Issues: Issue 310 - October 2014
Review: Oscillator Bug – Bursts of the Million
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
Review: Peer Group – Rhetoric and Hands
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
Review: Pawns or Kings – Pomme De Terre
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
Review: Myrkur – Self-Titled
Myrkur—Icelandic for “darkness”—is making waves in the black metal community. All we know of this mysterious act is that a single Danish woman has created a gorgeous atmospheric black metal album, which is apparently controversial, because what would black metal be without its constant bitching about authenticity spiced with a little misogyny? … read more
Review: Obscure Burial – Epiphany
This is a neat, little release from Finland’s death dealers, Obscure Burial. Epiphany can be considered a demo, both in its rough production, length and the grim cover artwork, yet it could stand up to many of the studio albums from major labels that I’ve heard this year. … read more
Review: Mark Rogers & Mary Byrne – I Line My...
For a soothing retreat, I Line My Days Along Your Weight by duo Mark Rogers & Mary Byrne dabbles in the bluesy twang of older folk songs, with a fresh take that gives this album a timeless appeal. … read more
Review: Kool Stuff Katie – Self-Titled
This is a fun band. The minimalist musical duo from Portland, Ore., makes incredibly light and upbeat music that hemorrhages positivity. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it bubbly, but the brightly tinged pop punk sound fills a void that I didn’t even notice was there. … read more
Review: Lauren Redhead – Entoptic Landscape
In the last several years, there has been a noticeable expansion in the amount of time it takes for me to finish a book.
… read more
Review: Literature – Chorus
Sifting through the flavors of indie pop on Literature’s debut album might be as bad as calling the whole bloody thing the dreaded “T” word, but there’s a history here. … read more
Review: Kasper Bjørke – After Forever
Icelandic pop: Doesn’t that sound interesting? It conjures up feelings of cold and warmth intertwined to create crystalline structures that are only possible through sound. … read more