Despite the global popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest, its victors don’t often go on to achieve global success. That is, until a group of leather-clad Italian rockers who were barely out of their teenage years at the time scored a handful of viral hits in 2021. Setting them on a collision course with some of … Continue reading Måneskin – RUSH!
Alternative Rock
Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Act 2
10 months after releasing their fifth studio album with an ominous “Part 1” subtitle, one of the planet’s most maligned bands are back with the sequel to what might have been their most unfortunate project yet. They haven’t been gone in the interim, scoring their first top 10 hit in half a decade by teaming … Continue reading Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Act 2
Jack White – Fear of the Dawn
Four years after his polarizing and wildly creative project Boarding House Reach, garage rock trailblazer Jack White has returned with yet another helping of his eccentric and invigorating twists and turns on the genre that he mastered long ago through his various bands. The first of two albums that he plans to release this year, … Continue reading Jack White – Fear of the Dawn
alt-J – The Dream
Four and a half years after their polarizing project Relaxer, British indie-rock titans alt-J have finally returned to sway opinions back in the opposite direction – essentially, by going full The 1975 and crafting a compilation of some of their craziest instrumental palates and songwriting concepts yet. With influences ranging from barbershop to opera and … Continue reading alt-J – The Dream
Juice WRLD – Fighting Demons
As the somewhat stomach-churning trend continues, it’s becoming harder and harder to justify reviewing posthumous projects and giving them the time of day at all. After downright disrespectful compilations from the likes of Pop Smoke and XXXTENTACION in recent memory, the label cobbling together snippets with a litany of guests to build it out, by … Continue reading Juice WRLD – Fighting Demons
Snail Mail – Valentine
After breaking through at the age of only 19 to enormous critical acclaim with her debut album Lush in 2018, Lindsey Jordan and her musical project that is indie-rock outfit Snail Mail have returned with an album that responds to the romantic optimism expressed on their debut. Seemingly a prominent theme this year, we now … Continue reading Snail Mail – Valentine
Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
It was the best of Martins; it was the worst of Martins. After reaching new levels of lyrical banality with Everyday Life, their worst-selling album to date that somehow picked up an Album of the Year nomination at the Grammys, UK pop-rock titans Coldplay saw fit to recruit pop’s most successful producer – and a … Continue reading Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Act 1
For a while, it seemed like Imagine Dragons was the only truly commercially viable “rock” act left around. As we see a resurgence of guitar-based music in the mainstream, you’d think that a band that has been so misguided for so many album cycles might be feeling a little inspired and make some of their … Continue reading Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Act 1
Halsey – If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
One of the biggest criticisms that has followed alt-pop singer Halsey throughout her career is not having necessarily followed up on her ambitious talk in interviews positioning herself as a ground-breaking, experimental artist. With a new album produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails fame, that criticism can finally be put … Continue reading Halsey – If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
The Killers – Pressure Machine
Conceived in the empty period of time when The Killers were meant to be on the road touring their critically acclaimed 2020 project, Imploding the Mirage, the Las Vegas alt-rock and new wave titans’ seventh studio album Pressure Machine is described by frontman Brandon Flowers as containing “songs that would have otherwise been too quiet and drowned out by … Continue reading The Killers – Pressure Machine
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 