Review: Wai Pi Wai – S/T

Review: Wai Pi Wai – S/T
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WAI PI WAI S/T Hands Productions The collaboration of Jerome Soudan of Mimetic and Herman Klapholz of Ah Cama-Sotz burst into popularity during the 2004 edition of Maschinenfest where both musicians already held notoriety. The electronic journey begins with “Strings of Infinity,” a solid, melody-driven trancey track. “Dirty Mind” breaks into a Children of the

Review: The Poison Arrows – EP

Review: The Poison Arrows – EP
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THE POISON ARROWS EP  File 13   “Trailer Park” is a tease with its smacking around of sound and distorted blips and buried vocals. It’s a BRMC record stolen by Suicide and slaughtered in Pro Tools. Bloody hell, it’s Primal Scream reborn! Well, if they’d only kick it in and go somewhere, which they never

Review: Magnapop – Mouthfeel

Review: Magnapop – Mouthfeel
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MAGNAPOP MOUTHFEEL  Daemon   You might remember them, or perhaps you’ve seen their albums floating around somewhere. Magnapop were on a self-imposed hiatus. Now they’re back. Ruthie still plays noisy guitars and Linda still sings, two blokes provide the rhythm and maybe, just maybe, Mouthfeel will make you nostalgic for the early-to-mid 90s when this

Review: The Hidden Cameras – Mississauga, Goddam

Review: The Hidden Cameras – Mississauga, Goddam
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THE HIDDEN CAMERAS MISSISSAUGA, GODDAM  Rough Trade   Oh dear, The Hidden Cameras sounds like a rather twisted wreck of the flamboyant sexuality of the Scissor Sisters with the dark wit and tangled allusions to debauchery of The Beautiful South, the sing-along retro-chic of Belle and Sebastian and the awkward humanity found in all things by

Review: Sugur Rós – Von

Review: Sugur Rós – Von
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SIGUR RÓS VON  One Little Indian There’s this band from Iceland. No, not the Sugarcubes. The other band, Sigur Rós—perhaps you’ve heard of them? Well, this is their first album that up until this point hasn’t been officially available in America. It sounds like a nightmare, a rolling psychotic grind into the sparseness of darkness

Review: Tresspassers William – Different Stars

Review: Tresspassers William – Different Stars
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TRESSPASSERS WILLIAM DIFFERENT STARS Nettwerk You could dismiss Tresspassers William as a band filling the gap until the sleeping giants Mazzy Star get off their laurels. You could. You shouldn’t. No, you can’t deny the similarities of the slight country twang in the guitar, the understated female vocals and the mournful atmosphere, but you also

Review: Impossible Recording Machine – Echo The Moon

Review: Impossible Recording Machine – Echo The Moon
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IMPOSSIBLE RECORDING MACHINE ECHO THE MOON Positron! Impossible Recording Machine are not electroclash, Radiohead, James Bond, Coldplay or any combination of “post” + (insert whatever retro music term is popular). They do, however, share a bit in common with the aforementioned because Echo the Moon is a surprisingly nice collection of up-tempo electronic drones, candy

Making History From the Shadows: Interview with Agnostic Front’s Roger Miret

Making History From the Shadows: Interview with Agnostic Front’s Roger...
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The first time I heard anything hardcore was the first time I saw Agnostic Front live. Everything about them was so brutal. I couldn’t believe my ears—the way Vinny Stigma punished his guitar and the way Rodger Miret attacked the microphone with such magnetism; it was the most ferocious thing I’d ever seen. … read more

Erupting in the Right Direction: An Interview with the Explosion

Erupting in the Right Direction: An Interview with the Explosion
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Initially, The Explosion was just another underground punk band in which I invested no time or attention. I then reviewed their CD and was impressed, saw them play with Social Distortion, was pleasantly surprised, spoke to bassist Damian afterwards and realized they were far more than a simple generic punk band. When asked how The

The Musical Film Noir of the Flaming Stars

The Musical Film Noir of the Flaming Stars
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Académie Française is an institution aimed at keeping the French language free from outside influences; however, for about 50 years, the term “cool” has been proliferating in Paris and elsewhere, perhaps fronted by the Frenchies’ affinity for American jazz. What does this have to do with Londoner Max DéCharné, lead singer of the Flaming Stars?