Music
Review: La Armada – Self-Titled
Cynical Spanish punk with ice water in its veins and acid on its breath. Gringo friendly translations showcase some compelling ideas here (“in the man-vomiting society/the most severe scarcity is/ the inevitable counterpart of being devoured by the machine”) even if the “todo es caca” sentiment is age-old. … read more
Review: Woodsman Orphan – My Name is Ishmael Ali
The odds are against you as a singer if you attempt to pull off the Neil Young signature whine-and-pine style of vocalizing. … read more
Review: The Uncluded – Hokey Fright
Hip hop meets nursery rhymes with this collab from Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson. … read more
Review: TesseracT – Altered State
After going through the heinous task of finding a new lead singer, the djent-prog outfit have returned with a massively infectious new record that is a definite achievement. … read more
Review: Small Multiples – Self Titled
No songs on this EP, put out by Craig Hartley and Eli Friedmann, sound like they belong on the same album together. … read more
Review: Small Black – Limits of Desire
In the supposedly genre-less world we live in, being pigeonholed into a nascent musical genre is probably the biggest challenge a 20-something Brooklynite will ever face. Enter Small Black. … read more
Localized: The Insurgency and Hectic Hobo
This month’s Localized, on June 15, showcases two hard-rocking groups of completely different spectrums. Salty old-school punkers The Insurgency and dusty vagabond gypsies Hectic Hobo will share the stage and are sure to generate two sets you can easily jerk your limbs to. To round out the evening, indie-blues cross-pollinators The Red on Black will be opening. Per usual, the event is 21+ at Urban Lounge, free until 10:30 p.m. then $5 at the door. The show is presented by GigViz.com, the ultimate online-viewing tube for you underage babies, child-addled hermits and those in faraway lands. … read more
Review: Pharmakon – Abandon
The sound and mood on Abandon aren’t unsettling in the manner that being forced into an uncomfortable conversation can be. … read more
Review: Mick Harvey – Four (Acts of Love)
Not the fourth album, but continuing in the vein of naming by numbers, Mick Harvey’s (Crime and the City Solution, The Birthday Party) latest work is 14 tracks dedicated to that most human of emotions: love. … read more
Review: Man… or Astro-man? – Defcon 5…4…3…2…1
This album marks the first time since 1997’s Made From Technetium that Alabama’s favorite sci-fi/surf combo has put out a record with original guitarist Star Crunch. … read more
Review: Lantern – Below
This Lantern does not burn brightly—drenched in atmosphere, this dirge-meets-speed/groove death metal record is one of the better records you will hear all year. … read more
Review: Kazyak – See the Forest, See the Trees
Peter Frey is the main man behind the adventurous chamber-pop band, Kazyak. The gentle finger-picking intro on “Pieces of My Map” immediately recalls the talents of Andrew Bird. … read more
