Alternative music, cult films, and pop culture explored through a Gen X lens — with reviews, interviews, and a deep-dive podcast.
Concert Review: Love and Rockets at ACL Live: reunited post-punk trio brings psychedelic bliss to rabid Austin fans on first reunion since 2008. It’s been a VERY good year for fans of alternative 80s rock, particularly of the gothic variety. Depeche Mode, The Cure, and The Sisters of Mercy have all mounted recent successful tours, […]
SWANS ‘The Beggar’ Review: Michael Gira and collaborators return with stirring collection of songs composed during the pandemic. The pandemic affected every working musician. Economically, all artists suffered, and some musicians felt too unsettled to find creative inspiration. For SWANS frontman and founding member Michael Gira, the opposite was true: this was a time to […]
Episode 44: Royal Thunder’s Mlny Parsonz Talks New Album ‘Rebuilding The Mountain’-SLIS Podcast Royal Thunder are back with Rebuilding The Mountain, their first album in 5 years, out June 16th via Spinefarm. Like past efforts including Wick and Crooked Doors, it sees the group continue their unique marriage of classic rock and 90’s alternative with […]
SWANS frontman Michael Gira discusses band’s new album ‘The Beggar’, his creative processes, current tour and much more in new interview. A new SWANS album is always an event. And the band’s new album ‘The Beggar’ (June 23, Young God Records) is no exception (click here for my review). Written during the pandemic, the album […]
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. […]
Concert Review: The Sisters of Mercy at ACL Live: Goth icons conjure nostalgia and break new ground with first Austin performance since 2006. It’s been 17 years since Goth legends The Sisters of Mercy last played Austin, TX. So to say the eager, black clad faithful attending their performance at ACL Live last Saturday were […]
Concert Review: Placebo at Stubb’s. European alt-rock darlings play Austin for first time in two decades in support of 2022 album ‘Never Let Me Go’. Before they took the stage at Stubb’s, Placebo frontman Brian Molko’s seemingly ageless visage appeared on a widescreen monitor. He implored fans to put away their phones and focus on […]
Dave Lombardo ‘Rites of Percussion’ Review: influential metal drummer gets drum-centric on debut solo album (May 5, Ipecac) “When the pandemic hit, I thought, ‘Well, I can’t tour now. I immediately started working on the record. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. I had my studio, all my drums. Nothing was […]
Bluphoria ‘Bluphoria’ Review: Nashville rockers bring good vibes on blues-flavored debut. Nashville’s Bluphoria have had a swift ascendance in their short time together. Forming in 2019, the quartet (Reign LaFreniere (lead vocalist and lead guitarist), Dakota Landrum (rhythm guitar, background vocals), bassist/background vocalist Rex Wolf, and drummer Dani Janae) signed to Edgeout Records/Ume/UMG in early […]
Concert Review: Ministry, Gary Numan and Frontline Assembly at Emo’s, Austin: Industrial triptych blows minds and eardrums in Austin. It was a little over a year ago that Ministry graced Emo’s Austin with their presence on the Industrial Strength Tour. It was an alternative metal fan’s dream come true to see Al Jourgensen and co. […]
