Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Garbage ‘Strange Little Birds’ Review: veteran alt-rockers return with their best album since 2001’s ‘Beautiful Garbage.’ [rating=4] If generic 21st century pop depresses you, Shirley Manson feels your pain. The Garbage vocalist expressed her frustration with modern music in the press statement for the band’s new album Strange Little Birds: “I’m aching for some dark and dismal. […]
Music Videos Revisited: Metallica’s ‘Until It Sleeps’ Turns 20: the horror…oh the horror. This week marks the 20th anniversary of ‘Load,’ Metallica’s polarizing 1996 album that continued their sprint away from thrash metal towards southern style butt rock. Click Here for Albums Revisited: Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’ Turns 30 IMHO no album lives up to […]
Albums Revisited: Smashing Pumpkins ‘Gish’ Turns 25–celebrating the Pumpkins indie début album on its 25th anniversary. May 28th marks a Gen-X musical milestone: on that date 25 years ago, The Smashing Pumpkins released their début album Gish, the highest selling indie record at that time (until 1994’s Smash by The Offspring…ewww… let’s keep’em separated). Gish […]
Minor Victories Album Review: alternative supergroup excels on exciting début. [rating=5] Let’s face it: supergroups are usually more exciting in theory than in practice, failing to live up to the grand expectations raised when noted musical personalities collide. But Minor Victories, featuring Slowdive vocalist Rachel Goswell, Mogwai guitarist Stuart Braithwaite and Editors’ Justin and James […]
Daniel Ash Talks New Album Stripped: musician discusses new album featuring fresh takes on classic tracks from Bauhaus, Love and Rockets and Tones on Tail in our exclusive interview. Daniel Ash has kept quiet the past few years. The former guitarist/vocalist/saxophonist from goth icons Bauhaus, post-punk one-offs Tones and Tail and alternative rock pioneers Love and Rockets has […]
An Interview with A.R. Kane’s Rudy Tambala The last few years has seen a resurgence of shoegaze and dream pop groups of the 80’s and 90’s. But while bands like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Ride hog the spotlight, there is another group back in action deserving equal attention. That would be A.R. Kane, a band that actually […]
Music Video Premiere: Sounds of Sputnik ‘Light Stream’ Featuring Ummagma–atmospheric video showcases shoegaze collaboration. May 16th will see the re-release of ‘New Born,’ the début album from Russian act Sounds of Sputnik. And to mark the release (via Moon Sounds Records), the group have made a video for ‘Light Stream,’ their collaboration with Ukraine/Canadian shoegaze […]
‘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 […]