Issues: Issue 293 - May 2013
Review: Youth Lagoon – Wondrous Bughouse
The dense and trippy world Trevor Powers invites listeners into appears to be an extravagant show. It seems that he wants to appear much more than a lo-fi bedroom artist, but upon listening to the opening track, “Mute,” I can feel Power’s sincerity, even if he does secretly crave being weird. … read more
Review: Wartorn – Iconic Nightmare
Iconic Nightmare doesn’t fail to entertain, what with the leads in “No Sanctuary, No Salvation” and the barking crustoleum of “Permanent Blackout” and “Knee Deep in Blood,” but it’s certainly not leading the charge into territory that hasn’t already been exhaustively mined by the same label (Martyrdod? Wolfbrigade?). … read more
Review: Wild Belle – Isles
With an interesting mash-up of eclectic styles—including trip hop, reggae and ska—siblings Natalie and Elliot Bergman’s debut is equally unique. … read more
Review: Valleys – Are You Going to Stand There and...
The songs on this debut album beautifully capture that feeling its lengthy title evokes. On the album, Valleys reinterprets the rich heritage of melancholic shoegaze with their own vision. … read more
Review: V/A – Kitsune America 2
Kitsuné has put together another album of electro pop, indie and R&B tracks from around America, which complement one another in a relaxed but well-paced album … read more
Review: The Thermals – Desparate Ground
Clearly, it doesn’t require a lot of thought to conclude how The Thermals’ long-term survival can be attributed to the singer’s lo-fi punk-saddled rhetoric. Things have been pissing in Hutch Harris’ Cheerios since 2002. Now, his current flavor of the week is relationship drama. … read more
Review: The Catbirds – Catbirds Say Yeah
Perhaps I’m being a bit harsh here, but I dreaded reviewing this album. Southern rock doesn’t have to be an homage to the dying art. I felt like I was overhearing a TV in the adjacent room playing one of those awkward Time-Life Singers and Songwriters commercials, but they were introducing a strange, assorted collection of ’70s and ’90s rock. … read more
Review: Tera Melos – X’ed Out
Tera Melos range from bass lines and doom riffs on “Slimed” to glorious angular riff-spun melodies everywhere else on the album. “Slimed” is a methodical head-banger that’s not psychedelic enough to be stoner rock, but is heavy enough to unleash the beast inside me, if only just for fun. … read more
Review: The Appleseed Cast – Illumination Ritual
I’ve never been able to classify The Appleseed Cast, but I’d say they lie in the folds of indie rock, post-hardcore, emo and shoegaze with intricate time signatures coupled with drums in the forefront. Illumination Ritual is another great album in a series of great albums. … read more
Review: Smoke Fairies – Blood Speaks
Coming into this album, I had my doubts. “Blood Speaks” felt like a period anthem, with the lyrics, “Your blood is speaking, and mine is speaking,” set to a marching beat with a droney, chanting voice fit for a haunted church performance. Yeah, the sheddings of my uterine lining are speaking, too, and I’m still crampy. … read more