Music
SLUG Magazine’s collection of reviews covering the latest and greatest of Utah-based music, covering all varieties of genre, style and type.
Local Review: Medicine Circus – Bottle Rockets of Emotion
Medicine Circus Bottle Rockets of Emotion Medicine Circus = Big Star + T. Rex + Alice in Chains Medicine Circus combines the best of 90s alt-rock with some grunge, catchy, accessible hooks, some technical sweeteners and 60s psychedelia. There is something mainstream and not-mainstream about it; it echoes the better moments of Vertical Horizon and
Local Review: Mushman – Eddie Do
Mushman Eddie Do Kitefishing Productions Mushman = Simon and Garfunkel + Puff the Magic Dragon Quirky feelgood, almost childish lyrics, many of which are centered around this Eddie character, twine their way around sparse, intricate guitar work to produce an album people could be singing around the indie-rock campfire for years. Nerdy and sensitive, sometimes
Local Review: Never Never – EP + LP
Never Never EP + LP NN = My Chemical Romance + Cathedral The vocals of Never Never are the metal equivalent of screamo—one minute (or at least half of the record) is intimate-disturbing-melodic crooning, the next is guttural screams. It’s a catch-22 because during the quiet parts are the only times that you can understand the
Local Review: The Second Opinion – Flesh Except Dust
The Second Opinion Flesh Except Dust Second Opinion = Mayhem + Burzum + Aodl + Ramsses + Skullflowers I think with a name like Second Opinion, I was expecting West Valley nü-metal crap trying to redeem itself with second-rate female vocals. O how far from the truth. Open your arms to chilling industrial/noise that seems
Local Review: Drew Danburry – Besides
Drew Danburry Besides … Drew Danburry = Elliott Smith + Bright Eyes Drew Danburry vulnerable, naked-heart-on-the-sleeve, psychologically-helpless indie-rock folk spillings—it’s not bad, alright? But the song titles are the best part: “It Starts With Indigo, Orange and Green,” “It Ends with Red, Violet and Orange,” “Coming Around Like the Karate Kid.” It’s best when Drew
Local Review: The Horns – Yellow T EP
The Horns Yellow T EP The Horns = Girls Against Boys + fast Melvins At least, mine came with a section of yellow T-shirt with hand-drawn flowers on it courtesy of Dave Styer, one-half of The Horns’ double-pronged axe-destroying machine. The Horns, my favorite new local band, put the “I” back in “merciless.” Self-gratifying crunchy,
Local Review: State & Stereo – The Reservoir
State & Stereo The Reservoir Gloworm Records S & S = The Strokes + Modest Mouse + Julian Tulip’s Licorice I just found out about this charmingly mopey band called Julian Tulip’s Licorice, and there are moments when State & Stereo remind me of the better parts of them, even though I’m confident State &
Local Review: Subterranean Masquerade – Suspended Animation Dreams
Subterranean Masquerade Suspended Animation Dreams The End Records SM = Pink Floyd + Polyphonic Spree + Katatonia + Paradise Lost + Tommy Subterranean Masquerade’s much-anticipated first full-length album picks up where two-song EP Temporary Psychotic State left off, giving us Pink Floyd psychedelia, Porcupine Tree/Devin Townsend prog rock and 60s Tommy concept-rock-opera insanity, but blended
Local Review: Swedish Music in Utah – Lucia Celebration
Swedish Music in Utah Lucia Celebration Utah Arts Council Lucia Celebration = cute times + food, folks & fun This CD is just sickeningly cute. It’s a bunch of Swedish young people singing trad Swedish music. It’s a recording of the Lucia Day Celebration, put on by Utah’s Swedish Heritage Society. Sweden happens to be
Local Review: Vile Blue Shades – Dark Wizard
Vile Blue Shades Dark Wizard Croakfrog Vile Blue Shades = Do Make Say Think + The Fall + Ralph Steadman Vile Blue Shades, who had a CD release at SLUG HQ during April Gallery Stroll, are in anti-heaven where The Swans float around with The Fall, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Junior Kimbrough, monk-like chanting and