Music
Review: Toughskins – Keep The Faith
Toughskins have been around since the ’90s and they’re a great example of an old-fashioned, boots and braces, Oi! punk group. Comparing this album to their older stuff, it holds up well. If you’re looking for something to drive fast to or chug beer to, this is your album. … read more
Review: Trenchrot – Necronomic Warfare
The Philly crew attempts to take on OSDM, which is fine when there are oh so many bands playing the old-school death metal style. The problem with Trenchrot is, for the main part, redundancy—and they present nothing very interesting or mentally appealing. … read more
Review: Various Artists – Boats – Transgressive North Comp.
The tracks themselves are all completely diverse and seemingly reflect a sense of community and love. With outstanding musicians such as Four Tet, Deerhoof, Jamie Stewart and Rustie, you can’t help but fall in love with the dynamic, symphonic vibrations of this project. … read more
Review: Various Artists – Kitsuné Maison Compilation 15
Kitsuné Maison Compilation 15 has nu-dance vibe with a splash of disco that made my imagination dance. One of the tracks that instantly made it on my repeat playlist was “Chateau Marmont” by Krystal Klear—it made me think of the movie Clueless and the California sun. … read more
Review: Various Artists – Persuasive Experimentations Vol. 1 – Roach...
Mick Harris’ Raptor D7 mix of Little Sap Dungeon’s “A Dinner Guest” was one such slimy track that really sucked me in, as was Durandal’s “Mothers Nightmare.” There’s definitely some freaky shit on this album, and I really appreciate that. … read more
Review: Wax Fang – The Astronaut
While you may roll your eyes at the pretense of a concept album about an astronaut emerging from a black hole as a limitless superbeing, it is hard to fault the ambitious scope of this project—two musicians from Louisville, KY scoring these massive, soaring, 10-minute-plus epics with symphonic scores, brawny psych guitar work and droning atmospherics. … read more
Review: William Fitzsimmons – Lions
Musically minimal and delicate, juxtaposed with dense lyrics, William Fitzsimmons manages to create an album that is both contemplative and intense without being dull or impenetrable. It is clean without being overproduced, emotional without being cliché and is personal while still being relatable. … read more
Review: Winkie – One Day We Pretended To Be Ghosts
Winkie’s inclination toward the melodic structure buried beneath the fuzz is what places them alongside their already established peers. Was mbv too full of love for your horizontal head? Eat at Winkie’s! … read more
Review: Wolves in the Throne Room – BBC Session 2011...
Ethereal as their studio recordings are, the BBC Session provides a different and equally as compelling experience. “Prayer of Transformation” is a slow and whispered black metal trek on Celestial Lineage, but in the live studio setting it shares a kinship with the patience-testing doom of Bell Witch and Samothrace. … read more
Review: Tyler Newman – Zonekiller (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
As I contemplate a robot apocalypse or a tyrannical future controlled by a mindless government, I take with me a soundtrack that gives life to these ideas. If you enjoy ’80s-infused dark electro comparable to the Quake soundtrack, I highly recommend this album. … read more
Review: Dethklok – Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem
Listen up for cameos by Jack Black, Malcom McDowell, George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, and Mark Hamill. This isn’t a death metal album, but if you have enough humor to enjoy the show, the album is worth it. It’s extremely well written, and epic as all hell. … read more
Review: Saffronkeira + Mario Massa – Cause and Effect
Caria and Massa have succeeded in creating a sequence of tracks that functions as a single volume, each supporting the other. “Umorale” is recommended for an idea of Cause and Effect’s general sound: intertwining melodies and drifting percussion traveling beside fluctuating drones and static elements. … read more
