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Local Music Reviews January 2016
SLUG’s team of talented local reviewers put together this list of albums that reinforced our faith in the local music scene during January 2016. … read more
Local Review: Militant – Father Figure
I find it funny, and maybe a little annoying, when bands get uptight about genre. To me, it feels like a non-issue that distracts from a discussion of the actual music. When I opened Bandcamp to listen to Father Figure, I noticed that Militant had tagged the album as “not metal.” … read more
Local Review: Alter Ego – Ego
Ego begins with “Hook It,” a heavy, psych bass line flooded with an opulence of funk. The moment the first wah pummeled my eardrums, I was thrashing my brain about and jerking my shoulders so hard that they were sore for two days after. … read more
Local Review: Eyes on Kites – New Lens
Eyes on Kites’ most recent release, New Lens, is able to constructively take aim at a certain nostalgia—not necessarily in sound, but in feeling—and remind us of a more innocent, purer time in our lives. … read more
Local Review: Grey Glass – Self-Titled
Straight out of Provo, Grey Glass are somewhere between pop rock and indie rock. Amid slow-tempo drumming, singing, and infrequent acceleration on tracks like “Lioness,” the “rock-band” essence is somewhat elusive. … read more
Local Review: Gunfight Fever – Self-Titled
Hailing from Ogden, this four-piece instrumental metal outfit is packing some serious teeth in its jaws. Their debut album is well-structured, with a songwriting style reminiscent of the thrashier spectrum of NWOAHM blended with efficient prog sensibilities. … read more
Local Review: Nick Names – Wasteland EP
Utah absolutely loves EDM, and this release from local artist Nick Names pays homage to that love. Wasteland intricately bends genres like techno, dubstep and—forgive me for saying this—big room to create a wild and exciting ride through a psychedelic-fueled taste of the rave. … read more
Local Review: God Country – Last Songs
Had this album come out in 2004, my 15-year-old self would’ve freaked out. To a degree, it uses the tried-and-true formula of distorted guitars with angry-soft vocals that crescendo into a cloud of noise so saturated in raw emotion, I inadvertently absorbed the singer’s climactic experience as my own. … read more
Local Review: Scatterbrain – Insufficient Soul
Ah, the “#sadboy makes feels music” trend has officially hit Salt Lake. Scatterbrain’s Insufficient Soul showcases this personal brand well, with depressing track titles like “we’re worried about you but we still don’t care” and well-produced down-tempo trap-like piano and snare beats. … read more
Local Review: Conquer Monster – Metatransit
Not only do local duo Daniel Romero and Joshua Faulkner produce their music using reworks of old video game controllers, but their new album, Metatransit, was released in conjunction with the comic book Purge Worlds. … read more