Articles by Tom Piekarski
SUMAC and Moor Mother Find Startling Cinematic Symmetry on 'The Film'
PUBLISHED Apr 22, 2025
Describing an album as "genreless" or "genre-defying" can be a temptation rooted in cowardice — the fear of identifying something as...
Sarah Davachi Embraces the Divide on 'The Head as Form’d in the Crier’s Choir'
PUBLISHED Sep 13, 2024
Composer Sarah Davachi's The Head as Form'd in the Crier's Choir is the latest entry in an already remarkable body of modern classical work...
Nilüfer Yanya Is Caught in a Thrilling Stasis on 'My Method Actor'
PUBLISHED Sep 13, 2024
Conceptualizing the arch of a songwriter's artistic development can feel like an act of senseless problematization. Unlike judgments of...
Amen Dunes' 'Death Jokes' Is a Discombobulated Thrill
PUBLISHED May 7, 2024
Many of Damon McMahon's releases under the Amen Dunes moniker have been marked by a sense of musical and lyrical austerity. Even among the...
On 'If I don't make it, I love u,' Still House Plants Make Rock Music Without Limitation
PUBLISHED Apr 11, 2024
Still House Plants' third LP If I don't make it, I love u is an engrossing testament to the musical elasticity and emotional potency ...
Julia Holter Pulls Us Closer Than Ever on 'Something in the Room She Moves'
PUBLISHED Mar 21, 2024
One of the most compelling features of Julia Holter's past records is their beautiful contrivance...
Marnie Stern Returns Guitars Blazing on 'The Comeback Kid'
PUBLISHED Nov 2, 2023
Marnie Stern spent the better part of a decade serving as a beacon of exuberance, vigour and complexity in rock music. Not content to rely...
POP Montreal 2023 Brought Eclecticism and Excitement with Kate NV, Hot Garbage, Loraine James, Hand Habits and More
PUBLISHED Oct 4, 2023
POP Montreal brought no shortage of excitement to the city this year. Celebrating its 22nd instalment, the festival has steadily expanded b...
