Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Episode 33: Our Picks For the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-SLIS Podcast On this week’s episode of the SLIS podcast, co-host Chris Logan and I choose our picks for the 2020 inductees for the RRHOF. It wasn’t easy given next year’s artists for consideration include Soundgarden, Depeche Mode, Motörhead, Judas Priest, Kraftwerk, Nine […]
Concert Review: Melvins and Redd Kross at The Mohawk, Austin: two cult favorites that taste great together warm up a frigid Austin crowd. Not even a miserably cold and rainy tonight could keep away the Melvins faithful. Anticipation was high for yet another blowout set from the sludge/grunge progenitors, and this evening didn’t disappoint. Openers […]
Confrontational ‘Under Cover of Darkness’ Review: Italian synthwave artist honors his 80s influences on inventive covers album. CONFRONTATIONAL (aka Italian musician Massimo Usai) have been at the forefront of the synthwave scene, a musical subgenre that has seen the revival of film-inspired electronic music indebted to soundtracks by the likes of John Carpenter, Tangerine Dream […]
Swans ‘Leaving Meaning’ Review: Michael Gira sheds one musical skin for another on an album full of equal parts doom and hope. Swans are not your typical group. Where most bands start off with youthful verve (1982 to be exact) only to wane with age, Michael Gira’s post-punk outfit has only grown stronger. And longer–with […]
Bent Knee ‘You Know What They Mean’ Review: Boston indie rockers go deep and unique on latest release. Boston art rock collective Bent Knee have been making music for over a decade, weaving an ever more complex and engaging sound in the process. And on their new album You Know What They Mean (Oct. 11 […]
Bauhaus’ and Love and Rockets’ David J discusses his epic new double album and tour, the upcoming Bauhaus reunion and more in this week’s podcast episode. This week’s guest is David J, best known as the bass player for goth legends Bauhaus and as the bassist and co-vocalist of post-punk icons Love and Rockets. His […]
Concert Review: Nick Cave Gets Confessional at ACL Moody Theatre–Aussie alternative icon brings empathy and humor to intimate Austin, TX performance. It takes a mighty big musical presence to compete against this year’s ACL festival. But Nick Cave pulled off this hat trick with a two night residency for his Conversations tour. But with a […]
Monolord ‘No Comfort’ Review: Swedish stoner rock trio mix big riffs with heartache on latest release. Monolord haven’t been around very long, but they have made their presence known with four albums, an EP and a pair of ten-inch singles released in just six years. This brisk pace has shown the group growing and refining […]
Tool ‘Fear Inoculum’ Review: At long last, the 13 years-in-the-works “new” Tool album has arrived. Was it worth the wait? “If I had to ‘psychology 101’ [it], I would have to say, ‘Well, yeah, that’s why it would take 13 years to write something, because you’re paranoid that it’s not gonna be the best that […]
Classic crooner Bryan Ferry celebrates Roxy Music’s RRHOF Induction by honoring his iconic roots. With their induction in the 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, British glam rockers/sophistipop pioneers Roxy Music, and their frontman Bryan Ferry have finally received their full American due. And Ferry is celebrating his former band’s legacy on his current […]