MUSIC

Grace Cummings’ 2019 debut Refuge Cove quietly announced the talent and unique voice of this Melbourne-based artist. Joining the Flightless Records roster meant instant hype for its association with labelmates King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, as well as distribution through the American label ATO. On her sophomore follow-up, Storm Queen, Cummings shows that she is trying new sounds and can certainly develop as an artist; unfortunately, she sounds a bit unsure of how to bring everything together during this period of growth. In any case, she is still an artist to keep an eye on, even if her newest record falls short as a whole.

A new track and a Saturday Night Live performance announce new Lizzo music after three years. Her last album, Cuz I Love You, was her first charting record and RIAA-certified Platinum with six well-performing promotional singles. Lizzo is riding high on her success after branching out into acting and production for an Amazon series, so you can expect to hear a lot of Lizzo this year.

Hailing from the Isle of Wight, this duo popped up out of nowhere to deliver a self-titled debut LP on the top-notch indie label Domino Records. Despite remaining firmly in the genre of deadpan post-punk, Wet Leg seized the zeitgeist and landed some hit debut singles, the most popular of which has nearly 15 million streams on Spotify. Their first collection of driving, exuberant pop-adjacent music had six total singles, and surprisingly the other half is of equal quality.

Though it’s not the most common approach, many artists have sought more depth and uniqueness from their music videos by imbuing them with a story element. The newest Interpol singles, from their upcoming 2022 album, use a balance of connected storyline with traditional artful editing and choreography to evoke the mysterious, propulsive moods of the tracks. Here’s what to expect from the characters’ journey across the new Interpol songs “Toni” and “Something Changed.”

In May 2022, three of this decade’s best artists are among the massive amount of bands touring this year. If you are in or live near any of these cities, don’t miss out on these headliners all supporting their amazing 2021 albums.

Though only 16 artists are playing at this Maryland festival, the headliners are positively stunning choices. All five of the central group would be worth the price individually, so all together, this is not a show to miss. With only one day of music, it’s the perfect festival for those who want a smaller scale than usual while still getting a massive bang for their buck. Here are the five main groups to see at All Things Go this year!

The Wombats' post-punk-adjacent pop music has stayed on the thin line between popularity and obscurity since their ironic early hit “Let’s Dance to Joy Division.” Since then, the reviews have been decent enough, but the music remains a simple blend of hooks and pop/rock lightness. Despite another evocative album title this year, Fix Yourself, Not the World remains on the edge of the band’s untapped potential, if you can still call it that after 15 years. With the formula set, this new album spells great news for the dedicated fans and bad news for those still unconvinced.

Time to catch up on all of the essential records of the new decade! The great new music each year never stops, and even if you prefer old albums over new ones, these groundbreaking releases are hard not to appreciate for their cultural relevance. Here are the undeniably significant records of 2020, 2021, and a couple from 2022.

The Massachusetts hardcore band Converge has consistently shaped and revolutionized heavy music since their 1994 debut album. Last year, they evolved their sound even more with their tenth album, showcasing a melodic side that has only scarcely emerged in the last twenty years. The band’s 2022 tour was similarly unique - the majority of the dates had a typical lineup with a career-encompassing setlist, but two U.S. dates showcased the 2021 album members collectively known as Converge: Bloodmoon.

In March, James Murphy, leader of LCD Soundsystem, issued a statement about the progress of his band. The Brooklyn group has been on a notoriously radical schedule in the last decade, so anything from Murphy is worth taking the time to check out. Here’s the semi-undeveloped future for this incredible American band.

After two albums of remarkably vital electronic music, revolutionary artist FKA twigs was bound to try out some fun music. With her first mixtape, she makes a record that would actually fit to dance to in clubs, albeit one that caters to slightly experimental tastes. Still lyrically inward-looking to some degree, CAPRISONGS succeeds on immediacy and a collaborative pop spirit, showing greater accessibility works well in FKA twigs’ music.

More new rap music is upon us! Pusha T has had a downright thrilling year with his singles and publicity, so it’s no surprise that his newest track “Neck and Wrist” is near perfection. Here are all the relevant updates needed.

The independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment lives on in the memory of rap lovers everywhere. It is still technically operating, but the last two years have only seen one high-profile release from Isaiah Rashad. But as the label that broke Kendrick Lamar into world-class fame, TDE’s legacy cannot be overstated.

Billie Eilish's second album, Happier Than Ever, had the reviews on its side, but lower popularity cost her the wins at the 2022 Grammys. Eilish was denied even one award, getting overshadowed by another 'Best New Artist' winner who was the much more predictable choice to win. Here's the analysis of Eilish's Grammy history.

An interesting pairing! Closely following FKA twigs' pop-rap-sounding recent release, she is now guesting on the opening track of Yung Lean’s new mixtape, Stardust. Never one to get rave reviews for his music, Yung Lean is undeniably popular and influential, but his newest release is yet another bland work overall. One song stands out thanks to the presence of FKA twigs, who seemingly can do no wrong.