Month: June 2013
Review: Lantern – Below
This Lantern does not burn brightly—drenched in atmosphere, this dirge-meets-speed/groove death metal record is one of the better records you will hear all year. … read more
Review: La Armada – Self-Titled
Cynical Spanish punk with ice water in its veins and acid on its breath. Gringo friendly translations showcase some compelling ideas here (“in the man-vomiting society/the most severe scarcity is/ the inevitable counterpart of being devoured by the machine”) even if the “todo es caca” sentiment is age-old. … read more
Review: Little Boots – Nocturnes
Little Boots deliver an album stocked full of synthpop electronic-style tracks with catchy vocals. … 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: 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: Kazyak – See the Forest, See the Trees
Peter Frey is the main man behind the adventurous chamber-pop band, Kazyak. The gentle finger-picking intro on “Pieces of My Map” immediately recalls the talents of Andrew Bird. … read more
Review: King Tuff – Was Dead
I usually think that reissued records are stupid and lazy, but goddamn, I’m glad King Tuff did it. … read more
Review: How to Destroy Angels – Welcome Oblivion
With a name referencing an early Coil song and featuring industrial (hair)god Trent Reznor, how could this not be good? … read more
Review: Human Eye – 4: Into Unknown
I’ve been into fuzz for a while now, but the tone of the guitar’s thick, audible padding, scattered throughout 4: Into Unknown, scratch deep—enough to trigger inner-ear ASMR tingles. Throughout the album and especially in “Surface of Pluto,” the wah of the guitar solos sound like they came straight from The Stooges’ Fun House. … 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