Mike Brown’s Monthly Dirt: Amateur Night

Posted on February 27, 2013 (February 2, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

There are certain holidays that are pretty much catered to the boozing and bar industry. But there’s one designated drinking day that seems to suck the stupid out of people more than all of them: St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe it’s because I fancy a drink a tad bit more than the average American male, but I don’t need a holiday to tell me to drink. I probably got more hammered on Flag Day than I did on all of these “holidays” combined, and I don’t even know when Flag Day is. … read more

Beautiful Godzilla: Home Sweet Home

Posted on February 27, 2013 (February 2, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

Every winter, but especially after a particularly wet one like this year, I promise myself it’ll be my last in Salt Lake. I really love this city––I just can’t handle pedaling or driving through all this extremity-numbing precipitation. What inevitably keeps me here is the fact that I can navigate my way around this godforsaken desert without Siri holding my hand. A city doesn’t become home until you can confidently give a stranger accurate directions to the nearest, local strip club. … read more

Gallery Stroll: Art for the Young and the Young Artist

Posted on February 27, 2013 (December 22, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

It’s not hard to find good art in Utah. Here are two of my picks of Utah’s art offerings. … read more

Local Review: Settle Down/Sure Sign of the Nail

Posted on March 21, 2013 (February 2, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

settle-down-sure-sign-of-the-nail-split-ep

This split single is a fantastic introduction to two of Salt Lake’s finest bands, and the songs they’ve chosen have a great emotional contrast. Sure Sign of the Nail opens with “Flora and Fauna,” a slow, ambient, tranquil trip with a thick bass line, overlaid with beautiful humming guitar and deep vocals that remind me of some primitive, Gregorian chant, rattling the deep parts of your chest with its dark beauty. … read more

Local Review: Ben Best & Karl Jørgensen

Posted on March 19, 2013 (January 24, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

Ben Best & Karl Jørgensen are a local experimental duo with an appreciation for analog recording techniques, having recently released a nicely packaged cassette of their self-titled album. This volume of music contains a sonically warm series of untitled audio explorations that are almost aquatic in tone. … read more

Local Review: KonSICKwence & Skip Sanders

Posted on March 19, 2013 (February 2, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

Utah hip hop just keeps getting better. I mean it. I know many of these kids have been around for a minute, but they’re hitting their strides. Utah. Jazz. is just that—full of dusky, distant piano samples over bass-heavy boom bap. … read more

Local Review: A Lily Gray

Posted on March 19, 2013 (February 2, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

A Lily Gray has released a solid and highly enjoyable EP with The Fall. The album is ethereal and emotive, a bit more complex than most standard rock, but not quite stepping into any “progressive” territory, and has a strong foundation in the complementary sound of the music with singer David Lynn’s unique and far-reaching, clean vocals. … read more

Local Review: Mooninite/RS2090

Posted on March 19, 2013 (August 8, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

Mooninite/RS2090 - Self-titled Split album artwork

Side A, Mooninite’s side, treads lightly in familiar ambient territory, owing much to the sampled instrumentation of Boards of Canada and the swirling arpeggios fancied by fellow compatriot OK Ikumi. The beats are slightly off, staggering with a seasick lurch. RS2090’s side is all absurdist rhythm patterns, pitch-shifted lecture notes, squiggly synths, bottom-scraping low-end and an angular, almost geometric approach to composition. … read more

Local Review: Mystique

Posted on March 19, 2013 (February 2, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

mystique-which-boots-witch-boots-artwork

This three-song EP is packed with delightful bounciness. Urgent piano riffs and a really rich female vocal execution stand out on the first track. Even the second song, which is more of a ballad, continues with a great rhythm. … read more

Local Review: Porco Rosso

Posted on March 19, 2013 (February 2, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

Porco Rosso is the chillwave project of Park City’s Davis Johnson, and the One Day As A Lion EP is on Bandcamp for a name-your-price deal. There is no other information about him online, but that’s fine, because the music is capable of speaking for itself. … read more

Don’t Be an Ass, Use a Glass!

Posted on July 1, 2013 (January 24, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

I have a problem—a glassware problem. If it’s a vessel made to carry a specific beer, I probably own it. Some of it is tradition, how some glasses are almost ceremonial in their approach to beer, but I know there’s more to it than that. So, when people ask me, “Hey, moron! What difference does it make?” or “How can it possibly affect the taste of the beer?” I have some simple answers. … read more

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Kvelertak: Meir Og Meir

Posted on April 2, 2013 (January 24, 2022) by Asha Pruitt

After missing their scheduled set earlier that night on Converge’s headlining tour due to van problems, Kvelertak rolled into SLCto play a last-minute show on 10/22/12 and delivered their potent mix of black metal, punk, hardcore and classic rock n’ roll to a rapturous crowd. Kvelertak riled up the crowd so much at midnight on a Monday that multiple fights broke out, but, as vocalist Erlend Hjelvik potently put it when the band stopped in the middle of a song to calm the audience down, “We are here to party, not to fight!” … read more