Todd Gilchrist
Zayn Claims ‘Nobody Is Listening,’ Has a Lot To Say About Love, Sex and Himself
Album Reviews • Published on January 2021
Media-cultivated solo career narratives become less meaningful when you’ve never heard (or heard of) the pop group or boy band these artists came from. But there’s a reason why these individuals were chosen to perform…
Jazmine Sullivan Spotlights the Complexities of Being a Modern Woman on Unapologetic ‘Heaux Tales’
Album Reviews • Published on January 2021
Jazmine Sullivan has been recording professionally for more than 12 years, a considerable accomplishment given that her breakthrough song, the revenge-themed hip-hop tango “Bust Your Windows,” blew up after an appearance on…
On ‘Music To Get Murdered By – Side B,’ Eminem Offers Peerless Skill but No New Sides of Himself
Album Reviews • Published on December 2020
It’s tough to discuss Eminem as a white hip-hop fan without getting personal. If you’ve spent five or ten or thirty years exploring the most vital Black musical movement of the modern…
On ‘McCartney III,’ Paul McCartney Delivers Some Of His Most Understated, Impactful Music in Decades
Album Reviews • Published on December 2020
If you haven’t listened to Paul McCartney in a while, now’s a great time to start again. “McCartney III” is indeed a sequel to his 1980 album “McCartney II” — but…
For Kid Cudi, Mental Health Remains a Musical Cornerstone on ‘Man On The Moon III: The Chosen’
Album Reviews • Published on December 2020
Kid Cudi’s “Man on the Moon III: The Chosen” finally wraps “Man on the Moon” album cycle this week with 18 new songs that evidence his sharpening talents as a writer…
Taylor Swift Surprises With ‘Evermore,’ an Extension of ‘Folklore’ and Her Second Album of 2020
Album Reviews • Published on December 2020
In 2020, Taylor Swift is going the extra mile while everybody else is just trying to summon the energy to get through each day. “Evermore” marks her second album in five…
‘Nightmare Vacation’: Rico Nasty’s Debut Album Brings Real Rage To Hip-Hop Beats
Album Reviews • Published on December 2020
Rico Nasty comes in hot. Listening to “Candy,” the first song from her studio debut “Nightmare Vacation,” the Maryland native’s music emanates a febrile energy that fills your ears and knocks…
On ‘Weird,’ Yungblud’s Pop-Punk Pastiche Pays Tribute To His Heroes by Copying Them
Album Reviews • Published on December 2020
Nostalgia obeys no timetable, but it does arrive in waves, and Yungblud’s album “Weird!” suggests that late ‘90s-early aughts pop punk (and just pop) is primed for a comeback. Dominic Harrison’s…
Shawn Mendes’ Conjures ‘Wonder’ With His Latest Album, but Not Much Depth
Album Reviews • Published on December 2020
Shawn Mendes makes music for people who think that Justin Timberlake has too much personality. Listening to his new album “Wonder,” it’s easy to see why he’s amassed a legion of…
On ‘Plastic Hearts,’ Miley Cyrus Spins the Complexities of Life Into an ’80s Rock Love Letter
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
In a year of transformation for everyone, it seems fitting that Miley Cyrus ascends to her newest form. Creating her modern day version of ‘80s rock, pop and…
SAINt JHN’s Problems Mount up With His Money on ‘While the World Was Burning’
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
A few years ago would probably have been a better time to aspire to “be the next Kanye” than now, but as one of goals he reveals on “…
Megan Thee Stallion Takes Her Indefatigable Confidence To New Levels on ‘Good News’
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
Given her absolute ubiquitousness over the last two years, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that Megan Thee Stallion is only now releasing her first full-length album. But after several mixtapes…
On ‘So Help Me God,’ 2 Chainz Gives Rap’s Younger Statesmen a Run for Their Money
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
2 Chainz is 43, making him one of the oldest rappers to regularly appear on the Billboard charts. Juicy J is two years older, and Gucci Mane three younger. This experience…
‘Film Music 1976-2020’: Brian Eno Offers a Satisfying Overview of His Eclectic Composing Career
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
Film music compilations offer a unique overview of a composer’s body of work, but for an artist as prolific as Brian Eno, it seems almost impossible to even assemble a highlight…
Country Outlier Chris Stapleton Is Returning To His Roots and ‘Starting Over’
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
While country isn’t everyone’s brand of whiskey, Chris Stapleton’s music has always connected to a Southern tradition that will burn in your chest no matter what kind of…
Kylie Minogue Delivers the 2020 Dance Party We’ve Been Waiting for With ‘Disco’
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
Kylie Minogue is more vital than ever as an artist. Continuing to grow and evolve, she has become more empowered and authentic with each release. Minogue’s 2001 album…
‘Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God’: Busta Rhymes Creates a Soundtrack for the End of the World
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
Rappers make a lot of wild claims about their accomplishments, success and status, but when Busta Rhymes calls himself “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper,”…
Sam Smith Heals Relationship Woes With Dance Floor Therapy on ‘Love Goes’
Album Reviews • Published on November 2020
It’s important to remember that even among pop music’s most preternaturally gifted, they’re still often very young — younger than their success or sophistication often indicates. With four Grammys, three Billboard…
On ‘Positions,’ Ariana Grande Juggles Steamy Flirtations With Emotional Confessions
Album Reviews • Published on October 2020
The trajectory of pop star careers have become as predictable as the story beats in a romantic comedy, so the difference between success and failure is less a matter of originality…
Henry Binns of Zero 7 Shines a Light on the Making of Their ‘Shadows’ EP
Features • Published on October 2020
With the release of their “Shadows” EP, there’s never been a better time for Zero 7’s uniquely…