Infographic: The Illustrated Life of Daft Punk
When Daft Punk came on the scene in the late '90s, the mysterious Frenchmen playing electro-pop behind now-iconic helmets didn't seem on the path for stardom. read more
Jens Lekman: Putting Love in Perspective
I’ve traveled almost a quarter of the way around the world to capture a sense of the Swedish songwriter in his hometown. read more
Catching Up With Azure Ray
Even if Azure Ray is cloaked in a complete electronic sound, it's latest album is just the next step for Fink and Taylor in an already storied, 20-year collaboration. read more
Poor Moon: Lessons in Lunar Formation
A pair of Fleet Foxes teams with some of its oldest, dearest friends to create an otherworldly panorama of sound. read more
Cat Power: Undefeated
“Now that I’m 40,” she says, “I want to be happy like I was when I was a kid flipping on the trampoline listening to Van Halen’s ‘Jump.’” read more
Lianne La Havas
London native Lianne La Havas owes much of her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough?, to a fateful trip to New York City last year. read more
Catching Up With Wild Nothing
It’s difficult to follow up a debut like Wild Nothing’s Gemini, which was released to unexpected attention in 2010 and ended up on many year-end lists. The distinct songwriting of Jack Tatum seemed fully realized from the start, and the bar was set so high that it was hard to imagine a follow-up that could match it. But, while it might have been safer to try to make something sounding like Gemini 2, Tatum has instead created an affecting album that stands apart from his breakthrough, not necessarily sounding like a different songwriter, but, rather, sounding like an artist that... read more
Infographic: Elliott Smith by the Numbers
We decided to decode Elliott Smith's XO by tallying the most-used words in all 14 songs. read more
Catching Up With Jesse Harris
Jesse Harris has plenty of experience in the music industry to stand by. He’s written eleven solo albums, including his most recent, Sub Rosa. The songwriter also won a Grammy in 2003 for his song “Don’t Know Why,” what became Norah Jones’ stand out hit. Though his songs have been recorded by a number of artists, like Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Cat Power, Harris is finally ready to really let his solo work be the primary focus, and he’s having fun in the process. Before heading out on his West Coast tour, Harris took some time to discuss his... read more
The Best of What's Next: Foreign Fields
Foreign Fields may be a new name to the music industry, but for Brian Holl and Eric Hillman it is the culmination of eight years of songwriting. read more
Opossom: The Best of What's Next
Electric Hawaii, Opossom’s kaleidoscopic debut album, thrives on capital-G Groove. read more
Fort Atlantic: The Best of What's Next
Until a month ago, John Black had lived in the Southeast all his life. read more
JJ DOOM: The Best of What's Next
In 2010, iconic underground rapper DOOM (formerly known as MF Doom) set out on a European tour. When it came time to return home, the UK-born MC was denied re-entry into the U.S. and has been living in London ever since. read more
Easter Island: The Best of What's Next
Hometown: Athens, Ga. Band members: Ethan Payne, Asher Payne, Nathan Thompson, Ryan Monahan, Patrick Ferguson Album: Frightened For fans of: Explosions in the Sky, My Bloody Valentine, Sigur Ros People make music for all kinds of reasons—to win over girls, to stave off boredom, to try to get famous. But the best, most rewarding music is made by those who feel they have no choice but to make it. From Bon Iver’s grief-stricken For Emma, Forever Ago to Fiona Apple’s weird and wonderful new release, there are many great albums that testify to the quality of music made by those... read more
Cheyenne Marie Mize: The Best of What's Next
Cheyenne Mize didn’t necessarily dream of becoming a songwriter in the spotlight, but it’s difficult to see her doing anything else when you consider her upbringing. read more
Catching Up With Dylan LeBlanc
Despite the hours he’s clocked on the stages there and elsewhere the road, it’s clear that LeBlanc is ready to move beyond Muscle Shoals without leaving his musical hometown behind. read more
Father John Misty: A Comedic Quest For Clarity
“I’ve been having a total comedy of errors since we last spoke. I’m now like driving around in my van, in my underwear, blind as a bat looking for cell phone reception.” read more
Catching Up With Gotye
This has been a landmark year for Wouter “Wally” De Backer, better known to music fans by a pet name that his mother used for him as a child—Gotye. After releasing his third full-length album, titled Making Mirrors, in 2011, Gotye saw a steady growth in exposure from month to month, and by this year, his music was being featured on the likes of American Idol, Saturday Night Live, and Glee. Gotye’s inescapable mega-hit, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” is a rare feat that managed to find an audience first amongst indie fans, then rock radio listeners, and, finally,... read more
Divine Fits: The Unquiet Life
Don’t use the S word around the members of Divine Fits. The band may feature two of the most charismatic indie-rock frontmen working today—Britt Daniel of Spoon and Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs... read more
Alanis Morissette: Catcher in the Rock
The latest from Alanis Morissette, Havoc and Bright Lights, is unlike anything the Canadian pop star has ever released in that it’s her first album since since becoming a mother. read more
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