Kevin Barnes’ success as Of Montreal’s figurehead and frontman has depended on his ability to balance extremes; funk and balladry, chaos and order, abstraction and focus. Like his stylistic predecessor David Bowie, Barnes usually threads this needle with ease and efficiency, but when that tension breaks to the…

In HateSong, we ask our favorite musicians, writers, comedians, actors, and so forth to expound on the one song they hate most in the world.

In Hear This, The A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week, we’re picking some of our favorite songs from 1996.

In Hear This, The A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week, we’re picking some of our favorite songs from 1996.

In Hear This, The A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week, we’re picking some of our favorite songs from 1996.

On October 1, 1996, Matchbox Twenty, led by singer-songwriter Rob Thomas, released its debut album, Yourself Or Someone Like You, which went on to sell over 15 million copies worldwide. The band was a mainstream staple of the mid- to late-’90s with its light rock songs about loneliness, depression, anger, and…

In Hear This, The A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week, we’re picking songs from our favorite albums that came out in 1996.

PUP’s name has nothing to do with dogs—it stands for “pointless use of potential”—but that didn’t stop the Toronto band from humoring us. In this video, PUP’s members—guitarist Steve Sladkowski, vocalist-guitarist Stefan Babcock, drummer Zack Mykula, and bassist Nestor Chumak—endure a dog-treat taste test. PUP tries…

“The one-hit Wonders… It’s a very common tale”

Recently, a few of my nearest and dearest friends have moved. Though I know they are embarking on well-earned adventures full of excitement, I also know how hard it can be to travel to a new city or a new continent where you’ve yet to make friends or find your groove. So, I gifted each of them a Homesick Candle, which…

One central challenge for instrumental rock bands is to find that elusive middle ground between developed musical narratives and self-indulgence. Considering the legions of Explosions In The Sky-worshipping bands that have cropped up during the past decade, another hurdle for instrumental groups is to accomplish the…

Early on England’s Wild Beasts reveled in the Morrissey-like theatrics spilling from their brooding indie rock, with dual vocalists Hayden Thorpe and Tom Fleming candidly gnawing the scenery of each track. They were an acquired taste. The vocals felt like one continuous flourish, practically operatic in form, and the…

When Dinosaur Jr.’s original lineup of J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph was restored (after much fraught and remarked-upon time apart) and 2007’s Beyond was released, everyone who remembered the first three albums (Dinosaur, Bug, and You’re Living All Over Me) heaved a sigh of relief that blew the tall grass at the…

For such a guitar-driven art form, rock ’n’ roll is surprisingly low on guitarists with distinctive sounds. Many of the best players tailor their riffs and solos to the song—which is a perfectly reasonable approach, but can make it hard to recognize their stamp if they’re guesting on somebody else’s record. With…

Tween isn’t technically Wye Oak’s fifth studio record. The music on the seven-song mini-album dates from the years between 2011’s Civilian and 2014’s Shriek, a period when the duo evolved from a biting indie-rock outfit into a kaleidoscopic synthpop act. Band members Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack even characterize the…

While Frank Ocean might have the most awaited album of the week, Chicago rapper/poet Noname has finally delivered her debut project after a long two-year wait. If you’ve heard of Noname, it’s probably because of verses she’s lent to fellow Chicagoans like Chance The Rapper and Saba. Noname’s talent is clear on Telefone…

Every Friday, dozens of new records are released into the wild. Some make big splashes, and others sink almost immediately. For most music consumers, it’s almost too much information, and save for those precious few who spend their hours glued to reviews sites and release calendars, it’s hard to know what’s coming out…

Tom Mabe: This is a prank call disc in which the tables are turned—Tom Mabe keeps telemarketers on the phone and fucks with them. It’s okay. Purging one.

In Under The Influence, The A.V. Club asks a musician to pair three of their songs with a non-musical influence.

For its 25th anniversary Lollapalooza extended its stay in Chicago’s Grant Park. Having called it home for over a decade, the destination fest added a fourth day, simultaneously expanding its lineup in the process. In addition to The A.V. Club hosting a livestream of it, we sent photographer Robert Loerzel to snap…