Ryan Gibbs
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Ryan Gibbs is a journalist and music critic from Newport, Rhode Island. He is the music editor for The Young Folks, and writes the "Freshwater Phish" column about the rock band Phish.

Music News: Brand New release first album in eight years

The wait is over for fans of Brand New, as the band have finally released their much anticipated fifth album. The Long Island, N.Y.-based alt-rockers released Science Fiction through their own Procrastinate! Music Traitors label on Aug. 17. The album is their…

This is Pop? Podcast Episode 11: Sia

Australian singer and songwriter Sia has been in the music business for nearly 20 years, starting with her debut album OnlySee in 1997 and continuing with a respected career as an indie and acid jazz artist through the 2000s. However, when…

Album Review: Benjamin Gibbard – “Bandwagonesque”

Covering an album in its entirety is a daunting task, and one that sometimes comes with little reward. For instance, releases like Ben Lee’s version of Against Me!’s New Wave seemed like a bit of a novelty: It felt like a…

This is Pop? Podcast Episode 10: Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber has been a household name since he released his debut single “One Time” in 2009. Starting out as a teen heart-throb famous for his hair fringe and bubblegum pop singles, he’s since transitioned into a major star in…

This is Pop? Podcast Episode 9: Shania Twain

In the 1990s, Shania Twain wasn’t just one of the biggest stars in country music, but music in general. Her 1997 album Come On Over has sold 20 million copies in the United States and remains the best-selling album of all…

This is Pop? Podcast Episode 8: Prefab Sprout

Prefab Sprout were one of the leading lights of the British “sophisti-pop” genre popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The genre – which also included artists like The Blue Nile, Swing Out Sister, Everything but the Girl and…

This is Pop? Podcast Episode 7: Beach House

Over the course of 11 years and six albums, Beach House has become one of the biggest names in indie music, with their lush, reverb-seeped sound garnering them critical acclaim and a cult following. For the seventh episode of our…