Musings on the past and present state of music, film, and pop culture. Get off my lawn.
John Carpenter ‘Lost Themes III: Alive After Death Review’: Carpenter and family continue winning streak on fifth collaboration. Filmmaker John Carpenter had become somewhat of a creative hermit in the 21st century: minus two theatrical films and some TV work, he was more inclined to indulge his passions for video gaming, the L.A. Lakers, and […]
Confrontational ‘Under Cover of Darkness’ Review: Italian synthwave artist honors his 80s influences on inventive covers album. CONFRONTATIONAL (aka Italian musician Massimo Usai) have been at the forefront of the synthwave scene, a musical subgenre that has seen the revival of film-inspired electronic music indebted to soundtracks by the likes of John Carpenter, Tangerine Dream […]
SLIS’s 18 Best Albums of 2018: celebrating the best in rock, metal, alternative, electronica and alternative hip-hop amidst a chaotic year. We’re just a few weeks away from saying goodbye to 2018. It was a year that rattled nerves, tested our mettle, and raised questions about where we’re heading. Luckily we had a great soundtrack […]
John Carpenter ‘Halloween’ 2018 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Review: filmmaker/composer adds new layers to his signature horror theme (and score) for director David Gordon Greene’s sequel. ★★★★★ Sure, the upcoming Halloween film is directed by David Gordon Green, but the influence of director/composer John Carpenter is felt throughout this direct sequel to his 1978 horror classic. Not […]
Episode 17: Fantastic Fest 2018 Recap: ‘Halloween’, ‘Suspiria,’ and Much More: a recap of all that was amazing, strange and meh at this year’s genre film festival at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX. On this week’s podcast, co-host Dave Dierksen and I recap the wide arrange of great (and not so great) films at […]
Zola Jesus ‘Okovi: Additions’ Review: Goth songstress releases companion piece to 2017’s Okovi, featuring unreleased tracks and remixes . [rating=4] Last year saw Zola Jesus (Nika Roza Danilova) release Okovi, a return to her dark, synth driven roots, after 2014’s more pop-driven Taiga. It was widely well received by critics and fans, showcasing her powerful vocals […]
The SLIS 2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Blu-ray and DVD Box Sets: the best superhero, sci-fi, horror, action and TV series Blu-ray gifts of the year. Welcome back to part 2 of the SLIS 2017 Holiday Gift Guide (click here to see part 1: Music Box Sets)! Well 2017 was a year I guess. And that’s […]
The SLIS 2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Music Box Sets–exploring the best deluxe editions, CD Box Sets and Vinyl reissues in alternative, classic rock, soundtracks and more. Well it’s that time again: to stuff yourself with turkey first, and then get prepared for your holiday shopping for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond. And if you’re […]
John Carpenter Talks New Album Anthology, Halloween Sequel and More: iconic filmmaker composer gives the scoop on his new album, recent tour, upcoming Halloween sequel and much more in our exclusive interview. John Carpenter occupies a truly unique place in the pop culture landscape. He’s not just one of the most revered genre filmmakers, but […]
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 […]
