Month: December 2013
Review: Beaten to Death – Dødsfest!
There is something significantly and singularly charming about the low-fi melodies Beaten To Death employs alongside genre staples like pig squeals, demon growls and face-blasting double bass. … read more
Review: Bad Religion – Christmas Songs
Although I can’t say exactly what I was expecting from this record, I have to say, other than its oddball appeal, the jovial seasonal tunes didn’t really scratch the itch I got when I first heard about this project. … read more
Review: Bakers Dozen/Kombatants – European Invasion
Here are two European punk bands, firmly rooted in the Oi! traditions of writing solid (if not a teensy bit derivative) songs about braces, boots, beers, birds and (foot)ball. … read more
Review: Axxa/Abraxas – Self-Titled
Ben Asbury is the man behind Axxa/Abraxas and the newest addition to the Captured Tracks roster. Producer Jarvis Taveniere, of Brooklyn psych band Woods, lends his skills but unintentionally casts his shadow over the album. … read more
Review: Bailterspace – Trinine
Let’s get easy comparisons out of the way—Bailterspace are often compared to certain American alternative bands from the angry alt ’80s and it’s not difficult to hear why on Trinine—Alister Parker’s monotonous singing and vicious guitar playing sounds so close to both Thurston Moore and J. Mascis. … read more
Review: Anoraak – Chronotropic
The three-piece band possesses the stereotypical French nu-disco sound that seems to be rising in popularity these days. This album makes a valiant effort to encapsulate those final moments of summer but I didn’t really fall for it, in spite of the electroshock therapy I felt Anoraak was subliminally conducting. … read more
Review: Alison Moyet – Live At Bush Hall & Changeling...
A simple, clean take of “When I Was Your Girl” reminds us what a dynamic live singer Moyet is, while a gorgeously delicate reading of “Filigree”—sans backing vocals—is not to be missed. … read more
Review: Aloa Input – Anysome
The styles the trio of Aloa Input (Cico Beck, Florian Kreier and Marcus Grassl) play with are multifaceted in their variations, but despite such a wide variety between the songs, the common thread throughout Anysome remains positively tropical. … read more
Localized: Baby Gurl
Photo: Gilbert Cisneros Urban Lounge is gonna get weird on Jan. 10. This month’s Localized features headliners Yaktooth, who are prepared to deliver their heavy-rock goulash, and Baby Gurl, a drums/bass two-piece bent on slamming out a grooving assault. Chaotic hardcore openers Die Off will pummel you, starting at 9 p.m. Localized, brought to you
Localized: Fossil Arms
On Friday, Dec. 13, come to Urban Lounge for the warm, emotionally sophisticated dark pop of The Circulars, and get wrecked by Fossil Arms’ articulation of what tape hiss sounds like choking on glass—during shock treatment. Alexander Ortega, of Filth Lords and Editorial Assistant at SLUG, is the opener. Localized is hosted by Ischa B.,