Record Recap

January 26, 2022

On This Day: Revisiting Beach House’s Masterpiece Album “Teen Dream” 12 Years Later

By Lorna Kruesel

If someone were to ask me to name all of the albums that have completely swept me off my feet, “Teen Dream,” Beach House’s third studio album, would easily be one of them.

January 16, 2022

On This Day: El Salvador’s Civil War in Three Songs

By Derek Mejia

As an act of unforgetting and to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Chapultepec Peace Accords, here's a look at a few songs that were written about the Salvadoran Civil War.

January 13, 2022

Record Recap: 53 Years Since Led Zeppelin’s Explosive Debut

By Jadon Bienz, Evan Gonzalez

However, on Jan. 12, 1969, a new band would define the sound and look of rock and roll in the 1970s and beyond with their debut album: Led Zeppelin.

November 9, 2021

On This Day: A Tribe Called Quest’s “Midnight Marauders,” Rap’s Most Uplifting Classic Album

By Jadon Bienz

A Tribe Called Quest's third studio album, “Midnight Marauders,” is the pinnacle of their fun style and has stood the test of time as a never-ending party inviting all to join. 

October 22, 2021

Record Recap: Remembering Singer-Songwriter Elliott Smith, 18 Years Later

By Lorna Kruesel

Here is a selection of some essential Smith tracks and a perfect place to start if you’re looking to dive into his discography — or if you’re just in a ’90s indie-rock kind of mood this week.

August 23, 2021

On This Day: “Grace” by Jeff Buckley

By Evan Gonzalez

Buckley should have been a superstar, but listeners can still appreciate his little body of work for the creative genius it is.

August 20, 2021

On This Day: Shades of Sentimentality in Frank Ocean’s “Blonde”

By Jadon Bienz, Evan Gonzalez

With his genre-blending on “Blonde,” Ocean once again pioneered a new style of R&B.

July 10, 2021

On This Day: Frank Ocean’s First Masterpiece, “channel ORANGE”

By Jadon Bienz, Evan Gonzalez

His 2012 debut album “channel ORANGE” showcases Ocean making a splash with a lush and intimate collection of songs about the awkwardness of navigating maturation and relationships.

June 17, 2021

On this Day: Bon Iver’s Breakthrough

By Evan Gonzalez

Perhaps no artist has had a bigger impact on modern indie folk music than Bon Iver.

May 26, 2021

On This Day: The Beatles’ Escapism Through “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

By Jadon Bienz, Evan Gonzalez

Prior to their 1970 disbandment, The Beatles refreshed their creative drive via the escapism central to their historical concept album, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

May 24, 2021

Record Recap: The Best and Worst of Music in the Pandemic (So Far)

By Artsweek Staff

While this year may be one everyone wants to forget, these are some of the moments that will be remembered. 

May 2, 2021

On This Day: Upbeat Loneliness Through New Order’s “Power Corruption and Lies”

By Jadon Bienz

“Power Corruption and Lies” has cemented New Order as one of the most interesting and three-dimensional groups of the ‘80s and beyond.

April 13, 2021

On This Day: Van Cliburn, The Pianist That Broke The Cold War

By Jadon Bienz

As cheesy as it sounds, Cliburn became the epitome of the commonality of art between all of humankind, pushing past extremist notions of anti-Communism.

April 10, 2021

On This Day: “The New Abnormal” By The Strokes

By Rachel Lim

The emphasis on love, timely issues in the world and feelings of despair can be summed up in its title. “The New Abnormal” is just a reminder of the legacy The Strokes will forever carry.

March 31, 2021

On This Day: “Carrie & Lowell” By Sufjan Stevens

By Evan Gonzalez

Despite having only a 43-minute runtime, the album covers a lifetime of the complicated relationship between Stevens and his mother, along with the sadness that follows the death of a loved one.

March 21, 2021

On This Day: The Weeknd’s Drearily Hedonistic Debut Project, “House of Balloons”

By Jadon Bienz, Evan Gonzalez

The project has become a landmark in 2010s R&B — a dynamic showcase of The Weeknd’s insecurities about love and coping dive into the maximums of hedonism.