Mary E. Duncan has been on the SLUG Magazine copy editing team for more than eight years—longer than two presidential terms! Every copy editing meeting, she ensures that the magazine’s grammar is in line, that punctuation goes where it needs to, and that she treats the sentences she reads with tender, loving care. … read more
Abandoning prior cred and a full-length album of material, the three remaining members of Atl Atl renamed themselves and pushed out a quick studio recording. … read more
It is hard to criticize music by a local “teen-run” record label, but I’ll do my best. All local artists should take note: Every artist is a local artist where they came from. That doesn’t mean they should be making records. With a name that would surely get them kicked out from even busking in Sherwood Forest, Idyll Rigamarole describes their sound as “medieval groove folk” on their Facebook page. … read more
Illegal Beagle get points for incorporating second-wave ska and not exclusively playing third-wave ska, but the songs are grating and the recording is sloppy. Considering third-wave ska still sounds hopelessly dated, only first-wave ska could have compensated. … read more
The music itself has a vintage tone: a throwback to the ‘60s and ‘70s, with hints of ‘50s-era pop thrown in by the female vocalist. A distinct homage to bands like Rush and Cream on the instrumentals, with Hank Reese on vox and the addition of Jaylee Amey’s vocals certainly individualizes the sound. … read more
It’s always a pleasant surprise to hear good, interesting dark music made locally. While we have plenty of good bands, industrial is rare at best. Sandy-based Adam Harmon, former guitarist and keyboard player for Carphax Files, is the force behind this meandering industrial experiment, a follow-up to $ra, their 2008 5-song EP. … read more
Small Town Sinners are turning out quality discs like Notorious B.I.G. personally came down from the heavens and requested it. Blood and Dust, their most recent offering, continues Small Town Sinners’ pursuit of making the most amazing heartfelt alt-country possible would definitely inspire the late, great Biggie Smalls to put on his flannel and grab his acoustic. … read more
These boys definitely have some very recognizable influences from Tool to, perhaps unintentionally, The Police (tell me you don’t hear it on the opening riff of “No More Blood on my Guitar”). They are taking their cue from some great musicians. It’s young and it’s pained—they are certainly taking advantage of all the pent-up frustration that comes along with being an adolescent group of boys becoming men. … read more
It’s been 10 years in the making to get the foul-mouthed mercenary on the screen in appropriate form with a correlating R-rating. After “leaking” the script and test footage, 20th Century Fox finally gave into screaming fans’ demands, but with an unusually low budget for a superhero film. As I type these words, the film has already grossed more than $280 million in four days. Obviously, we’ll be seeing a sequel. … read more
Since he was a child, the thick-glasses-wearing, socially awkward Edwards (Taron Egerton) always wanted to be an Olympian. However, it wasn’t until his teenage years that he focused on skiing and the Winter Olympics. It would be quite difficult to walk out of this movie without a smile across your face. It’s that charming and motivating. … read more
We march forth with March local reviews. … read more
You’ve gotten lucky this March with these National Music Reviews! … read more
