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 […]

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 […]

Japanese Breakfast : For Melancholy Brunettes(& Sad Women)

Michelle Zauner has had a pretty busy decade. Releasing her debut album Psychopomp with Japanese Breakfast(which also includes Craig Hendrix, Deven Craige, and Peter Bradley) in 2016. Then a gradual climb into indie rock royalty with follow-up albums Soft Sounds From Another Planet(2017) and Jubilee(2021), Zauner and Japanese Breakfast became a band to watch and […]

Fir Cone Children Returns With ‘Gearshifting’, Out 4/18; Listen To Dreamy New Single “Perfect Trade”

It is always reason to celebrate when a new Fir Cone Children album is imminent. The dreampunk/shoegaze/post-punk project from Vlimmer mastermind and Blackjack Illuminist Records founder Alexander Donat has all the bite and angst of his main gig in Darkwave Vlimmer, but there’s a palpable joy in Fir Cone Children. Even the fastest, heaviest songs […]

“FOLKLORE, PSYCHEDELIA, AND OCCULT INTRIGUE” : Get Lost In Klaus Morlock’s “Run Hide Die”

If you were to stumble upon musician/composer/spell caster Klaus Morlock’s Bandcamp page you’d see over 25 releases over the last decade plus. Morlock works in the world of Gothic church organs, woozy 70s synths, and 60s psychedelia, fueled by Hauntology, demonic forces in dilapidated cabins and absinthe. Songs that buzz in the sweet shadows laid […]

Entrancer : Rit

Ryan McRyhew came into focus for me a decade ago when I bum rushed the Software Recording Co. Bandcamp page. I was full obsessive/compulsive regarding everything Oneohtrix Point Never/Daniel Lopatin and felt like I’d come across a treasure chest of unknown musical pleasures when I discovered the OPN mastermind ran a record label. One of […]

Traffik Island : Ghost Notes

Australia-based musician and raconteur Zak Olsen is a man of many musical proclivities. He works out his psych rock muscles in ORB, new wave fun in Hierophants, and whatever moods strikes him in his solo project Traffik Island. And on his latest as Traffik Island the vibe is Italian Giallo, library music, and sun-fried psychedelia. […]

Nels Cline : Consentrik Quartet

Nels Cline is a musician’s musician. Prior to becoming Wilco’s lead guitarist/noise maker in 2004, Cline had been more known in the underground music scene of California. Playing with everyone from Mike Watt, Thurston Moore, Mary Lou Lord; to Rickie Lee Jones, John Zorn, and Blue Man Group. His lightning fast solos only matched by […]

Switched-On Wendy Carlos

Moog pioneer Wendy Carlos is a musician I’ve always been fascinated with. One, for her ability to emote so beautifully with the Moog synthesizers. And two, for the relative mystery around her. It’s nearly impossible to find her music available to listen to online. None of her albums are streaming, and the only way to […]