“That explains why The Float sounds like an enormous sigh of relief, especially to a music writer. It’s something new, something beautiful—something that lifts the burden of figuring out a new way to describe yet another synth-pop album.” Rebecca Gates has a new album out. Rebecca Wilson at the Portland Mercury has the details. And hey, we chatted with Ms. Gates last year…

Members of Orchid and Oxford Collapse have started a new podcast, called Worst Gig Ever. Their first guest: Violent Bullshit/Panthers/Orchid vocalist Jayson Green.

Regina Spektor talks J.D. Salinger at Vulture.

Brad Cohan gives us an oral history of the fantastic jazz label Aum Fidelity, home to David S. Ware, Cooper-Moore, and many more.

The folks from WORD talk book clubs at Book Boroughing.

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