Music
Review: Spectrals – Sob Story
The sophomore album from U.K. band Spectrals is a step up from their 2011 debut record, Bad Penny, as their sound seems more confident and polished. … read more
Review: Secret Policeman’s Ball – Teenage Crimewave
Don’t let the shoegazer cover fool you—this is not your traditional indie-rock record. … read more
Review: Safety Scissors – In A Manner Of Sleeping
Safety Scissors/Matthew Patterson Curry (MPC!) enviably went from art school to a successful career in electronic music, with a host of international festival appearances and respectable peers supporting his work. … read more
Review: Power Trip – Manifest Decimation
Lord have mercy, that Paolo Girardi artwork! That’s it, I could stop the review here. … read more
Review: Lux Interna – there is light in the body,...
The fifth release by Joshua Levi Ian and Kathryn Mary, this beautiful album recapitulates dark neo-folk without dragging along the negatives that subgenre often implies, marrying it to the gothic Americana sound of bands like Munly or Wovenhand (whose keyboardist Jeff Linsenmaier guests here) with touches of 1990s darkwave. … read more
Review: Lesbian – Forestelevision
While it isn’t the worst album I’ve heard this year, Lesbian’s Forestelevision might be the laziest. … read more
Review: Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon
With her debut album, Laura Mvula has a lot to offer if you’re into music that soothes and relaxes you into a meditation … read more
Review: Eddie Spaghetti – The Value of Nothing
Eddie Spaghetti evidently has just too much rock n’ roll in his soul. … read more
Crucialfest Day Two @ Killby Court 06.27
On the second day of Crucialfest 3, the music gods looked upon Kilby Court and decided, “This is where the rock shall be.” A little slice of all-ages paradise, Kilby Court is a great venue tucked away in the back of an alley. The only downside is a serious lack of air conditioning, but fantastic lighting and sound makes up for it. Besides, it’s the summer—if you’re not sweating, then you’re not trying hard enough. One of the most fun things about Kilby Court that doesn’t really translate to a lot of venues is also the easygoing, casual vibe. “Casual” is the best way to describe Kilby all the way around, with the open garage door in back and courtyard full of stickers with a firepit flanked by park benches. Not a half bad way to catch some tunes and make some new friends. … read more
Review: Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Right from the beginning of Random Access Memories, the tone is set through the first track, “Give Life Back to Music.” … read more
Review: Big Deal – June Gloom
Though it opens on a gloomy note (which had me worried I was reviewing another downtrodden shoegaze album) with “Golden Light,” the album quickly morphs into cutesy upbeat dream pop that borders on twee. … read more
Review: Bass Drum Of Death – Self Titled
When a single overridden guitar chord introduces the 10-second snare-drum-roll opening “I Wanna Be Forgotten” (the first track), the endless 15-second snare-intro of Cheap Time’s “Living In The Past” comes to mind. … read more
