Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
William Patrick Corgan ‘Ogilala’ Review: the artist formerly known as Billy gets minimalist on new Rick Rubin produced LP. [rating=3.5] It hasn’t been easy to be a Billy Corgan fan in recent years (or let’s face it, for longer than that). Whether it’s his blistering critiques on his peers, indulging in conspiracy theories with Alex […]
Spotlights ‘Seismic’ Review: Married Brooklyn rockers craft a brutal yet beautiful noise. [rating=5] Spotlights (aka Brooklyn husband and wife Mario and Sarah Quintero) are a power duo in every sense of the word. On their sophomore album Seismic (out October 6 on Ipecac Recordings), they create a sound so massive, it’s hard to believe it […]
The Church ‘Man Woman Life Death Infinity’ Review: Australian alternative icons offer submerged, hypnotic soundscapes on new album. [rating=5] I guess water is my element. I’ve always marveled at the sea and rivers and rain. It wasn’t conscious at all but on reflection, it definitely is a preoccupation on this record. What that means, I […]
The Darkness ‘Pinewood Smile’ Review: Brit rockers are back with a new album of their quirky brand of arena rock. [rating=4] U.K. rock revivalists The Darkness continue to blaze their own idiosyncratic path on Pinewood Smile, their fifth studio album (out October 6th on Cooking Vinyl), expanding on the diverse strengths of their 2015 effort […]
Albums Revisited: Stone Temple Pilots’ Core Turns 30: Looking back on STP’s blockbuster (yet polarizing) début. “Overnight success” is an often offensive term when describing a band. No group gets it together their first night out. It’s the incubation process that counts, and some bands get an earlier break than others. Stone Temple Pilots were often […]
Albums Revisited: Depeche Mode’s ‘Music For The Masses’ Turns 30: a look back at the album that turned a gloomy cult electronic act into stadium rock gods. Depeche Mode sure took a strange road to stardom. They started off as a synth-pop act, hitting it big with 1981’s Just Can’t Get Enough. But then their primary […]
Concert Review: Depeche Mode at Austin360 Amphitheater: electronic icons thrill the faithful and devoted on a sultry Texas night. [rating=5] It speaks to Depeche Mode’s enduring popularity that even the wide confines of Austin360 seemed barely able to contain their adoring (mostly black-clad) public last night. It was a humid evening, but the group donned […]
Concert Review: The Church at 3Ten ACL Live: Psych-rock vets play fan favorites and new tracks for a packed house. [rating=5] It’s been 2 years since Australia alternative icons The Church played Austin, and judging by last night’s rapturous crowd at 3Ten ACL Live, absence has only made the heart grow fonder. The band played a […]
The Horrors ‘V’ Review [rating=4] The Horrors have evolved more distinctly than perhaps any other 21st century band. They started off as horror punks (2007’s Strange House), then went into mad scientist mode, offering a mix of goth, shoegaze, and Britpop on releases like 2009’s Primary Colours and 2011’s Skying that wowed critics and cultivated a devoted following. […]
Tombstones in Their Eyes ‘Fear’ Review: space-psych L.A. trio conjure weird and wonderful textures on new EP. [rating=4] With their B-movie horror moniker and album artwork, one could be forgiven for thinking that L.A. trio Tombstones in Their Eyes were some type of doom or sludge metal group. But you’d be mistaken. Yes, the group are […]
