Sam Sodomsky

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Phish: The Siket Disc Album Review

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the compilation.

From simple surf rock to complex orchestral pop, the number one Beach Boy had a tremendous impact on music, culture, and the pursuit of creativity. Sam Sodomsky reflects on the long life and boundless imagination of Brian Wilson, a composer and songwriter who aspired to transform pop music into a higher art form.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.

After two decades of tinkering, the art-rocker’s first album since 2002 arrives in an array of different mixes. Yet the songs are refreshingly uncomplicated, reconnecting with Gabriel’s pop instincts.

As anticipation grows among the tightly packed audience at a recent Tomb Mold show in Toronto, the band’s self-curated, between-set playlist hits on a smooth, familiar voice. It belongs to Billy Joel, whose 1989 ode to manic depression, “I Go to Extremes,” elicits solemn nods and gentle foot-tapping from an excitable crowd of metal heads in vintage Suffocation T-shirts. However incongruous it may seem, Joel’s song is an apt choice for a trio known for conjuring wild swings of emotions in their m…

As he walks along the Manhattan Bridge, MJ Lenderman flashes a goofy smile whenever a subway train rumbles by underfoot. The soft-spoken songwriter’s grin conveys a sense of relief—that he doesn’t have to answer any questions as we wait for the clatter to fade. It also hints at his subtle sense of humor, an acknowledgement of the overwhelming inconvenience of something as banal as a passing Q train. The 24-year-old has lived his whole life in Asheville, North Carolina, and he’s just in New York…

On a private floor at the Strand bookstore in Manhattan, surrounded by rare editions and elaborate first pressings, John Darnielle opens his cheap notebook plastered with images of Bob Marley. He’s showing me drafts of the setlist for his solo performance the previous night, a wildly unpredictable airing of Mountain Goats deep cuts and fan favorites at a cozy venue in Brooklyn. In the same scribbly handwriting that once graced the covers of his cassette releases in the early 1990s are names of d…

TK

Sufjan’s masterful new album recalls his intimate singer-songwriter days. But it also draws on his entire catalog, his dazzling musicality, and his lifelong inquiries about love and devotion.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.

Remembering the 56-year-old Irish singer-songwriter, whose captivating voice and outspoken spirit made her a beloved and misunderstood figure in pop.

On his first outing with the E Street Band in six years, the rock legend tangles with mortality in unexpected ways.

Read Sam Sodomsky’s review of the album.