Authors: Ryan Michael Painter
Review: Drop the Fear – Self-Titled
Drop the Fear Self-Titled Drop the Fear The comparisons to the Cocteau Twins are going to be rampant even though they aren’t exactly accurate. Neither the guitars nor the vocals are anywhere as layered or complex, but still there is something there that does recall the cascades and swirling tide that defined 4AD in the
Review: Devendra Banhart – Niño Rojo
DEVENDRA BANHART NIÑO ROJO Young God A companion piece to Banhart’s well received album Rejoicing in the Handsthat was released earlier this year. For the uninitiated Devandra Banhart is a fine songsmith who captures the starkness of label mate/co-producer Michael Gira’s dark folk experiments but adds a quirky twist that puts forward a recklessness and
Review: Death of Lovers – The Acrobat
Death of Lovers = Handful of Snowdrops + Ride … read more
Review: Delays – Faded Seaside Glamour
DELAYS FADED SEASIDE GLAMOUR Rough Trade Undoubtedly the Delays will draw comparisons to The Byrds, love children and braided hair adorned with flowers in the pre-Altamont 60s due to the cascading of songs like “Nearer than Heaven.” Which I suppose is fine as long as you’re not intending it as an insult. Personally, I hear
Review: Depeche Mode – Remixes 81-04
Depeche Mode Remixes 81-04 Reprise There are a thousand official and unofficial Depeche Mode remixes floating around in the stratosphere and to try and make a single disc compilation of highlights is a rather daunting task. I know because I’ve made a few of my own over the years. This official compilation of highlights isn’t
Review: Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts
Dave Gahan & Soulsavers = Bad Seeds – Nick Cave + Spiritualized … read more
Review: David Bowie – Blackstar
Now, Blackstar is most easily read as a knowing goodbye from one of the smartest, bravest and enigmatic artists the world has ever had the benefit of knowing. … read more
Review: Cyness – Loony Planet/Industreality CD
Cyness doesn’t do anything unexpected for the genre of grindcore, they just do it as solid as I’ve ever heard it. … read more
Review: Communiqué – Poison Arrows
COMMUNIQUE POISON ARROWS Lookout Had Duran Duran grown up listening to themselves and pop punk rather than the glam appeal of Bowie, T-Rex or Roxy Music and stole their image from a less fashionable Interpol over David Sylvian they would have looked and sounded like Communiqué. Well you might also have to add a bit
Review: Cold Cave – You & Me & Infinity
Cold Cave = Suicide + Diary of Dreams … read more
Review: Clinic – Winchester Cathedral
CLINIC WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL Domino The men dressed in scrubs return with more evidence of exactly why they are one of the cast of Radiohead’s favorite bands (sometimes it is hard to tell who exactly is influencing who) and how it’s just about time everyone else took notice. In many ways, Clinic are the older, more
Review: Combichrist – Everybody Hates You
Combichrist Everybody Hates You Metropolis In the last year, Combichrist has released some of the best music to cross my desk in a long time. It’s lighthearted, evil, sexy, danceable and delicious. Fifteen years ago, I felt the same way about Nitzer Ebb; it got in the veins and you were hooked. “This s*it
