Authors: Allison Shephard
Review: Overlake – Sighs
The opening track (aptly titled “First”) is sleepy and cinematic, a dramatic yet understated introduction to an album that attempts to walk the fine line between indie and post-rock. … read more
Review: Pacific Mean Time – Self-Titled
There is way too much trying to happen on this album. It sounds like the band wanted to incorporate all the elements that they like from each genre and, unfortunately, it really doesn’t work. While the album is certainly ambitious, it lacks a definitive sound. … read more
Review: Ms. John Soda – Loom
Ms. John Soda = Lali Puna + Styrofoam … read more
Review: Metatag – Surrender
Metatag = Boards of Canada x Aphex Twin + Blade Runner Soundtrack … read more
Review: Mount Eerie – Pre-Human Ideas
Phil Elverum voices everything on the album, his voice ranging from very deep to melodically high-pitched. Though on the surface it may seem simple, Pre-Human Ideas sets out to prove that the electronic can, in fact, be quite natural, and that recomposition doesn’t have to be familiar. … read more
Review: Mac McCaughan – Non-Believers
Mac McCaughan = American Wrestlers + Twerps … read more
Review: Marrow – The Gold Standard
Marrow = Silversun Pickups + The Tontons x Rubblebucket … read more
Review: Lynx – Light Up Your Lantern
From the moment this album opens, with heavy beats accented by a varied string section (guitars, banjo and cello), Lynx kept a hypnotic grip over me that was so powerful, I wondered if I had spent that hour in an oasis-tinged dream. … read more
Review: Maggie McClure – Time Moves On
Filled to the brim with cutesy pop confessionals and whimsical, dreamy instrumentals, Maggie McClure masters the small-town-girl-meets-big-city vibe. … read more
Review: Kuzin – Cavity
Kuzin = La Luz + Liz Phair … read more
Review: Landshapes – Heyoon
Landshapes = Vuvuvultures + Dark Horses x Sleater-Kinney … read more
Review: Lanterns on the Lake – Until the Colours Run
Combining slow, angsty melodies topped with breathy, echoed vocals, laced with political undertones allows LOTL to express that beauty can be found in even the most dire of situations. Self-proclaimed “pastoral pop” artists, LOTL create just what they claim to be: textbook pastorals mixed with instrumentation that assists the listener in becoming fully lost in the experience. … read more
