Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Albums Revisited: Prince’s ‘Around The World In A Day’ Turns 31: a look back on Prince’s underrated psychedelic opus. The world is still reeling from the death of Prince. While the cause of death is still unknown, the loss is a devastating blow to those of us who grew up listening to his music. But […]
‘Controversy’: Remembering Prince’s ‘Darling Nikki’ and The PMRC: how Prince’s struggle of sinner vs. saint inflamed the moral majority during the Reagan era. Like many, I’m still in shock about Prince’s death last week. Only recently I eulogized David Bowie, an artist who changed the face of pop-culture. And Prince, an artist who certainly followed […]
Albums Revisited: Ramones Debut Album Turns 40: the album that ignited the 70’s punk movement on its 40th anniversary. Saturday April 23rd, marks a huge milestone for punk rock: the Ramones self-titled 1976 début will celebrate its 40th anniversary. The album, recorded at Radio City Music Hall (in the band’s native New York City), is rightfully considered […]
Lush ‘Blind Spot’ EP Review: 90’s Shoegazers roar back to life on accomplished EP. [rating=5] The past few years have seen a host of 90’s shoegaze acts reuniting, but Lush’s comeback was one of the most unexpected. The London-based band folded after drummer Chris Acland’s tragic suicide in 1996, with former members Miki Berenyi, Emma […]
‘Surgical Meth Machine’ Album Review: New project from Ministry’s Al Jourgensen acts like a sampler of his varied musical history. [rating=3.5] Al Jourgensen has been involved with many musical projects over the years: in addition to his bread and butter industrial juggernaut Ministry, there’s his rotating supergroup Revolting Cocks, Pailhead, Lard, 1000 Homo DJ’s PTP, […]
Deftones ‘Gore’ Review: alt-metal titan’s latest rewards repeat listens. [rating=4] Sacramento’s Deftones have plugged away valiantly for nearly three decades, eclipsing, obliterating and transcending any affiliation with their late-90’s nu-metal peers. They’ve embraced elements of more experimental musical movements, integrating them into new and unusual shapes within their metal underpinnings. It speaks volumes to the […]
M83 ‘Junk’ Review Anthony Gonzales return with an album that skirts the line between irony and artistic ambition. Or something like that. [rating=3.5] M83 have charted their own unique musical course: be it digital shoegaze (Before The Dawn Heals Us), sublime New Wave (Saturdays=Youth) or their genre straddling double album smash Hurry Up We’re Dreaming. And now the Anthony […]
Youth Code ‘Commitment to Complications’ Review: Cali duo resurrect classic industrial with a modern twist. [rating=4] I found myself recently lamenting the current state of industrial music. Why hasn’t one of my favorite genres received a musical revival like so many other 80’s/90’s musical movements? Well thank Satan that I just discovered Youth Code, an […]
Al Jourgensen Talks New Project Surgical Meth Machine: Ministry frontman discusses new solo debut album, his synth-pop past, 2016 presidential election and other new projects in our exclusive interview. Al Jourgensen announced that Ministry’s 2013 album From Beer To Eternity would (possibly) be the band’s swan song after the death of guitarist Mike Scaccia. But be […]
Kaada/Patton ‘Bacteria Cult’ Review: Composer/vocalist duo reunite for first studio album in 12 years. [rating=4] The ever prolific Mike Patton has had a packed schedule the past two years: Faith No More returned with their triumphant 2015 reunion album Sol Invictus, and in January he released Nevermen’s début album his collaboration with Doseone, and TV on the Radio’s Tunde […]
