision Hit All of the Right Keys on Resonant ‘Black Radio III’ | Album Review
As preached on the record’s introduction, “We don’t play music. We pray music.” If that doesn’t resonate immediately, just one listen will justify the hype.
Read moreKenny Lattimore’s ‘Here To Stay’ Advances His Artistry While Preserving His Proven Creative Pedigree | Album Review
Though contemporary R&B can split fans into factions of old school vs. the new, Lattimore’s embrace of evolution in the genre makes for a thrilling symbiosis in the studio.
Read moreLucky Daye Proves That Sometimes It Takes Two to Make a Song Sound Right on ‘Table For Two’ Duets EP | Review
‘Table For Two’ thrives on a kind of playful pugilism, unfolding as romcom drama dressed up for your listening pleasure.
Read moreJazmine Sullivan Examines the Depths and Dynamism of a Woman’s Worth on ‘Heaux Tales’ | EP Review
For a lesser artist, delivering songs this explicit would seem like a thin gimmick for attention, but Jazmine Sullivan is far above that weight class.
Read moreGabriel Garzón-Montano Stretches His Sound on Genre-Blurring ‘Agüita’ | Album Review
Though the sequencing of ‘Agüita’ is aurally jarring, this sound expansion is a smart move so early in Garzón-Montano’s career.
Read moreJacob Collier Embarks Upon His Most Ambitious & Arresting Adventure to Date with ‘Djesse Vol. 3’
Despite being ironically slumber-obsessed, Jacob Collier’s euphonic fever dream is energetic and wide awake.
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