Support The Quietus
Our journalism is funded by our readers. Become a subscriber today to help champion our writing, plus enjoy bonus essays, podcasts, playlists and music downloads.
Spotlighting the impact of cultural landmarks
From ignorant farmers to making one of 2018’s most revered records, Low and producer Kramer talk to Daniel Dylan Wray about the making of I Could Live In Hope, the album that started it all off, ahead of their appearance at this year's Rewire festival in The Hague
In February 1994, Darkthrone and Emperor released albums that are regarded as some of the most influential and important black metal ever created. Both acts also became enmeshed in controversies that would likely end a career if they happened today. Ben Handelman examines these albums and how we've distinguished youthful missteps from unacceptable and dangerous behaviors in this community over the years
With a back catalogue of over 50 challenging albums, it might look like there's no particularly easy way of cracking the enigma of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Not so, says Eden Tizard, looking back at the group's first ECM album, Nice Guys, which was released 40 years ago this month
The Buzzcocks' Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle plus manager Richard Boon speak to Patrick Clarke about the unintentional genius of their landmark debut (this feature was republished on 7th December 2018 to mark the sad passing of Pete Shelley)
Sean Kitching argues that 1978s two most idiosyncratic releases, the Residents’ Duck Stab/Buster & Glen and Pere Ubu’s Dub Housing, both released on November 30 of that year, represent a pinnacle of individualism at the outer periphery of American art rock
American animating legend Ralph Bakshi attempted to bring J. R. R. Tolkien’s novel to the big screen over two decades before Peter Jackson. On its fortieth anniversary, our man in San Francisco, Ned Raggett, takes a closer look at both the film as well as the numerous other attempts to present Tolkien, onscreen and off, in those years
Mark E Smith shared an artistic vision with William Blake, says Alex Weston-Noond and The Annotated Fall online resource of the group's (oft overlooked) tenth album, but its real power lies in the way it deals with more standard themes of politics and breakup
Dismayed by the relative failure of Red Wedge, The Style Council find solace soundtracking the bleak state of the nation while pushing the possibilities of pop. Paul Weller discusses one of his more overlooked albums with Lois Wilson
Half a lifetime ago, an Armenian exiled to London set the template for today's DIY musicians and raised a standard that British rap has rarely reached since. Angus Batey had a ring-side seat while Blade fought to make himself heard: he looks back on a landmark in the history of independent music
Created 30 years ago through financial precarity, a new family and phantasmagorical feedback, Soliloquy For Lilith is too often labeled as simply ‘dark ambient’. But Nurse With Wound’s album of hallucinogenic, avant garde and intrepid spirit helped spawn a lineage that includes Aphex Twin, Sunn O))) and Klara Lewis
The alternative rock major label gold rush of the mid-90s didn't last long but it burned most of those involved, in one way or another. Stevie Chick examines how the New York mavericks managed to "quietly decouple" themselves from the mainstream and prepare for their final late period genius phase as he looks at A Thousand Leaves, which was released 20 years ago