Authors: Alexander Ortega
Sundance Film Review: Plaza de la Soledad
Plaza de la Soledad examines the lives of sex workers in Mexico City. The women that director Maya Goded features in this documentary provide enduring sisterhood for each other amid a lifestyle in which they maintain volition over their own destinies. Each woman speaks for herself about her experience in this insightful film. … read more
Sundance Film Review: First Girl I Loved
Anne finds herself to be attracted to Sasha, a girl on their high school’s softball team. When Anne tries to tell her bestie, Clifton, though, he reveals his feelings for her, which compromise Anne’s simple intention to woo the girl she has a crush on. First Girl I Loved provides alternatively styled narration as to how Anne navigates her desire for Sasha. … read more
Review: Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket
Though the Nano Puff Jacket is lightweight, it insulates par excellence. The warmth I’ve felt wearing this jacket is toasty and comfy by way of its PrimaLoft® insulation—yet it breathes, and I feel nary a drop of sweat if I get my circulation going. … read more
Top 5 Teary-Eyed Power Pop Albums
Power pop packed a punch in 2015, and this list proves it. Whether you’re more excited that Warm Soda’s Symbolic Dream stayed true to form or that Young Guv’s Ripe 4 Luv pushed power pop’s boundaries, this list of power pop albums will bring you tears of joy. … read more
Review: Dawes Audio – Overdrive Pedal
Such a situation demands a good overdrive pedal, and Dawes Audio’s got what the doctor ordered. … read more
Review: Zensah – Invisi Running Socks
Zensah has taken care of me before with their Smart Running Gloves. Now they’ve come back to insulate my little feetsies! … read more
Nico Muhly & The Utah Symphony: Peeking In On A...
To commemorate Abravanel Hall’s 75th anniversary, Utah Symphony Utah Opera commissioned Nico Muhly to write scores for the orchestra to premiere. … read more
Review: Hot Girls Wanted
Hot Girls Wanted principally examines Tressa Silgnero’s (aka Stella May) foray into amateur porn. She is a case study for this documentary, which reveals the competitive reality of the amateur-porn machine that renders 18- and 19-year-old girls starry-eyed once they learn of how much money they can make per scene. … read more
Review: Bitters Lab
Bitters Lab Small Batch Bitters, 4-oz. bottles bitterslab.com Bitters Lab is moving up in the local cocktail ingredients scene, and their bitters add dimension to even the simplest Old Fashioned. Their Aromatic bitters include cherries, and the overall mix exudes almost a lavender scent, but it also tastes sweeter than the good ol’ Angostura. The Charred
Local Reviews: Handicapitalist
Handicapitalist thwacks out an irreverent, blatant style of old-school crust. “Smart Girls” epitomizes the band’s straightforward temperament as vocalist Jake Gatenby scratchily wails, “I only fuck smart girls!” … read more
Chelsea Wolfe – Abyss: The Aches of Sleep
Two years after her breakout album, Pain is Beauty, Chelsea Wolfe has again commanded a confluence of genres to synergize into a new, consuming ebb. … read more
Local Reviews: Starvist
Just as their album art suggests, Starvist saw off rhino horns with Taker Mythology, a fresh gulp of contemporary hardcore. Drummer Chase Cluff is a technical beast in his own right as he seamlessly transitions from technical rolls on his snare and slides into a smooth 6/8 beat with fluffy ride taps in “You Just Don’t Fool Me Twice.” … read more
