Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Vampyr’ [Criterion Collection]: cult classic 1932 horror film gets immortalized on superb Criterion edition. [rating=5] While not as well-known as other German expressionist horror films like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, director Carl Theodor Dreyer is revered in film geek circles. And for good reason–it’s an evocative nightmare that’s extremely visually […]
John Carpenter ‘Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998’ Review: iconic filmmaker/composer goes down memory lane with new interpretations of his classic film scores. [rating=4.5] Full disclaimer:John Carpenter is my favorite filmmaker of all time. Sure, he hasn’t made a truly great movie since the 80’s, but his body of work from 1976’s Assault on Precinct 13 through 1988’s […]
Albums Revisited: INXS ‘Kick’ Turns 30: celebrating INXS’s career-defining album 30 years later. I wrote recently about how 1987 was the most pivotal year for music in the Reagan era (click here for my list of the 30 best albums from 1987). And one of the most iconic releases was certainly Kick (which celebrates its 30th […]
Scottish alternative rock icons (and shoegaze progenitors) The Jesus and Mary Chain kick off their North American tour October 19th at San Francisco’s The Fillmore Theater. The tour is in support of the group’s well-received Damage and Joy, their first album since 1998’s Munki. Click here for my Damage and Joy review The group also […]
‘Blade Runner 2049’s’ box office shortcomings are being blamed on a lack of younger viewers and bad marketing. I’m just glad it didn’t suck. If you paid attention to the box office reports last weekend, you would have thought Blade Runner 2049 was a fool’s errand. Sure it’s made over $90 million worldwide so far, […]
Far Out Scenery: The Prescience of Warrior Soul’s ‘Salutations from the Ghetto Nation’ 25 Years Later By Dave Dierksen The goddamn president can go to hell! Imagine being 14 years old in 1991, living in a small, sheltered, conservative town, and hearing those words emerge from your radio. This was my first exposure to the […]
William Patrick Corgan ‘Ogilala’ Review: the artist formerly known as Billy gets minimalist on new Rick Rubin produced LP. [rating=3.5] It hasn’t been easy to be a Billy Corgan fan in recent years (or let’s face it, for longer than that). Whether it’s his blistering critiques on his peers, indulging in conspiracy theories with Alex […]
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 […]
The Church ‘Man Woman Life Death Infinity’ Review: Australian alternative icons offer submerged, hypnotic soundscapes on new album. [rating=5] I guess water is my element. I’ve always marveled at the sea and rivers and rain. It wasn’t conscious at all but on reflection, it definitely is a preoccupation on this record. What that means, I […]
The Darkness ‘Pinewood Smile’ Review: Brit rockers are back with a new album of their quirky brand of arena rock. [rating=4] U.K. rock revivalists The Darkness continue to blaze their own idiosyncratic path on Pinewood Smile, their fifth studio album (out October 6th on Cooking Vinyl), expanding on the diverse strengths of their 2015 effort […]
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