Tag: Baroque Pop
-

Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges ‘Clube Da Esquina’ (1972)
Recorded in 1972 under Brazil’s oppressive military dictatorship, Clube de Esquina represents both a musical triumph as well as a quiet act of resistance. At a time when censorship and fear defined daily life, Milton Nascimento and the 20-year-old Lô Borges gathered a collective of musicians to create something transcendent—a lush, double album that celebrated…
-

Cat Stevens ‘Matthew & Son’ (1967)
Matthew & Son captures the youthful exuberance and pop ambition of Cat Stevens’ as he was still discovering his true voice, years before his introspective folk era made him a household name. The album is certainly different than his 1971 smash hit Tea for the Tillerman which is the type of folksy charm everyone remembers…
-

Andrew Bird ‘The Mysterious Production of Eggs’ (2005)
Andrew Bird’s The Mysterious Production of Eggs is a lush, introspective journey that showcases Bird’s rare ability to turn eccentricity into elegance. Known for his cerebral songwriting and intricate arrangements, Bird weaves together violin loops, delicate plucks, and soaring whistles into something that feels like it almost comes from another world. It’s like waking up…
-

Panic! at the Disco ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’ (2005)
Hearing A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out as a teenager felt like stepping into a neon-lit circus where every song was bursting with drama, angst, and theatrical flair. Brendon Urie’s vocals soared effortlessly from smooth crooning to high-flying belts. It’s rare that you can ever describe a pop punk album as being operatic but this…
-

Various Artists ‘A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector’ (1963)
A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector is one of the most enduring holiday albums of all time, showcasing Phil Spector’s pioneering “Wall of Sound” production. Recorded at the height of Spector’s illustrious career, the album was a dazzling collaboration with his roster of talented artists, including Darlene Love, The Ronettes, The Crystals, and…
-

Nico ‘Chelsea Girl’ (1967)
Nico’s debut album Chelsea Girl showcases her as a pioneering figure in goth music, embodying a haunting, lunar sorceress singing of lost dreams. After leaving The Velvet Underground after their incredible album 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico, an experience that she described feeling “like a mannequin,” she partnered up with Jackson Browne and…
-

Grizzly Bear ‘Shields’ (2012)
I remember being in an absolute haze watching Grizzly Bear at Outside Lands in 2013, the year after they went on tour supporting Shields, and being absolutely blown away by their live performance. This was a band who had found a way to tap into the more obscure side of Indie Rock, infused with peculiar…
-

Feist ‘Let It Die’ (2004)
My first exposure to Feist was through the excellent Broken Social Scene, effectively an art collective doubling as a massive musical experiment. The group has boasted nearly 25 members over the past two decades (at one point having 16 at a single point during the early 2000’s). Feist was one of the throng, played a…
