Year: 2013
Reviews: Ezra Furman – Day of the Dog
Old school pop and current folk with splashes of gritty vintage pop-punk make Ezra Furman’s newest solo release a nonpareil flashback/contemporary mash up. … read more
Reviews: Emblazoned – The Living Magisterium
A little bit of old school goes a long way, and Emblazoned do a great job of mixing American death with the good old Swedish death. … read more
Reviews: Dead Stars – High Gain
Garage-rock, a little indie, even a little fuzzy, High Gain is a perfectly decent EP that plays it safe in every way. … read more
Local Reviews: CastleAxe – Castlemaster
Hark! CastleAxe (formerly Speitre) hath returned with their brand of classic heavy metal, melded with bludgeoning blows of thrash. As the hilt supports the blade, so does Grög’s rhythm guitar with Hölger’s steel-soldered leads in euphonious synchrony … read more
Reviews: Diarrhea Planet – I’m Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
With easily the most unconventional name of any band I’ve ever reviewed, Diarrhea Planet is also one of the most conventional-sounding bands I’ve reviewed. … read more
Reviews: Dawes – Stories Don’t End
Perhaps the single factor that sets this album apart from Dawes’ first two releases is the level of production. … read more
Reviews: Ellie Herring – Kite Day
The greatest genius of Kite Day, Herring’s second proper release, is the subtle percolation of trends in avant-garde and pop electronics, hip hop production and current DJ/mixtape culture. … read more
Reviews: Elf Power – Sunlight on the Moon
Elf Power are excellent at crafting psychedelic sounds that mesh every possible influence from the ’60s, all while dancing on the edge of pop and still retaining a warm, lo-fi buzz that adds patina to the production sheen. … read more
Reviews: DevilDriver – Winter Kills
This is definitely DevilDriver’s strongest record in years—a complete maelstrom of throat-ripping screams over thick, thumping double-bass and heavy guitar licks that can’t help but demand your attention. … read more
Reviews: Dead in the Dirt – The Blind Hole
This is one of the most angry and downright filthy releases I’ve heard in many moons, managing to stuff 22 songs into roughly 20 minutes. … read more