Massachusetts Archives - Chicago Reader

Adrianne Lenker makes time for healing on Songs and Instrumentals

by Joshua Minsoo Kim November 3, 2020August 18, 2021

Adrianne Lenker was in the throes of a breakup this spring when she holed up in a one-room cabin in Western Massachusetts and spent a few weeks crafting the paired albums Songs and Instrumentals (both on 4AD). While Lenker is primarily known for her folk-rock band Big Thief, her comparatively pared-down solo work is equally […]

Music

The harsh noise of Evicshen’s Hair Birth will leave your head spinning

by Joshua Minsoo Kim July 24, 2020August 18, 2021

Massachusetts-based sound artist and instrument maker Victoria Shen, who performs as Evicshen, makes music that rattles your brain. Her debut LP, Hair Birth (American Dreams), is a master class in explosive cacophony driven by blaring modular synthesizers. This isn’t just unregulated noise: Shen puts thought into her songcraft, and it’s immediately apparent right from the […]

Music

Sen Morimoto makes crowded songs all by himself

by Leor Galil October 3, 2018August 18, 2021

Sen Morimoto’s mix of hip-hop, pop, prog, and jazz has won over international entertainment platform 88 Rising, but for now he’s sticking with his friends at Chicago indie Sooper Records.