Pitchfork

Catching up with last week's reviews, including our takes on the new records from Bruce Springsteen and Franz Ferdinand, EP collaborations between Hot Chip and Robert Wyatt and Jon Brion and Of Montreal, and yet another pair of wonderful Optimo-related mixes.

As they tour Europe performing their classic albums, the two original members of the influential punk band talk about reissues, riots, and throwing bricks through windows.

We spoke to the duo behind Gorillaz about their new project, Monkey, as well as such controversial subjects as the disintegration of the West, why Africa is the future of the world, cultural tourism, and Vampire Weekend.

We celebrate 15 years of Kranky, a Chicago label that has carved out a hard-earned niche, building a roster of artists that tend toward drifting ambience, by talking to founders Joel Leoschke and Bruce Adams.

We cap our five-feature celebration of Sub Pop's first 20 years with a look at some records and artifacts from the label's history that, while they didn't make the cut in last week's Sub Pop 20, still mean something to at least one of our staffers.

To kick off a five-part celebration of Sub Pop's 20th anniversary-- and the concert/party the Seattle label is throwing itself this weekend-- we spoke to the men who founded the classic indie imprint, Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman.

As they prepared to head out on tour in support of their tremendous new record Merriweather Post Pavilion, we spoke to Avey Tare, Panda Bear, and Geologist of Animal Collective about their long history, their relative lack of musical chops, early Pavement singles, and the critical importance of album sequencing.

Currently on tour in Europe, Volker Bertelmann corresponded with us by email, discussing how his new album took shape, the relationship between image and music, and how childhood memories can often provide the best material when composing.

We spoke to two members of Abe Vigoda about how the Smell's recent deluge of press has affected the club's vibe, the band's relationship to the character actor of the same name, and the origins of some of their bizarre guitar sounds.