Music

Halftime Leisure

The Voice Predicts the 2025 Grammys

After a particularly nasty streak of snubs in the Big Four categories over the last few years, the Academy has backed itself into a corner.

By , , , , , and January 31, 2025

Leisure

GNX rides the wave of vicious victory, yet is not as sharp as previous releases

GNX is more centered on Lamar’s own power and esteem, a far cry from the humble, sincere lyricism of previous releases.

By December 25, 2024

Leisure

On Homesick, Angelica Cox yearns for simpler days

Amid this season suspended between endings and beginnings, Angelica Cox is feeling, understandably, Homesick (2024). 

By December 5, 2024

Leisure

In liminal space, mxmtoon attempts to explore the unknown, but doesn’t venture quite deep enough

mxmtoon seems to have traded her ukulele for a banjo—with limited success.

By November 14, 2024

Leisure

The “Holy Trinity” walked so Kylie Minogue could fall behind

Kylie Minogue’s new album, Tension II (2024), feels more repetitive and recursive than ever.

By November 12, 2024

Leisure

Songs Of a Lost World channels the gloomily sublime in a perfect gothic rock revival

Songs Of a Lost World is a pinnacle in modern music, soaring above uninspired radio hits.

By November 11, 2024

Leisure

The ‘90s are calling, and Katie Gavin’s What A Relief answered

What A Relief is more than an album—it’s a diary entry, penned over seven years with honesty and vulnerability.

By November 6, 2024

Leisure

Charli xcx switches it up on the remix

The world has been blessed with Charli’s new testament—brat and it’s completely different but also still brat (2024). 

By October 28, 2024

Halftime Leisure

In “Country Song Came On,” Luke Bryan finds escape in the honky-tonk

Although certainly showing a new side of Bryan, “Country Song Came On” is rather consistent with the general traits of more recent country releases. 

By October 17, 2024

Leisure

Moon Music shoots for the stars… but falls flat

Moon Music's tired pop beats and artificially sweet lyrics will have you wondering, “what happened to Coldplay?”

By October 17, 2024

Halftime Leisure

The Ultimate Top Ten Autumn Songs

The millisecond I feel a cool breeze, I’m putting on my autumn jams and grabbing anything pumpkin-flavored.

By October 16, 2024

Halftime Leisure

“Pushing It Down and Praying” is a taste of Lizzy McAlpine’s ingenuity on Older (and Wiser)

As she trudges through the muddied sounds of her band to harness this vulnerability, she begins to morph from a sensitive teenager to a surer version of herself.

By October 9, 2024

Leisure

MJ Lenderman can’t escape his North Carolina angst on Manning Fireworks

In the face of forces that crush his soul, you’ll probably find Lenderman on his knees. But while he’s down there, he’s gonna rock out.

By September 30, 2024

Halftime Leisure

“Neva Play” with Megan Thee Stallion—she will rock you

Clearly, she intends to take her industry icon status to the next level in 2024 with the recent release of two singles: “We Will Rock You - Megan Thee Stallion Version” and “Neva Play (feat. RM of BTS).”

By September 27, 2024

Leisure

Savor the dreamlike escape of Imaginal Disk

For listeners seeking to escape the comfortable confines of the mainstream, Imaginal Disk is a sonic journey worth embarking on.

By September 13, 2024

Leisure

Short n’ Sweet is exactly what pop music needs right now

“Fun-ness” has become media currency, and Sabrina Carpenter is rich in it.

By August 31, 2024

Leisure

Ha Vay’s Baby I’m the Wolf is a call to the wild you’re gonna wanna answer

On the eclectic, electrifying Baby I’m The Wolf, lightning does in fact strike the same place twice—actually, make that ten times. 

By July 15, 2024

Leisure

The Secret of Us embraces uncertainty with open arms

Abrams embraces a new sound on The Secret of Us, while still channeling the familiar heart-aching bluntness that first shot her to fame.

By July 7, 2024

Leisure

Lana Nauphal’s debut album, Wildland, is an ode to self-discovery

Nauphal’s debut album Wildland wields love as a tool for introspection.

By May 30, 2024

Leisure

Tender but long-winded, The Tortured Poets Department would shine brighter if abridged, not anthologized

TTPD has a fair share of shimmering standouts that have only improved with time. However, the addition of the anthology tracks significantly watered down the record.

By and May 9, 2024