Issues: Issue 302 - February 2014
![Review: Scott H. Biram – Nothin’ But Blood](/uploads/302/7130-scott%20h%20biram-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Scott H. Biram – Nothin’ But Blood
Songs like his cover of “Backdoor Man” will put you on your ass. Biram, to me, has become the Southern roots music modern Hemingway, expressing honestly the dark parts of this life like only he can. … read more
![Review: Rawhide – Murder One](/uploads/302/7076-rawhide-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Rawhide – Murder One
This is raucous death-flected RnR monster, which clutches at its NWOBHM and D-Beat influences with equal aplomb. The band’s a semi-mystery, with precious little information available online. … read more
![Review: Quilt – Held in Splendor](/uploads/302/7182-quilt%20held%20in%20splendor-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Quilt – Held in Splendor
Quilt is the epitome of psychedelic rock. Shane Butler, Anna Rochinski and Taylor McVay keep it simple with the basics: evocative vocals, drums and a variety of string instruments (acoustic and electric guitar and banjo). … read more
![Review: Rabbits – SOS](/uploads/302/7183-rabbits%20sos%20singles%20other%20shit-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Rabbits – SOS
Droney and distorted, the Portland trio RABBITS know how to hastily slap an album together. Live renditions, unreleased songs and other shit characterize the album. … read more
![Review: Preston Lovinggood – Shadow Songs](https://www.slugmag.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/preston-lovinggood-shadow-songs.webp)
Review: Preston Lovinggood – Shadow Songs
Before my first listening of Shadow Songs, I was preparing myself to sit through another guy with a guitar singing cliché love songs. What I got instead was a pleasant surprise of dreamy pop melodies with morbid lyrics, creating happy little ears that felt alright about listening to cliché love songs. … read more
![Review: Pillar Point – Self-Titled](/uploads/302/7178-pillar%20point-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Pillar Point – Self-Titled
Pillar Point is a new dance-pop project formed by Scott Reitherman of Secretly Canadian band Throw Me The Statue (indie-poppers keen to hand claps and toe taps; see “Lolita”). Though this debut album explores the glum themes of uncertainty and heartbreak, the songs are catchy and buzzing with danceable synth hooks and hummable pop structures. … read more
![Review: Pompeya – Tropical](/uploads/302/7179-pompeya%20tropical-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Pompeya – Tropical
Tropical, by Russian quartet Pompeya, has a variety of funky tracks and smooth, uptempo ballads. Pompeya’s melodic and up-tempo feel on Tropical made me feel like I was a distressed character from a movie running on the beach—in slow motion, of course. … read more
![Review: Potpourri Of Pearls – We Went to Heaven](/uploads/302/7180-potpourri%20of%20pearls%20we%20went%20to%20heaven-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Potpourri Of Pearls – We Went to Heaven
A concept album of sorts—based on the fact that PoP’s lead singer Adam Brody’s 14th birthday coincided with the discovery of the unfortunate victims from the Heaven’s Gate cult—even if only loosely themed, makes for a bizarre sophomore release. … read more
![Review: Psyclon Nine – Order Of The Shadow](/uploads/302/7181-psyclon%20nine%20order%20of%20the%20shadow%20act%201-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Psyclon Nine – Order Of The Shadow
Oh, the terror! This release is full of hard, heavy, head-banging metal and aggrotech beats. I loved the gritty, grinding, nasty guitar riffs. It is disappointing that they are mixed in with overdone, scratchy, screaming vocals that make you want to tear your skin off. … read more
![Review: Orthy – E.M.I.L.Y. EP](/uploads/302/7175-orthy%20e.m.i.l.y.-crop-396x288.jpg)
Review: Orthy – E.M.I.L.Y. EP
Ian Orth’s edits, meant for Austin’s electro dance Learning Secrets, ended up as the four songs on this EP and are typical electro-pop of the moment—but I feel as if there’s nothing super enticing or even pleasantly generic about them (though a Baio remix of the title track provides a nice twist on the EP’s singular sound). … read more