Music
Review: The Smoking Flowers – 2 Guns
IIt’s more interesting than the crop of artists on the pop country charts, but that isn’t saying much. For sheer listening—if you enjoy the storytelling lyricizing of the country genre—you could do far worse. … read more
Review: Robert Pollard – Blazing Gentlemen
Robert Pollard’s musical universe (and it is a universe—he’s written thousands of songs) often sounds like some alternate through-the-looking-glass world, resembling classic rock, with riffs and lyrical tropes that seem somehow familiar, but from some other far-off constellation. … read more
Review: Moon Honey – Hand-Painted Dream Photographs
Baton Rouge, La. combo Moon Honey might lay to rest comparisons of that city with colorful New Orleans. Indie bands have dabbled with orchestral instruments before, but this product is psych rock with the theatricality of ’70s glam. … read more
Review: Melt-Banana – Fetch
Fetch will have you scrambling after their lightning-paced rhythms and the frenetic phrasings of vocalist Yasuko Onuki, and Ichirou Agata’s guitar explorations—which are all over the place in terms of the fretboard and effects—that range from video game noises to natural sounds. … read more
Review: George Glass – Welcome Home
There’s a smoothness about this straight-ahead pop stuff that some lo-fi aficionados might distrust, but put that down to their living in L.A. In that town full of phoniness, George Glass (who isn’t a person, BTW, just the band name) somehow seems genuine. … read more
Review: Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse
Though Empires Collapse is certainly a capital “T” Thrash record, it also incorporate more doom, punk and even industrial influences than any previous record, as made evident on ominous pounders like “The Turning of the Gears” and “Leviathan.” … read more
![Review: Poison Idea – Kings of Punk [Reissue]](/uploads/300/6800-poison%20idea-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Poison Idea – Kings of Punk [Reissue]
Southern Lord’s love affair with reissuing old PI records hasn’t let up, and (for once) this reviewer isn’t complaining. Few hardcore bands deserve more praise than Poison Idea, and these loving reissues are a testament to that. … read more
Review: Weird Owl – Healing
Brooklyn psych band with personal and label support from Anton Newcombe—that tagline should be enough of a selling point for many people interested in this record. Reverb and overdrive are more prominent effects than fuzz on Healing, setting it apart somewhat from previous Weird Owl releases. … read more
Review: Weekend Nachos – Still
John Hoffman’s vocal plasticity, which ranges from harrowing shrieks to guttural bellowing and intermittent grooving (“Yes Way” and “Broken Mirror”), compares to others of the ilk. Ultimately, though, the band plies their wares where the most bread gets buttered: punishing power violence with an occasional metal flourish. … read more
Review: Warmaster/Humiliation – Self-Titled Split
Disregard the full-length’s display—this is a track-exclusive release and meant to be played on turntables pumping the deadskin collection that continuously builds up in your speakers back into your nasal cavity. Vinyl hoarders take note: This release is on nice, blood-splattered wax and limited to 500 copies. … read more