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: The Brobecks – Happiest Nuclear Winter
The Brobecks Happiest Nuclear Winter Self-Released The Brobecks = Weezer + They Might be Giants + Flaming Lips + Alkaline Trio This album isn’t over-cute, it’s just cute drawn out. Happiest Nuclear Winter struts clever through 12 tracks of electro-pop subtle-saccharine with bummed-out lyrics and occasional near-jazz piano ditties. Sad, socially conscious, mostly strange and
Local Review: Facts – The F Files: Mixtape Vol. 1
Facts The F Files: Mixtape Vol. 1 Lace Em Up Facts = Bubba Sparxx + The Agents Facts puts lyrics together as precisely as a watchmaker, and his beats and samples stick to you like flypaper slathered with honey. His remix of “Walks of Life” is 10 times better than the original, and his shout-outs
Local Review: Jesse Michael Garcia – A Man Of Action
Jesse Michael Garcia A Man of Action Jesse Michael Garcia = Christian Johanssen + Mr. Rogers Jesse Michael Garcia. A man of action. An earnest man. A man who likes to write music, play guitar and sing. A man who wants a contract when he plays the Urban Lounge. Try to understand; he’s been burned
Local Review: The Legendary Porch Pounders – A Little Gift:...
The Legendary Porch Pounders A Little Gift: Authorized Bootleg Self-Released LPP = Muddy Waters + Bob Dylan I swore off drinking yesterday, but halfway through the emotionally exhausting second track, “Up for Days,” I had one leg swung back up on the wagon. Dan Weldon’s lyrics are more folk-poetic than would traditionally accompany many of
Local Review: Magstatic – She’s Just a Buzz
Magstatic She’s Just a Buzz Pop Sweatshop Magstatic = Failure + Sugar + Pinback Plump, solid pop-hooks are as satisfying to the palatte as malt balls; sometimes energetically upbeat (“Downtown Girlfriend,” “My Little Runaway”), sometimes smoldering crystal-cool (“Run to You,” “Bitchin’ House”). It’s all radio-friendly and better than anything playing on the radio, if you
Local Review: Purr Bats – Bionic Fresh Moves
Purr Bats Bionic Fresh Moves State of Deseret/Rest 30 Purr Bats = Purr Bats They’re incomparable, sorry. Salt Lake’s best dour synth-disco-spazz band that will kill you with humor while they revive you with succinctness have so many tongues in cheeks it’d be an athletic event to french ’em. Purr Bats move in a more
Local Review: Quiet Colors – Self-titled demo
Quiet Colors Self-titled demo Quiet Colors = Circa Survive + Armor for Sleep Quiet Colors comes off like an Equal Visions band with their melodic-emo-with-punk-overtones mix. The music’s cloudy-darkish, but behind it the sun is bursting out orange and glorious, and the big reverby guitars make golden rainbows. Um. Not golden showers. Armor for Sleep
Local Review: Toob Top Shakur – Live Demo
Toob Top Shakur Live Demo Toob Top Shakur = Circle Jerks + Sonic Youth Convincing old-school punk rock post-2000 never sounded so 1982. Toob Top Shakur from Fort Collins is as wild and dangerous as Michael Jackson let loose on the set of Romper Room when the TV cameras aren’t running. Or maybe when they
Local Review: Thrashcorps – Self-Titled
Thrashcorps Self-titled Thrashcorps = Danzig + Apocalypse Theater + Carnaval + Ichi the Killer There’s something really untamed, scary, twisted and sick about Thrashcorps’ (formerly Absinthe) brutal take on the world, and I don’t scare easily, señors. Lo-fi metal combines with hard rock to make a crusty, blistery, bubbly poison potion that will fry your
Local Review: Eliza Wren – Selections in Time
Eliza Wren Selections in Time EW = Radiohead + (Fiery Furnaces – total bizarrity) + Tom Waits As melancholy and complex as scarcity musicianship can muster, Eliza Wren ‘s (new to SLC from Austin) compositions seem good for sleeping, but great for strange dreaming too. SLUG’s own RMP describes her as “a gruff angel of