The Garden Gate : Canyon Of Blood

The musical world of The Garden Gate has always evoked the feeling of listening to one of those old story records. “When you hear the beep, turn the page” kind of thing. Except instead of listening to a Disney story, it’s something like Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived In The Castle, or Joyce Carol […]

So Damn Hot

With each passing year I’m of the opinion that we as a planet are cruising for a bruising, in the form of overwhelming heat. I had my share of super hot days as a kid in the 80s, sure. We had upper 80s and 90s, and there were a few trips to Kings Island and […]

Unknown Mortal Orchestra : CURSE EP

Ruban Nielson’s music project Unknown Mortal Orchestra has seen its share of sonic evolution. From the scuzzy, psychedelic funk freakouts of their debut to the shinier production moments of albums like Multi-Love and Sex and Food to the almost mainstream sound of 2023s V, Nielson has proven a musician that embraces change and looking forward. […]

Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer : Different Rooms

There’s something sort of magical about the new album Different Rooms by Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer. Both have established themselves as progressive, forward-thinking musicians and composers within the growing world of experimental and electronic music. Either working together on their International Anthem Records debut Recordings from the Åland Islands(2022), or last year’s The […]

29 Years

My wife and I were married on a very hot and balmy June 15, 1996 in a community building in Winona Lake, Indiana by a Justice of the Peace. The building was filled with a who’s who of family, friends, and distant acquaintances that I probably barely knew back then. I certainly don’t remember them […]

Alone 1980 : Blood Ritual

Sweden’s Alone 1980 stands out in the crowd of imagined film score and heavy synth artists. For over the past 7 years this electronic wizard has cast buzzing, circuital spells via cinematic records that pay tribute to the musical scores of late 70s/early 80s VHS sleaze. Covering the film worlds of unrated slashers, b-movie sci-fi, […]

Turnstile : Never Enough

I’ve only heard a smattering of the Baltimore-based hardcore band Turnstile over the last few years. Not enough to have an opinion one way or the other. Lots of hype and lots of “critical acclaim”, or whatever that means. But having listened to their new album NEVER ENOUGH more than a few times the last […]

Father’s Day, 29th Wedding Anniversary, A Full House…

This weekend was a good one. It’s not often that all of our kids are back home and under one roof, so when those weekends happen they’re ones to remember. Most of last week I was dealing with some serious sinus issues. I think it was a combination of my daughter’s pooch Celeste being over […]

Songs From Childhood : Living Rent Free In My Head

There are songs that stay with you for life for very specific reasons. Hearing a tune on the radio at a pivotal point in your life; maybe a death, a birth, a break-up, a declaration of love. These songs become more than the sum of their parts to you because they’ve grown roots in a […]

Brian Wilson : 1942-2025

I grew up thinking the Beach Boys were pretty weak. My parents didn’t spin Beach Boys records, they spun The White Album, Sgt. Pepper, and lots of Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, and AC/DC. The Beach Boys were way too much sunny beaches, hot rods, and surfer girls for me to a. relate to, and b. really […]