Musings on the past and present state of music, film, and pop culture. Get off my lawn.
Australian post-rockers reach new heights on latest release. sleepmakeswaves may not be a household post-rock name like Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Sigur Ros, or Explosions In The Sky, but that hasn’t stopped them from gaining a small but loyal fanbase in their native Australia (where they have been nominated for ARIA and AIR awards). […]
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. […]
Spotlights ‘Alchemy For The Dead’ Review: metal-gazers contemplate mortality on melancholic new album. The power trio Spotlights have become one of the most accomplished, thoughtful and assured acts in recent memory. The group’s unique blend of metal, shoegaze and space rock sets them apart from other hybrid competitors. And on their latest album, Alchemy For […]
The Best Alternative Rock and Metal Albums of 2020: 13 of the best releases from a year that needed great music more than ever. What more can be said about the shit-show that was 2020? It’s been awful, exhausting, demoralizing, harrowing, maddening and relentless. But despite that, we found ways to adapt, some by sidestepping […]
Spotlights ‘Love and Decay’ Review: Brooklyn trio’s sophomore album offers new insights into their unique musical landscape. Brooklyn’s Spotlights made big waves with their 2017 full-length début album Seismic, taking a disparate influence of post-metal, shoegaze, space rock and goth that made them one of the most refreshing new acts in metal. One cursory listen […]
19 Most Anticipated Alternative Rock and Metal Albums of 2019: its shaping up to be a potentially amazing year for rock fans. Hello folks and a belated happy New Year! 2019 is off and running, and for those hoping for some rocking new tunes during our current, crazy times, all signs point to a truly great […]
Spotlights ‘Hanging By Faith’ Review: Brooklyn alternative-metal trio return with remixes off last year’s Seismic LP, as well as a cover track. [rating=5] Spotlights’ album Seismic was one of the best albums of 2017, a bruising yet beautiful sound from the NYC husband and wife duo of Mario and Sarah Quintero, which offered a bewitching […]
Spotlights ‘Seismic’ Review: Married Brooklyn rockers craft a brutal yet beautiful noise. [rating=5] Spotlights (aka Brooklyn husband and wife Mario and Sarah Quintero) are a power duo in every sense of the word. On their sophomore album Seismic (out October 6 on Ipecac Recordings), they create a sound so massive, it’s hard to believe it […]
Concert Review: Deftones at Austin360 Amphitheater: San Diego metallers slay on a balmy night in Austin, TX. [rating=5] Just a little year over a year since their triumphant 2016 set at SXSW, San Diego’s Deftones returned to Austin last night–making a stop on their 2017 tour with Rise Against and Thrice. After co-headliners Rise Against finished their (with […]
20 Albums Turning 20 in 2017: the best alternative releases of 1997 The alternative rock landscape had changed by the late 90s. Grunge was pretty much dead, no longer considered a viable commercial option for record labels. Nirvana were over, Soundgarden had split and Alice in Chains were hobbled by Layne Staley’s heroin habit. Pearl […]
