Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Silversun Pickups ‘Better Nature’ Review: slick yet catchy, the group’s latest release offers huge pop hooks with a streamlined sound. [rating=3] “This album is like its own quantum universe. It’s kind of unstable.” That’s Silversun Pickups frontman Brian Aubert trying to explain the immediate takeaway of the band’s latest album, ‘Better Nature’ (out September 25th on the group’s […]
Listen to New Order Song ‘Plastic’ From New Album: Second Single From ‘Music Complete’ is a club-ready anthem. New Order have just released ‘Plastic’, the second single from their upcoming album ‘Music Complete’ (due out Sept. 25th on Mute Records.) And if their début single ‘Restless’ sounded, well, a tad weak, but ‘Plastic’ (mixed by […]
Albums revisited: Deconstruction steps up to the bar: new contributor Peter Marks looks back on the underrated release from Jane’s Addiction alums Dave Navarro and Eric Avery. Bassists always draw the shortest straw from fans of the bands they are in, Kids In The Hall famously chided the bass player in one of their many […]
Killing Joke Release New ‘Pylon’ Track ‘I Am The Virus’: Proto-industrial legends release first track from upcoming 15th studio album. Veteran Post-punk rockers Killing Joke have just released I Am The Virus the first official single from their forthcoming album Pylon. Check out the video (with lyrics) via YouTube below. The band also announced the […]
Toadies ‘Heretics’ Review: Texas alternative heroes add an acoustic twist to their caustic rock sound. [rating=4] “A running joke over the last 25 years is about putting keyboards and handclaps [in our music]…It’s a left turn for the band, and I can understand why a lot of fans would think we’re turning our backs on our […]
Le Butcherettes ‘A Raw Youth’ Review: Mexican power-trio blow the doors off with their incendiary third album. [rating=4] Youth doesn’t mean young. It’s the essence of being resilient against so many of life’s struggles. In every decade or era, there’s always a rebel who gives inspiration for the poets to write about. That person holds […]
Garbage To Release 20th Anniversary Debut Album Reissue: band mark 20th birthday of début album with a deluxe special edition and 20 Years Queer Tour, both taking place in October. Last month marked the 20th anniversary of Garbage’s genre-defying self-titled début album, featuring the hits Queer, Only Happy When it Rains, and Stupid Girl. And the band […]
Albums Revisited: The Cure’s ‘The Head On The Door’ Turns 30: British band’s global breakthrough hits the three-decade mark. On August 26th, 2015, The Cure’s breakthrough album The Head on The Door celebrates its 30th anniversary. And it maintains a unique place in the band’s discography, splitting the difference between the dismal, atmospheric Goth on […]
Albums Revisited: Alice in Chains ‘Facelift’ Turns 25 On August 21st, 2015, Alice in Chains’ début album ‘Facelift‘ celebrates its 25th anniversary. Good god. Really? I feel old. It’s interesting to look back on ‘Facelift’ and see just how important it was in the scheme of 90’s alternative music. Pre-dating Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’, it helped establish […]
Jane’s Addiction’s ‘Ritual De Lo Habitual’ Turns 25: the band’s alt-rock masterpiece re-examined on its 25th anniversary. This week (August 21st to be exact) marks the 25th anniversary of ‘Ritual De Lo Habitual‘, the second studio album from alternative rock progenitors Jane’s Addiction. While Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ is seen as the album that broke alternative to […]