The topics of the October issue
1973
It was the year in which Elton John finally became a megastar, the year of concept albums, rock operas and milestones in funk and soul. And the year Bruce Springsteen, Queen, Aerosmith and Tom Waits took the stage. A look back at 73 albums
By Jens Balzer, Fabian Broicher, Maik Brüggemeyer, Wolfgang Doebeling, Birgit Fuß, Tobi Müller, Robert Rotifer, Arne Willander, Sebastian Zabel and Jürgen Ziemer
Troye Sivan
A star was born – and from it a superstar emerged: an encounter with the Australian singer and actor who not only wants to inspire the LGBTQ+ community to live a free and happy life
By Poppy Reid
Steven Wilson
Ambient, Prog, Electro and Rock: Steven Wilson now brings together all the styles from his previous discography. And the British musician and producer thinks unusually openly about his life
By Jörn Schlüter
Jeffrey Lee Pierce
Jeffrey Lee Pierce died in 1996 at just 37 years old. The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project is dedicated to honoring the legendary singer and songwriter of The Gun Club – with colleagues such as Dave Gahan and Nick Cave
By Jörg Feyer
Thailand’s hip pagans
In Bangkok, of all places, a subculture has developed that is passionate about Vikings and northern European mythology: They worship Odin, have Thor’s hammer tattoos and read the future from runes. But the young hipsters have nothing to do with ethnic ideology
By Fabian Peltsch
The Mix
Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard won an Oscar with the music for “Once”. But his mother was even prouder when one of his songs blared across a square in Lucca, Tuscany
By Jörg Feyer
Ilgen-Nur
For her second album, the indie rock queen returned to her longed-for place: Laurel Canyon
By Naomi Webster-Grundl
Jenny Owen Youngs
After private turmoil and ten years of songwriting for others, Jenny Owen Youngs is making her own music again
By Stefanie Sommerfeld
HISTORY: Cyndi Lauper
40 years ago, “She’s So Unusual,” Cyndi Lauper’s debut, was released – and the singer became a feminist icon
By Birgit Fuss
Q&A: Jeff Tweedy
The Wilco boss talks about two favorite instruments, new music and overcoming opioid addiction
By Simon Vozick-Levinson
Woods
They were the backing band on David Berman’s last album – now Woods have recorded new songs again for the first time
By Jan Jekal
PLUS
Curt Cress, Anna Hauss, Blush Always and some more
Reviews
MUSIC
News from Wilco and 89 other reviews
RS GUIDE: The Band
Hanns Peter Bushoff and Arne Willander about the work of The Band and the members’ solo work
FILM, SERIES & LITERATURE
“The Exorcist: 50th Anniversary” and 18 other reviews
Playlist: New Noises in October
Whether German indie rock (Blush Always), English dream pop (Pale Blue Eyes) or Irish folk (Mick Flannery): autumnal melancholy lies over our playlist for October
Blush Always “Oddly Romantic”
The first singles from Katja Seiffert alias Blush Always were a promise that the German musician casually fulfills on her debut album “You Deserve Romance” with glowing indie rock between Lucy Dacus and Cassandra Jenkins.
Corinne Bailey Rae “He Will Follow You With His Eyes”
The English soul singer took seven years to create her new album. This piece alone, which combines retro sounds and modern R&B, proves that the wait was worth it.
The Gaslight Anthem “Little Fires”
On their comeback record “History Books,” The Gaslight Anthem demonstrate that their anthemic heartland rock has lost none of its exuberance.
Mick Flannery “OKLA”
Some singer-songwriters of his generation should learn a lesson from Flannery’s productivity. One album per year since 2019! And the new “Goodtime Charlie” also impresses with fine folk ballads.
Pale Blue Eyes “Spaces”
A year after their wonderful debut album, the band from Totnes in the south of England follows up with another psychedelic dream-pop cycle. “Spaces” is reminiscent of New Order and Cocteau Twins.
Tre Burt “Traffic Fiction”
The Sacramento-born songwriter Tré Burt pitches his tent between soul and folk rock. In the title track of his third album he sings as enchantingly as Jeff Tweedy at the time of Wilco’s “Being There”.
Jenny Owen Young’s “It’s Later Than You Think”
People who love the bittersweet folk-pop found on the soundtracks of American coming-of-age dramas will be hard-pressed to find better songs than those from the New Jersey songwriter.