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 Reviews: Ok Ikumi
Trying to think of all the technical things that go into this is mind destroying. … read more
Local Reviews: Nolens Volens
Nolens Volens is Andrew Glassett. Andrew Glassett is a damn fine musician who just released his eighth album, Nolens Volens. Word on the WWW is that Nolens Volens was distilled directly from the Glassett family bloodline, each song representative of a member of Andrew’s family. … read more
Local Reviews: Eagle Twin / Night Terror
The split album has always been a good way to discover new music that associates with projects you may already enjoy. This highly limited release is no exception, and contains one track from Salt Lake’s Eagle Twin and Night Terror. Eagle Twin’s contribution is, as always, driven heavily by excellent drumming and a great deal of dirty feedback, while Night Terror submits a strong-but-short piece of horrifying noise. … read more
Local Reviews: Dubbed/Bombs & Beating Hearts
While I still stand firmly by my assertion that most local punk rock sucks, I’d be lying if I said this release is anything but awesome. Recorded live in the Dubbed band room, this split finds two of Utah’s finest punk bands at their best, even if they are a little drunk (Dubbed) or a little rough around the edges (Bombs & Beating Hearts). … read more
Local Reviews: Dirty Loveguns
You could play this record for someone and they’d wonder what classic 80s hard rock band it is until you told them that the members of this band were probably just small kiddos in the 80s. The band isn’t out to re-invent the notion of what hard rock is, I could cite influences until the cows come home, but that doesn’t really matter. … read more
Local Review: Breaux – The Brown Bag EP
Ever wonder what Clutch would sound like if they returned to their roots, yet still retained some of their modern sound? That’s the biggest vibe I’m getting from Salt Lake City’s Breaux on The Brown Bag EP. It has almost become cliché to say, “This band defies genres,” but in all honesty I really haven’t come across a band like Breaux. … read more
Local Reviews: The Vibrant Sound
The Vibrant Sound has some seriously cool jazzy tunes. This four-piece band knows how to lay down the creamy sounds. Then, when the band comes in with their falsetto background vocals, it fits the music like they were born to bone for eternity. … read more
Local Reviews: Up.River
Apparently, Old News Records has been started in order to either release or re-release recordings, primarily from Salt Lake-based hardcore bands, that were either initially released in small quantities, or never released at all. Not a bad idea. Up.River’s self-titled album, although not necessarily my cup of tea, is certainly deserving of a listen, even if it’s nothing very original. … read more
Local Reviews: UNCLE SCAM And The Current Administration
I was once speaking to some people about local music when guitarist Raffi Shahinian politely interrupted and said he was in a band. That band happened to be Uncle Scam. Shahinian described his band as sounding somewhat like System of a Down. … read more
Local Reviews: Ravings of a Madman
Yes, it’s true I suffer from white man’s syndrome: I have absolutely no rhythm. That’s what makes critiquing any musicians’ work difficult. If I attempted an instrument I’d fail horribly. All that said, Ravings of a Madman’s self-titled album doesn’t suck or anything, but with any band there is room for improvement. For ROAM it lies mainly in the songwriting. … read more