Music
SLUG Magazine’s collection of reviews covering the latest and greatest of Utah-based music, covering all varieties of genre, style and type.
Local Review: Subterranean Masquerade – Suspended Animation Dreams
Subterranean Masquerade Suspended Animation Dreams The End Records SM = Pink Floyd + Polyphonic Spree + Katatonia + Paradise Lost + Tommy Subterranean Masquerade’s much-anticipated first full-length album picks up where two-song EP Temporary Psychotic State left off, giving us Pink Floyd psychedelia, Porcupine Tree/Devin Townsend prog rock and 60s Tommy concept-rock-opera insanity, but blended
Local Review: Swedish Music in Utah – Lucia Celebration
Swedish Music in Utah Lucia Celebration Utah Arts Council Lucia Celebration = cute times + food, folks & fun This CD is just sickeningly cute. It’s a bunch of Swedish young people singing trad Swedish music. It’s a recording of the Lucia Day Celebration, put on by Utah’s Swedish Heritage Society. Sweden happens to be
Local Review: Vile Blue Shades – Dark Wizard
Vile Blue Shades Dark Wizard Croakfrog Vile Blue Shades = Do Make Say Think + The Fall + Ralph Steadman Vile Blue Shades, who had a CD release at SLUG HQ during April Gallery Stroll, are in anti-heaven where The Swans float around with The Fall, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Junior Kimbrough, monk-like chanting and
Local Review: The Body – Call Off the Search
The Body Call Off the Search Self-Released The Body = Aesop Rock + Atmosphere + the Roots Funky sometimes slipping into raga full-instrumental backtracks flow behind flows laid by emcees LoKaL and MiMiC rounding out over an hour of recorded sweet hip-hop smoothness. The first half of tracks find the lyrics a bit lazy, crutching
Local Review: The Brobecks – Happiest Nuclear Winter
The Brobecks Happiest Nuclear Winter Self-Released The Brobecks = Weezer + They Might be Giants + Flaming Lips + Alkaline Trio This album isn’t over-cute, it’s just cute drawn out. Happiest Nuclear Winter struts clever through 12 tracks of electro-pop subtle-saccharine with bummed-out lyrics and occasional near-jazz piano ditties. Sad, socially conscious, mostly strange and
Local Review: Facts – The F Files: Mixtape Vol. 1
Facts The F Files: Mixtape Vol. 1 Lace Em Up Facts = Bubba Sparxx + The Agents Facts puts lyrics together as precisely as a watchmaker, and his beats and samples stick to you like flypaper slathered with honey. His remix of “Walks of Life” is 10 times better than the original, and his shout-outs
Local Review: Jesse Michael Garcia – A Man Of Action
Jesse Michael Garcia A Man of Action Jesse Michael Garcia = Christian Johanssen + Mr. Rogers Jesse Michael Garcia. A man of action. An earnest man. A man who likes to write music, play guitar and sing. A man who wants a contract when he plays the Urban Lounge. Try to understand; he’s been burned
Local Review: The Legendary Porch Pounders – A Little Gift:...
The Legendary Porch Pounders A Little Gift: Authorized Bootleg Self-Released LPP = Muddy Waters + Bob Dylan I swore off drinking yesterday, but halfway through the emotionally exhausting second track, “Up for Days,” I had one leg swung back up on the wagon. Dan Weldon’s lyrics are more folk-poetic than would traditionally accompany many of
Local Review: Magstatic – She’s Just a Buzz
Magstatic She’s Just a Buzz Pop Sweatshop Magstatic = Failure + Sugar + Pinback Plump, solid pop-hooks are as satisfying to the palatte as malt balls; sometimes energetically upbeat (“Downtown Girlfriend,” “My Little Runaway”), sometimes smoldering crystal-cool (“Run to You,” “Bitchin’ House”). It’s all radio-friendly and better than anything playing on the radio, if you
Local Review: Purr Bats – Bionic Fresh Moves
Purr Bats Bionic Fresh Moves State of Deseret/Rest 30 Purr Bats = Purr Bats They’re incomparable, sorry. Salt Lake’s best dour synth-disco-spazz band that will kill you with humor while they revive you with succinctness have so many tongues in cheeks it’d be an athletic event to french ’em. Purr Bats move in a more