Topics in the May issue
Metallica
For 42 years, Metallica have known exactly what they want. That’s how they became the biggest metal band in the world. Now they have finally recorded a strong album again. An exclusive conversation with drummer Lars Ulrich about the ebb and flow, about trust, the gray of everyday life and plans for the future
By Birgit Fuss
Ricky Lee Jones
On her new album, Pieces Of Treasure, Rickie Lee Jones interprets songs from the Great American Songbook. But most importantly, she’s reunited with Russ Titelman – the producer of her early masterpieces
By Max Gosche
live
A different kind of show business story: How one of the most successful alternative rock groups of the 90’s was torn apart by a suspected con artist
By Andy Greene
The 30 worst albums by great musicians
We look at the albums of beloved bands and musicians whose appeal is still not clear today, which tell of creative crises, dubious concepts and aesthetics and wrong turns
By Maik Brüggemeyer, Jan Jekal, Sassan Niasseri, Robert Rotifer, Dennis Sand and Arne Willander
Christian Petzold
No German director is as valued by the international film world as Christian Petzold. Now the man known for his mysterious, ghostly cinematography has made a light summer film – well, almost
By Jan Jekal
the mix
Your friends
Adults no longer have to cover their ears when their children want to hear music: there are now great songs for children too – a welcome trend
By Ina Simone Mautz
Indigo De Souza
In a hippie commune in North Carolina, the indie rock singer wrote captivating, stylistically changing songs
By Max Gosche
HISTORY: Mike Oldfield
50 years ago the instrumental monument “Tubular Bells” was released
By Arne Willander
Ed Sheeran
In our digital cover story, the superstar reveals his serious, his dark side – which has led to an amazing album
By Brian Hiatt
Graham Nash
Legendary songwriter Graham Nash has fallen in love all over again, recorded his “most personal album” at 81 – and is concerned for his country
By Markus Brandstetter
Q&A: Bret Easton Ellis
About the pop music of the 80s, his youth in Los Angeles and the current novel “The Shards”
By Sasan Niasseri
PLUS
Jungstötter, Jessie Ware, Mando Diao, Rodney Crowell and more
Reviews
MUSIC
News from The National and 88 more reviews
RS GUIDE: Willie Nelson
Frank Castenholz on the 90th birthday of the great country songwriter
FILM, SERIES & LITERATURE
“The Whale” and 18 other reviews
Playlist: Rare Trax in May
Craft Recordings celebrates the influence of black music traditions and styles on its Birthright: A Black Roots Music Compendium compilation. We have selected some pearls from it.
Golden Eagles “Little Liza Jane”
The ensemble around the New Orleans-born Mardi Gras musician and Native American monk Boudreaux breathed new life into standards like this at the end of the 80s. A track of archaic beauty.
Corey Harris and Sharde Thomas “Station Blues”
This traditional was recorded in 2002 by guitarist Corey Harris and Shardé Thomas, who was 12 at the time. Thomas is one of the last representatives of the Fife and Drum Blues, which combines African rhythms and marching music.
Odetta “Special Delivery Blues”
Odetta is one of the great American folk, blues and spiritual singers. This track is originally from their 1963 album One Grain Of Sand.
The Staple Singers “Motherless Children”
The legendary Staple Singers also felt at home in the realms of folk and protest songs. They recorded this traditional for their album This Land (1963), for which they also covered Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie.
Martin, Bogan & Armstrong “Sweet Georgia Brown”
This string trio, founded in the US state of Virginia, began to cultivate a spirited mixture of blues, ragtime, swing and jazz under different names as early as the 1930s.
Bennie Richardson “Grizzly Bear”
This track first appeared on the compilation Wake Up Dead Man: Black Convict Worksongs From Texas Prisons (1975), which assembled footage of black convicts from the 1960s.
Lesley Riddle “Titanic”
An audio sample of the influential country pioneer and blues guitarist’s legacy: “Step By Step: Lesley Riddle Meets The Carter Family” (1993).