Authors: Nate Perkins
Wicked Cool Records
As the United States slowly rots into a stinking musical wasteland, Steven Van Zandt is fighting tooth and nail to save rock n’ roll in its purest and most beautiful form. Van Zandt, who is a weird, walking, breathing encyclopedia of cool, has managed to piece together the aptly named New York-based Wicked Cool Records. Since 2006, Wicked Cool has released some of the most important rock n’ roll that you’ve probably never heard of. … read more
CLC Band: Rifamos
Formerly called Rodentia, Rifamos includes members of SugarTown, Revolver and Blood Poets. They play the kind of western and surf music that could be the soundtrack to the lives of bandits and outlaws who ride through the deserts of Mexico and the American Southwest, revolutionary characters like Pancho Villa or George Hayduke. … read more
Local Reviews: Stumphead
When I first looked at the album art (done in MS Paint by the looks of it) and subsequently popped in the CD, I just assumed that the band was made up of a bunch of lazy, masturbating high school sophomores. Imagine my surprise when minimal web-based research revealed that these dudes are old enough to grow facial hair and drink in bars. … read more
Local Reviews: Blitzkrieg Witchcraft
Rouse yourselves from your drug naps and step out of the cold filth and squalor of your squats, all you crusty D-beat kids. Raise your hands in praise because Blitzkrieg Witchcraft just put out the noisiest, shittiest demo ever. Most of it is just freeform chaos influenced by some powerviolence and a lot of thrashy spike and stud garbage. … read more
Local Reviews: The Hung Ups
Dripping sexual frustration as teenage pop-punk is prone to do, there’s no more to Red Rocket than twelve songs about girlfriends, pizza and alcoholism. The songs blast through with such haphazard high energy that they are almost indistinguishable. … read more
Local Reviews: Skychange
Supposedly inspired by heavy doses of psilocybin, Hallelucination almost covers up its regrettable style and terrible taste by thickly laying on highly produced psyche-out space effects and decent guitar chops. … read more
Local Reviews: Books about UFOs
People say that Books about UFOs is a garage group, and the band cites 13th Floor Elevators as an influence, but they couldn’t sound less psychedelic if they tried. If you go into this expecting to hear anything even close to The Sonics or The Reigning Sound, you’ll be pretty dissatisfied. … read more
Local Reviews: Reviver
Reviver is indisputably one of the hardest-working bands in Utah, and their dedication shows in this latest EP. Potential Wasteland is a hardcore tribute to doing exactly what it is that you want to do without letting the totalitarian structure and guilt of the surrounding system hold you down. … read more
Local Reveiws: Storming Stages and Stereos
Dear Lord. When will this rock-with-horns/third-wave ska thing ever die? I thought the ship had sunk a few years ago, but SSAS is paddling hard. … read more
Local Reviews: Exer Ovu
I’ve listened to a few Exer Ovu releases now—this dude, Derek Griffith, has seriously put out a shit ton of CDs—and I still can’t quite figure out what to make of any of it. One thing’s for sure, though: He loves making music, and his passion shines through in this album. … read more