The National : First Two Pages Of Frankenstein

By now The National have become profs in the Indie Rock University and have made tenure. The Brooklyn band by way of Ohio can do no wrong. Their 2010 album High Violet cemented their stature as the voice for the broken-hearted and world weary coffeehouse intellectual. Lead vocalist Matt Berninger has always had the look […]

Paul Riedl : Ocean of Peace

Paul Riedl has proven to be one of the preeminent sonic purveyors of New Age bliss and cosmic ambient vibes. His late night zone out recordings are in stark contrast to his work as frontman for the cosmic death metal band Blood Incantation. Though the band’s last release, 2022s Timewave Zero, was all brooding analog […]

Metallica : 72 Seasons

At this point Metallica have ascended to elder statesmen of rock and roll. 40 years into a career that’s seen the Bay area thrash band rewrite what it is to a be a metal band. Game-changing albums(Kill Em All through …And Justice For All) to remaking themselves as stadium filling rockers(The Black Album, Load), to […]

The Crooked Whispers : Funeral Blues

On a random “new releases” search I came acrosss this L.A. psych/doom band The Crooked Whispers. I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for, but the skull with the sword through it, demonic stone cross, and sepia-toned feel of the album cover won me over. They had just released a new album called Funeral […]

Paul Gilbert : The Dio Album

Paul Gilbert is an 80s guitar vituoso survivor. He was one of THE 80s guitar shredders, coming out of the Guitar Institute of Technology in the mid-80s in Los Angeles and formed the speed metal band Racer X, recording on Mike Varney’s Shrapnel Records. But his biggest gig was the pop metal band Mr. Big, […]

Edena Gardens : Agar

Last year our ears and minds were blessed with the release of Edena Gardens’ debut self-titled release. The trio is a supergroup of sorts; Nicklas Sørensen(guitar), Martin Rude(guitar, bass), and Jakob Skøtt(drums, percussion) are all involved in major creative forces musically, including Causa Sui, Videodrones, Papir, Sun River, as well as Martin Rude Jakob Skøtt […]

Purling Hiss : Drag On Girard

Purling Hiss formed in 2009 as an outlet for Philly musician Mike Polizze’s solo work. Polizze was already an established musician in the Philly band Birds of Maya. After putting a band together to open for Kurt Vile and the Violators, Vile encouraged Polizze to put a full-time band together for Purling Hiss so they […]

Depeche Mode : Memento Mori

Depeche Mode, after 40 years as a band, have earned the title of Elder Statesmen of Synth Pop. The UK alternative rock band has built a musical dynasty, starting in 1981 with their debut album Speak & Spell. With each successive album the band honed their sound and their style to a fine doomed romantic […]

Edena Gardens : Live Momentum

Live albums have been a staple of late night spins since the dawn of the bean bag chair. Basements across the globe set up with decent hi-fi stereos, Hendrix wall tapestries, and a mellow haze in the air have welcomed sleepy-eyed listeners in their warm yet dank embrace. Cheap Trick’s Live At Budokon, KISS’ Alive, […]

Sermons By The Devil : Pro-Life

I’ve always been a bit perplexed when it came to the pro-life movement. Growing up in the Midwest(aka, the Corn Belt) I’ve had a firsthand view of its insidious sincerity. Sure, saving the unborn children; making human walls of screaming, shrieking Christians in front of Planned Parenthoods, medical clinics, and OBGYNs calling cowering, scared women […]