The SoundBite

Dawn Richard – Second Line Dawn Richard’s career has been defined by her evolution. From her earnest beginnings as a cast member and eventual winner of Diddy’s Making The Band reality show and eventual pop success with her fellow contestants as Danity Kane, Richards has been poised for reinvention ever since. Even as her band’s success dwindled and the group began to break apart, Dawn had already begun releasing what would soon become a trilogy of post-Kane reinvention. First, we received the glossy and dated pop of 2013’s Goldenheart , which although not aging well is deservedly Richards's proper debut. Its follow-up, Blackheart , is a transitional record, an improvement on its predecessor but existing largely to lay the groundwork for Redemption , the album that would soon define Richard’s career trajectory. After completion of that trilogy, her fourth album 2019’s new breed , fixated itself on ignoring Richard’s pop origins to focus on a more nuanced, topical sound. Like Jami...

Various Artists - epic ten When Sharon Van Etten’s second album, epic dropped in 2010, only a year after her debut, the response was surprisingly muted. Although critics noted the strength of its lyricism, composition, and delivery most held back from praising the album as the masterpiece it was. Even now, with five records under her belt epic remains a cult favorite, an album that is almost no one’s entry point and that few people preferred. Regardless, the album is an important one in Van Etten’s discography. It was her first album on a proper label, New York’s Ba Da Bing, her first album recorded with a full band, and arguably the first album to begin recruiting her fan base. For the album’s tenth anniversary, a surprisingly disparate group of musicians have gotten together to cover each one of epic ’s seven tracks for Ba Da Bing. The result is a great triumph, a living testament to the strength of these songs and the nature of the ongoing relationship between musicians and the ...

The Hold Steady – Open Door Policy American culture is full of people who think they’re Bruce Springsteen. Every dive bar and karaoke night have one, and sometimes those artists do a pretty good job at their imitations. Ever since Springsteen’s major crossover with Born in the U.S.A.   there have been countless songwriters who either saw themselves as the next torch bearer for his specific brand of Americana or saw themselves as some who belongs in one of his songs. Most of the time those artists really had no business watering down Springsteen’s heart on the sleeve persona, whether it be someone arguably more successful like Jon Bon Jovi, or someone whose voice is a little more conflicted like Brandon Flowers. But sometimes artists pick up on the nuance behind those classic songs, taking the label “heartland rock” and spinning it into something brand new. Adam Granduciel and The War on Drugs are one, having arguably challenged the very notion of “Springsteenism”, creating a sound ...

Nick Waterhouse - Promenade Blue Ni ck Waterhouse   has built his career on being a man out of time, shepherding his audience through the sweaty backrooms of New Orleans bars and the vibrancy of Chicago speakeasies. For four albums he has used his quasi neo-soul/Dr. John worship to develop his own pedigree, contributing LPs that could be inconsistent but always remained entertaining. Waterhouse may not be the strongest album-oriented musician, but combing his career highlights makes for a hefty and impressive setlist. Even when listening to his newest album,  Promenade Blue ,  it’s hard to avoid the obvious: this is music to dance to. Those low-lit clubs that Waterhouse has crafted his touring schedule around for over ten years are the obvious missing link in this album’s delivery, something his releases have always struggled with. Luckily though, Waterhouse is paying attention. On his strongest work, 2014s  Holly  and 2019s self-titled entry, Waterhouse found t...

Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams Arlo Parks may be only 20 years old but it’s already been two years since her debut single “Cola” began lighting up the wires of BBC radio programmers and booking agents across England. It didn’t take long for that enthusiasm to spread, by the time Parks had released two more EPs it was 2020 and she was embarking on her first European tour. The touring industry didn’t last long in 2020 however, and Parks was relegated to promoting her new album on late-night talk shows and through a steady release of more singles. Her debut, Collapsed In Sunbeams , ended up being pushed off until the beginning on 2021 while its anticipation mounted. There are always musicians who seem destined to break onto the scene with a critically lauded and commercial massive debut. Rarely does it work out that way though. After a string of EPs and singles heralded as intellectually distinct and poetic as pop music gets (whether or not that’s true is a different story) it seeme...