Enter the dark, raw, silky mysticism of the parallel universe that is Kid Madusa. This album, Kid Madusa’s first, begins with a haunting, harpsicord waterfall and rich doubled vocals that seem to hold the sorrow and wisdom of 200 years, not the 27 of Lindsay Heath, exdrummer of Phono and The Tremula and current drummer of Bronwyn Beecher and Twin Lull. Lindsay’s trademark heavy, unpredictable drumming serves the album well, especially in the trippy beats of “The Baderie Acid Recovery Project.” … read more
Local Reviews: Joshua James
Okay, I’ve got to say it. Joshua James is hot. Really hot. Maybe it’s those blue eyes (they’ll get you every time), or perhaps it’s his great jawline, but this is supposed to be an album review, so let me get to the point. … read more
Local Reviews: M. Sartain
Nepotism can do strange things when it comes to music. If it were not for famous siblings, there would have been no careers for Roger Clinton, Tommy Cash or Jermaine Jackson. But before you believe that brotherly kindness only manifests itself in national acts, consider the local surname Sartain. … read more
Local Reviews: Odetta
I’ve had the chance to thumb through some of Odetta’s vinyl collection and just about every record I touched had some inspiring funk sound or soulful sample. The guy simply doesn’t keep crappy records in his crates and this is what makes Odetta’s production so solid. … read more
Local Reviews: Old Timer
Somewhere along the foothills resides a small family company who has been forging tombstones, among other things, for more than 100 years. This happens to be the spot Old Timer utilized to record this little gem because they do not give a fuck about studio quality polish or pristine production. … read more
Local Reviews: Ralp
According to Moondog Music, Ralp (Casey Fritz to those in the know) has recorded over 200 songs, all of which are downloadable through their website. This makes reviewing this three song demo a little strange. Two years ago, SLUG reviewed Ralp’s first six-song demo in these very pages. Where it gets interesting is that all three songs on this disc were also on the first one. … read more
Local Reviews: WoO
This was a wonderful little surprise.Intrigued, not knowing at all what to expect, with zero press release and mysterious album artwork, I immediately put this in my car CD player. The result was approximately 45 minutes of minimalistic and soothing soundscapes that are comparable to what the revered Eluvium would sound like if he was marooned on a derelict space station. … read more
Afghan Kitchen: Nosh-E-Jaan or Good Eating
Afghanistan has a history of expertise in cooking and hospitality, along with a passion to serve guests a spread of food. Afghan Kitchen lives up to its heritage. The restaurant is unassuming from the street, but don’t let that fool you. There is something to be said for simplicity. … read more
Hirad Sab: Art for an Anarchic Future
Scrolling through local artist Hirad Sab’s website is like watching a strange, distorted projection of the not-so-far-off future unfold in front of you. Sleek chrome bodies fall away into glitching, semi-recognizable landscapes while the line between organic matter and digital projections blurs beyond distinction. … read more
Desire Lines at UMOCA: Jane Christensen
Of 15 total, Desire Lines features three local artists, Jane Christensen, Janell James and Kelly Larsen, who discuss their participation in the show. … read more
Personal/Public: Artist Jorge Rojas on Performance
For the last 10 years, Jorge Rojas has focused on performance art, veering between intimate moments and dramatic gestures, drawing from lived and shared experience, intercultural and contemporary identity, and much more. … read more
Film Review: Phantom Thread
In Phantom Thread, Paul Thomas Anderson’s vision is as exquisite, meticulous and fixated as that of his lead character, Reynolds Woodcock. With superb cinematography, Anderson’s is a ravishing inspection of the pursuit for aesthetic perfection, of love and power and their dizzying, sickly, perverse intimations. … read more
