Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Albums Revisited: The Church’s ‘Gold Afternoon Fix’ At 25-Welcome to the gilded cage. A look back at The Church’s underrated 1990 ‘Starfish’ follow-up. By: Peter Marks By the time 1990 rolled around The Church were at the peak of fame, they’d gotten high up in the charts with “Under The Milky Way” and ‘Starfish’ had […]
Pulp’s ‘Different Class’ Turns 20: a look back at one of Brit-pop’s best albums on its 20th anniversary-from a band who came late to the party. Although I grew up in Texas, I’ve been an anglophile as long as I can remember-always fascinated by life across the pond. Music fueled that fire: high school started my […]
Puscifer ‘Money Shot’ Review: Maynard James Keenan and co. make their most cohesive and satisfying album to date. [rating=4] Frontman Maynard James Keenan lit up the internet this week when he appeared to lash out at Tool’s fan base, saying in a Phoenix New Times interview that they’re: Insufferable people. It’s just ridiculous, retards. I’m sorry. Can’t help […]
Listen To New Nocturne Blue Track ‘The In-Between’ : L.A. Electronic act debut new title track from 4-song EP. Last year I was thoroughly impressed by the excellent cover of Yaz’s Winter Kills from L.A. electronic group Nocturne Blue, whose hypnotic sound Trip-hop Nation described as Classic Trip Hop in a spirit of Massive Attack and UNKLE. It’s a Magic formula: Broken […]
All Them Witches ‘Dying Surfer Meets His Maker’ Review: the Nashville group’s haunting third release marks their début on New West Records. [rating=5] Every once in a great while, you discover a band not easily classifiable-one that takes time to absorb-but rewards your patience in doing so. Nashville, Tennessee’s All Them Witches are one such […]
Killing Joke ‘Pylon’ Review: Post-punk icons return to ward off the apocalypse with ass-kicking results. [rating=5] It seems counterintuitive that a band nearly 40 years in their career sound as angry and passionate as a one in their twenties, but that’s Killing Joke for you. They continually defy nature and expectations, refusing to mellow with age or tone down […]
Albums revisited: Echo and the Bunnymen’s Reverberations at 25-A tremor in the wires By: Peter Marks After scaling the dizzying heights of fame what’s a band to do? In the case of Echo and the Bunnymen that answer was to split up. At least that’s what their frontman intended to have happen, everyone else had […]
Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness Turns 25: a look back at the double-album that became a generational touchstone on its 25th anniversary. You can never accuse Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan of lack of ambition. Even for a band hot off the success of their multi-platinum selling 1993 album Siamese Dream, following it […]
Albums Revisited: The Cult’s ‘Love’ Turns 30: A look back at the breakthrough album that shaped the future of alternative rock on its 30th anniversary. By the mid 80’s, rock music had become a fractured beast: the sub-genres of glam metal, thrash, New Wave, Goth, college rock, etc, had created a confusing subculture of musical cliques. Macho hair […]
Confrontational ‘A Dance of Shadows’ Review: Italian synth act conjure 80’s neon-noir and horror soundscapes on début album. [rating=4] If I had to pick the most interesting musical genre of the past few years, Synthwave would definitely top the list. Growing up on a steady diet of horror films with slick synth soundtracks, I enjoy […]
