More than 2,500 songs shared, some 200 LPs and EPs reviewed, thousands of photos from concerts and festivals, and dozens of premieres later, we’ve arrived at our annual tradition of sharing our favorite songs of the past 52 weeks – also known as The Mega, Mega Playlist of 2017. This year’s playlist is the biggest yet. The 2015 version had […]

2017 has been another fabulous year for music. Numerous bands and artists made triumphant returns, dozens of newcomers took music to new heights, and some established stars aged like fine wines. With the holiday season upon us, it’s the perfect time to review the year that was. For the last five days, we shared our Favorite 50 Albums of 2017. […]

We have arrived at the time of the year when we reflect on our Favorite Albums of 2017. These are the records that will forever hold places on our vinyl shelves and digital libraries because they are timeless treasures. Our list features the triumphant return of several legendary bands, the meteoric rise of some of music’s finest, and spectacular debuts […]

2017 is half over, and the first six months of the year featured incredible music. This past week, though, was full of surprises and may have the best of the year. Reflecting how awesome the past seven days were, the Weekend Showcase 3.25 edition is the longest mega-playlist in our short history. It features 60 songs, although the final five […]

Two years ago, Algiers announced themselves to the world with their raw but fiery debut album. Algiers introduced us to the intercontinental band’s kaleidoscopic sound that was unlike anything released that year or even in this decade. Elements of gospel, soul, post-punk, New Wave, blues, and indie rock were masterfully blended into a maelstrom of combustible sonic energy. Algiers’ brilliance […]

Unintentionally, the music featured from the past week had two characteristics – songs that either were motivated by current events and those made for road trips. Fortunately, the two went hand-in-hand, resulting in a fantastic Weekend Showcase 3.16 edition. This is one playlist to hear from start to finish. The mega-playlist includes 54 songs by artists and band representing 15 […]

The Matinee April 28th is like a high school reunion, as each of the nine artists / bands featured today have occupied past playlists and/or have had their albums reviewed. This is a first for us. Algiers – “The Underside of Power” (Atlanta, USA) RIYL: TV on the Radio, Benjamin Booker, Leon Bridges Atlanta-based indie rockers Algiers are one of […]

As the world breathes a collective sigh in the wake of the U.S. elections, we turn to music to help us process our spectrum of emotions. Whether you’re in the heartland of America, a bustling European capitol, or on a tranquil beach in New Zealand, you probably share the world’s “WTF?!?” feelings of surprise, dismay, or relief. This playlist features […]

For ease, here is the complete list of our Favorite 50 Albums of 2015. Click on the sub-heading below to be taken to the original post and hear tracks from the artists. Thanks for reading and here’s to another great year of music ahead of us.   The First 15 Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color Algiers – Algiers The […]

We’ve come to the last week of the year, making it the perfect time to reflect on our 50 Favorite Albums of 2015. We’ve collectively heard well over 1,500 albums, but we fully are aware that this represents probably 2% or 3% of all the albums released this year. As such, we never could produce a “best albums” list, but […]

Every three months, we like to look back on some of the great albums that crossed our desks, landed in our inboxes, or that we just decided to pick up because we were curious. In April, we counted down our 20 Favorite Albums of the First Quarter. We had so much to write that we had to split it up […]

The first notes on the Algiers self-titled debut album (released June 2 on Matador Records) are instantly gripping: ominous yet reverent, its languid cadence and bluesy gospel harmonies give voice to the oppressive weight of southern heat and humidity. The first track, “Remains,” greets your ears not as a gentle breeze but with the turbulence of an impending storm. You […]