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.

The 20 Strangest One-Hit Wonders

  There are a lot of definitions for the term one-hit wonder, but the one that has seemed to have stuck has been an artist who has had just one Top 40 hit. Since Billboard began publishing the Hot 100…

Album Review: Death Cab for Cutie – “Kintsugi”

Despite being one of the most successful acts to come out of the early 2000s “indie” boom, Death Cab for Cutie hasn’t been as critically revered as their peers. Perhaps it’s because of their emo tendencies, or dismissals that Ben…

Franz Ferdinand, Sparks announce collaboration album

Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdiand and quirky American pop duo Sparks have announced details of their collaborative album under the name FFS. The record, also titled FFS, will be released on June 8 on Domino, which Franz Ferdinand is signed to. The…

Album Review: Modest Mouse – “Strangers to Ourselves”

It has been eight years since Modest Mouse released a full-length album. That’s not quite an eternity for a rock act, but it’s unusual for one that did not break up or have a significant hiatus during that time. Modest…

From the Record Crate: Radiohead – “The Bends” (1995)

You’ve probably seen a lot of essays and think-pieces this week about the 20th anniversary of Radiohead’s 1995 sophomore set The Bends. This is not particularly surprising. Radiohead is probably the most discussed, dissected and analyzed band of the past 20…

The Young Folks vs. The Top 40: Week of March 5, 2015

Since 1958, the Billboard Hot 100 has been the definitive chart gauging the biggest singles in the United States, with particular attention to the top 40 positions. Top 40 is so ingrained in music culture that an entire radio format…

The 87th Academy Awards Winners – Full List

Last night’s Oscars Ceremony was full of terrific speeches, moving performances, and Neil Patrick Harris doing his best holding down one of the hardest hosting gigs in town. It was also the year that we learned that you can defeat…