Local Review: Jay Citrus – Suck My Lemons

Local Review: Jay Citrus – Suck My Lemons
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Jay Citrus isn’t exactly a visionary—his rhyming is sloppy, he gets his song titles from classic hip-hop tunes and, on at least one occasion, he straight-up jacks a beat without any attribution—“The Scenario” is Yeezy’s “Blood on the Leaves.”
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Review: Oscillator Bug – Bursts of the Million

Review: Oscillator Bug – Bursts of the Million
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Oscillator Bug’s Zaid Maxwell is offering a disturbing dose of “new” with his debut album. Befitting its name, Bursts of the Million is equally full of carnival-like synth explosions—some messier than others—and jagged guitar licks. … read more

Local Review: Kemp. – Empty.

Local Review: Kemp. – Empty.
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“Emo raps perfected,” boasts Kemp. on “Cougar Tails.” It’s a striking moment on a record that does get, well, emotional. Still, that line works on a couple of levels—as both a raison d’être and an endearing moment of self-deprecation. … read more

Review: Peer Group – Rhetoric and Hands

Review: Peer Group – Rhetoric and Hands
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The recent release of these Peer Group recordings was a long time coming. These songs were recorded in December of 1981 in southern California, making it contemporary to bands like Black Flag and Redd Kross. … read more

Local Review: Mañanero – Self-Titled

Local Review: Mañanero – Self-Titled
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I like lo-fi, but you might want to listen to this album on some high-quality speakers. In my car’s weak sound system, I was ready to give up on Mañanero, but at home, I had much less trouble making it through the album. … read more

Review: Pawns or Kings – Pomme De Terre

Review: Pawns or Kings – Pomme De Terre
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Pawns or Kings is a group of indie folk Missourians, who appear to be in the melting pot of words—or languages, that is—nestled away in the Midwest. The French-titled album, Pomme De Terre, is accompanied by sets of instrumental songs, catchy folk tunes, and Spanish lyrics on tracks like “Wandering.” … read more

Local Review: Matt Nida – Explorer

Local Review: Matt Nida – Explorer
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Immaculately produced and incredibly sharp, Matt Nida’s latest release, Explorer, pays homage to the cosmic gods with sounds and themes that reflect the deep, dark reaches of outer space. … read more

Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band @ Urban Lounge 09.24 with Ugly Valley Boys

Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band @ Urban Lounge 09.24 with...
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When Peyton and his posse take the stage, they’re greeted with saloon-style whistling and hollering. Sporting a pair of workman’s overalls and a scruffy beard, Peyton looks like he just finished picking crops for 10 cents a barrel. … read more

2014 X96 Toyota Big Ass Show

2014 X96 Toyota Big Ass Show
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The 19th edition of X96’s Big Ass Show will unfortunately be remembered as much for the unending deluge as it will for the atmosphere and music. As unfair as that may be, a good portion of the show’s attendees were as interested in finding shelter a good portion of the time as they were in finding a good place to see the next act; the latter being a much easier task, as I imagine that only a fraction of the expected attendees actually showed up. … read more

TRUST @ Urban Lounge 09.25 with Crater

TRUST @ Urban Lounge 09.25 with Crater
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As Alfons grasped the microphone, while bubbling synths ignited all around him, and people lost themselves to the power of dance, he seemed as the Wizard of Oz, operating only to give people a feeling of freedom they couldn’t create on their own. … read more