Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Slowdive ‘Everything Is Alive’ Review: Reunited British Shoegazers prove once again they are a vital entity not dependent on 90’s nostalgia on new album. Slowdive have had quite the career reappraisal. They were critically panned during their 90’s tenure before being dropped by Creation Records and then disbanding, only to garner a massive cult following […]
Episode 47: Survival Guide’s Emily Whitehurst Talks New Album ‘Deathdreams’ Emily Whitehurst first rose to prominence under the alias Agent M, lead vocalist for late 90’s/early 00’s punk act Tsunami Bomb. After leaving the group in 2005, Whitehurst would go on to form indie-electronic project Survival Guide alongside guitarist Jaycen McKissick, but she’s been the […]
hackedepicciotto’s Alexander Hacke & Danielle de Picciotto Talk New Album ‘Keepsakes’ For over 20 years, hackedepicciotto, the musical project of Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten) & Danielle de Picciotto (Love Parade) have forged their own unique musical path, mixing the electronic and the analog for emotive and haunting listening. And now the duo have returned with […]
Episode 46: Remembering ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘The French Connection’ Filmmaker William Friedkin, RIP-SLIS Podcast Last week lovers of intense cinema were saddened by the passing of director William Friedkin, who died on August 7 at the age of 87. Friedkin was a true force of nature, an uncompromising director known primarily for two of the […]
Concert Review: Love and Rockets at ACL Live: reunited post-punk trio brings psychedelic bliss to rabid Austin fans on first reunion since 2008. It’s been a VERY good year for fans of alternative 80s rock, particularly of the gothic variety. Depeche Mode, The Cure, and The Sisters of Mercy have all mounted recent successful tours, […]
SWANS ‘The Beggar’ Review: Michael Gira and collaborators return with stirring collection of songs composed during the pandemic. The pandemic affected every working musician. Economically, all artists suffered, and some musicians felt too unsettled to find creative inspiration. For SWANS frontman and founding member Michael Gira, the opposite was true: this was a time to […]
Episode 44: Royal Thunder’s Mlny Parsonz Talks New Album ‘Rebuilding The Mountain’-SLIS Podcast Royal Thunder are back with Rebuilding The Mountain, their first album in 5 years, out June 16th via Spinefarm. Like past efforts including Wick and Crooked Doors, it sees the group continue their unique marriage of classic rock and 90’s alternative with […]
SWANS frontman Michael Gira discusses band’s new album ‘The Beggar’, his creative processes, current tour and much more in new interview. A new SWANS album is always an event. And the band’s new album ‘The Beggar’ (June 23, Young God Records) is no exception (click here for my review). Written during the pandemic, the album […]
Concert Review: Spotlights at Hotel Vegas, Austin: post-metal trio rock packed Austin club in support of new album ‘Alchemy For The Dead’. Spotlights are one of the most dynamic and fascinating bands of the moment. Since their 2016 debut album Seismic, they have continually evolved, finding a sweet spot between metal, shoegaze, grunge and goth. […]
Concert Review: The Sisters of Mercy at ACL Live: Goth icons conjure nostalgia and break new ground with first Austin performance since 2006. It’s been 17 years since Goth legends The Sisters of Mercy last played Austin, TX. So to say the eager, black clad faithful attending their performance at ACL Live last Saturday were […]
