Music
Review: Blood Ceremony – The Eldritch Dark
While many listeners may expect to hear the overdriven Black Sabbath worship of Living With The Ancients, Blood Ceremony take a clear step toward their folk influences on The Eldritch Dark. … read more
Review: Bill Ryder-Jones – A Bad Wind Blows In My...
After leaving the band The Coral, singer-songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones’ new solo album shows that he probably made a good move. … read more
Review: Barren Womb/Remote – Self-Titled Split
You can’t help but foil bands whenever you’re faced with a split. There is no better band between the two—the only victor in this split is the audience. … read more
Review: Arsis – Unwelcome
When I first started listening to Unwelcome, I was a little apprehensive—however, the album’s title and first song pulled me in. The chugging guitars, blasting double bass and high, pterodactyl-Satan vocals brought back warm fuzzy memories. … read more
Review: Austra – Olympia
2011’s Feel It Break was essentially Katie Stelmanis’ bedroom project. For their second album, Stelmanis was inspired by touring with Austra and created Olympia in a studio setting with her bandmates. … read more
Review: The Knife – Shaking The Habitual
Shaking the Habitual extends beyond the scope of the record—it’s a manifesto for a 21st Century pop culture ontology. … read more
Review: Kid Cudi – Indicud
Not masculine enough for gangsta rap, and not clever enough for backpack rap, Kid Cudi is akin to the middle school kid who discovered schwag, constantly reminding you that he loves weed. He removes all of the self-destructive wonder from drug use that rap, as a construct, has worked so hard to instill. … read more
Review: Jonny Manak and the Depressives – I Am Not...
Johnny Manak and the Depressives = The Von Bondies + The Dead Boys + The Ventures
Before the first track of I Am Not A Bum… I’m A Jerk ended, I held the vinyl’s cover next to the DVD case of Steve Martin’s The Jerk to confirm their visual likeness. … read more
Review: JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – Howl
You know, I’m a fan of groups that have a “throwback” or “revivalists” label, I just beg that the product you serve up stands tall and offers something stellar. Howl, the third album from Chicago soul revivalists, JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, however, does not. … read more
Review: James Younger – Feelin American
Manchester native James Younger crafted his debut album after hitchhiking across America––how Jack Kerouac of him––and writing 11 pop rock songs about his experiences on the road. … read more