Terre and Suzzy Roche Remember the Roches’ 1982 LP ‘Keep on Doing’
Forty years old, Keep on Doing is a high-water mark in the Roches’ career and a testament to their animating principle of being wholly themselves.
Cheryl Graham
I am a writer, artist, and musician who has been published in the New York Times, Pigeon Pages, and Sierra magazine. I've also written about music for Little Village magazine here in Iowa City, and pop culture for the yearly "March Xness" series. I live in Iowa City.
Rickie Lee Jones’ ‘Pirates’ Is Much More Than a Breakup Album
On 1981’s Pirates, Rickie Lee Jones resisted the easy musical path in favor of one as meandering and complicated as her own life.
Noah Deemer’s ‘The Sleepwalker’ Plumbs the Depths of Consciousness
Noah Deemer’s art-pop debut, The Sleepwalker, seeks to access deeper consciousness. Dreamy and off-kilter songs seek to unearth deeper emotions.
Ann Wilson Returns to Familiar Ground on ‘Fierce Bliss’
Ann Wilson’s voice is as muscular as ever on Fierce Bliss, but it lacks the diversity and dynamic range the Heart frontwoman brought to previous solo outings.
‘Sweet Forgiveness’ Paved the Way for Bonnie Raitt’s Just Desserts 45 Years Ago
Sweet Forgiveness (1977) was Bonnie Raitt’s first breakthrough album, laying the groundwork for ‘Nick of Time’ and beyond. There can be no second act without a great first one.
World Party’s ‘Private Revolution’ Tackled Environmental Concerns 35 Years Ago
Seeds planted in the Reagan years continue to bear poison fruit. On Private Revolution, World Party presaged today’s “There is no planet B” slogan 35 years ago.
Basia Bulat Cultivates Earthly Delights on ‘The Garden’
Basia Bulat digs into her back catalog on The Garden to cultivate a collection of earthly delights, all reimagined songs from her previous studio releases.
The Turning Point: XTC’s ‘English Settlement’ at 40
XTC’s career took many roundabout turns, but they never stood still. As a result, they remain one of the most influential and underrated bands of their time.
Cate Le Bon’s ‘Pompeii’ Flows with Heat and Light
With its multi-layered arrangements and art-rock leanings, Cate Le Bon’s Pompeii is a disorienting record, one wholly appropriate for our time.
45 Years Later ‘Blondie’ Remains a Powerful Debut
Blondie’s first LP absorbed a wide range of influences and synthesized multiple genres, including surf pop, ’60s girl groups, mod rock, and even disco.
40th Anniversary Deluxe Editions Reinforce the Pretenders’ Place in Rock History
These 40th Anniversary Deluxe Editions provide a rich trove of material for Pretenders completists to pour over while we wait for that documentary.
Elbow’s ‘Flying Dream 1’ Soars Quietly
Elbow’s Flying Dream 1 trusts its listeners, asking us to hold a quiet space for the music and let it reveal itself over time.