Issues: Issue 293 - May 2013
Review: Destroy This Place – Destroy This Place
If Destroy this Place came out in the late ’90s or early ’00s, it would have been cozy snuggling up between Ozma and Green Day on my CD rack. Musically, not much sets this album apart from earlier power-pop, but vocally, a few tracks stand out. … read more
Review: Deathfix – Self-Titled
Let’s face it—no one’s favorite member of Fugazi is Brendan Canty. Hell, even the guy’s mother probably prefers Guy Picciotto. Yet here we are with the self-titled release by Canty’s glam band, Deathfix. And glam is the correct description, even if the music tends to deal with weightier subject matter than anything Slade ever put out. … 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: Dirtyphonics – Irreverence
Dirtyphonics are a French EDM quartet who have been bursting onto the scene since the major success of their hit single, “French Fuck.” These four guys (Charly, Pho, Thomas and Pitchin) pull influence from metal bands, and it’s obvious when listening to their debut album. … read more
Review: Eksi Ekso – Archfiend
Shitty bands love buzzwords, like art-pop and hyper-sexualized; these guys have nothing but buzzwords. I feel like the lead singer was in a Hoobastank tribute band, and this is his attempt to stay relevant. I honestly can’t tell if it is satire. … read more
Review: Akron/Family – Sub Verses
Sub Verses is Akron/Family’s densest, busiest and most undeniably rockist album to date. For these reasons, piled on top of their familiar vocal harmonization and expansive experimentation into the marriage of the limitless boundaries of electronic programming and the gnarled, woody heart of American rock n’ roll, Sub Verses makes the case for Akron/Family being one of the most vital groups working in rock music today. … read more
Review: Junip – Junip
Behind the ghostly voice of Jose Gonzales lie the subtle psychedelics that define Junip’s new album. Gonzales’ voice never soars, but is more of a “killing them softly” approach, with light reverb. … read more
Review: Glow Marrow – Braver Days
Glow Marrow’s passion is their signature element. Where most indie synth rock bands produce songs that lean towards dance numbers or darker tracks Glow Marrow’s sound is simply just uplifting. … read more
Local Reviews: Better Off With the Blues
This album is blues, through and through, with a thoughtful song selection and excellent execution. This is truly an anytime album, but personally, I just wanna sit and listen to it on the porch in the evening sun with a cold drink. … read more
Review: Panikk – Unbearable Conditions
Aping a classic Yankee sound with precision, finesse and a smattering of rough-hewn technicality, Slovenian (!) rippers Panikk pay bleary-eyed tribute to the golden age of Reagan-era noggin shakers, ante-upping “party thrash” contemporaries with fretboard frenetics. … read more