Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Monolord ‘Your Time To Shine’ Review: Swede stoner rock trio bring the goods on new Relapse Records release. The last we heard from Swedish rockers Monolord, was their 2019 effort No Comfort, an album which in title and scope pre-dated pandemic anxiety through its unique mix of brutality and inner reflection. The trio are back […]
My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless Turns 30: my recollection of pissing off MVB’s frontman. November 4th marks a significant date in alternative rock history: the 30 anniversary of My Bloody Valentine’s 1991 shoegaze epic Loveless. Click here to see where Loveless ranks on my list of best 1991 albums At this point it’s hard to give any more insight […]
Happy Halloween: Top 20 Scariest Rock Songs: the creepiest tracks of all time-from metal, goth, and more. Whether you’re trying to plan a Halloween Party, or just enjoy being creeped out all on your lonesome, music can be just as terrifying as a horror film. Even in its early days, rock music has always enjoyed a good scare, […]
Book Reviews: Downtown Bookworks’ DC Super Heroes Fall Releases: new slate of books teaches kindness, diversity and the ABC’s. With school back in session, getting little ones comfortable with reading and learning life lessons is paramount, and if they also happen to be fans of DC Super Heroes, Downtown Bookworks has a whole host of […]
John Carpenter ‘Halloween Kills’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Review: John Carpenter and family reconvene for soundtrack to David Gordon Green’s follow-up to 2018 reboot of slasher classic. John Carpenter may not be in the filmmaking business anymore, but he’s keeping busy with his composing duties. Earlier this year he released Lost Themes III: Alive After […]
The Melvins ‘Five Legged Dog’ Review: sludge metal legends release mammoth 36 song, 4-LP collection of acoustic renditions of classic tracks, deep cuts, and covers. If there’s one sonic characteristic synonymous with the sound of the Melvins, it’s distortion. Big, syrupy, gelatinous overdriven riffs that emanate like lava, buttressed by relentless drumming and guitarist/singer Buzz […]
Ministry ‘Moral Hygiene’ Review: Al Jourgensen and co. expertly target our dystopian present while offering sonic catharsis on new album. How concerned are you? That’s the sampled repeated question on Alert Level, the ominous churning opener to Moral Hygiene, the latest album from Ministry (October 1st, Nuclear Blast). Over seismic beats and scalding power chords, […]
Episode 40: Albums Revisited-Celebrating 30 Years of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’-SLIS Podcast: remembering one of the biggest albums of all time on its 30th anniversary. September 24th marks a sacred date for Gen Xers: Nirvana’s 1991 grunge masterpiece ‘Nevermind’ celebrates its (get ready to feel old) 30th anniversary. Yes, that’s right, the band that was the soundtrack […]
King Woman ‘Celestial Blues’ Review: Kris Esfandiari returns with a punishing and rewarding follow-up to 2017 debut. Musical busy bee Kris Esfandiari has a host of musical projects, including the industrial tinged NGHTCRWLR, the shoegaze driven Miserable and the poppy Sugar High. But fans of her work with the doom metal outfit King Woman will be […]
Coloursound ‘Coloursound II’ Review: musical superduo of The Alarm’s Mike Peters and The Cult’s Billy Duffy bring the goods on first album since 1999 debut. Coloursound were an under-the-radar ‘super group’ that never got their full due. That’s largely because the duo, comprised of The Alarm frontman Mike Peters and The Cult lead guitarist Billy […]