Daniel Chamberlin

Germans seem to have a natural affinity for making cars, techno, and beer, but not hip-hop. One rare instance was Funkstörung's glitchy remix of Wu-Tang Clan's "Reunited." Now after that 1999 breakthrough, followed by an uneven career of noisy electronic experiments, the German duo -- Chris De Luca and Michael...

The surprising thing about Seventies progressive rock was its popularity. Epic rock operas laden with poesy, costumes, keyboards, and attempts to appropriate jazz and classical music through guitar and drum solos were topping the charts. Everyday people bought into this willfully pretentious music of ideas. They were proud to call...

Led Zeppelin was a truly mystical band. Nobody else mixed up decadent, witchy lyrics with overdriven guitars and pastoral folk influences such as Pentangle and Incredible String Band so well. The Japanese collective Ghost understands this cosmology and has applied its knowledge to Hypnotic Underworld, one of the heaviest psychedelic...

The postpunk revival is the new grunge. Not since the early days of Nirvana and Soundgarden have a group of bands seemed so intent on cultivating a retro aesthetic. There's nothing wrong with wearing your influences on your sleeve, but these revivalists -- led by the Strokes, Interpol, the Rapture,...

The word "party" can mean so many things. Saying that you "like to party" could mean that you enjoy attending get-togethers with your friends. It might also be a sign that you're down to swap sexual partners or purchase narcotics, depending on the conversation. No doubt Drew Daniel, one-half of...