WHO: Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi WHAT: What We Do in the Shadows WHY: I think most people were equal parts surprised and excited when it was announced that the cult movie was going to be turned into a TV show. But it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the outcome was so great considering it’s such a comedic powerhouse. In addition to Clement and Waititi, What We Do in the Shadows features such talented writers as Tom Scharpling and Stefani Robinson....
WHO: Tim Robinson WHAT: I Think You Should Leave WHY: I know we’re supposed to be in a comedy bubble that just won’t pop, but the lack of good sketch comedy that it’s brought is alarming. Maybe the last mainstream subversive sketch comedy show was Key and Peele and their presence is sorely missed. Lucky for us, Tim Robinson’s new show I Think You Should Leave fills that hole. Robinson’s presence on SNL went unnoticed and unappreciated and like most...
WHO: Bob Mould WHAT: Sunshine Rock WHY: I have no clue what Bob Mould had been up to after Husker Du, but if these past two albums are any indication, it would be that the man is determined to rock himself into the stratosphere. Sunshine Rock is a perfect continuation of what made Patch the Sky so great: the songs are simple, catchy, rocking, and loud. It’s no wonder Mould had to crank his amplifiers to 11 with the high-energy...
What a year 2018 was! Were there great releases? Heavens yes – there were enough great albums released this year that bands normally regarded as mainstays on my best-of lists of ANY year (like the Eels, for example) didn’t just get knocked down the numbers, they got knocked clean out of my ten best. Regarding metal albums specifically, Cancer Bats’ sixth album arrived and proved once more that, sometimes, a band’s sixth album can stand as proof that a good...
What a year it’s been, and especially for music. The bounty has been so good that, even though we’re giving you our top 20 choices for music this year, our list could have easily extended into the top 30. But we don’t have the stamina for that. Also, these albums are all winners and even though they’re in order, this could have easily been different depending on our mood. Regardless, these are our recommendations for best music (and some movies...
Weeeeellll it’s that time of year again. We know you come to us for the best in media consumption: music, live shows, movies, TV shows, and books. But, did you know we also have exquisite taste in consumer goods? Yes, we do! Like every year, we’re very glad to show you some of the coolest products this side of the Mississippi. Regular readers will notice some regulars here (we can’t get enough of them, which is why we keep coming...
WHO: Joe Strummer WHAT: Joe Strummer 001 WHY: A knowledge of Joe Strummer is almost mandatory for any music fan, and this new anthology certainly is a great introduction to the man’s pre- and post-Clash output. It does a perfect job of documenting Strummer’s musical evolution which always remained rooted in rock and roll. Fans of his music will enjoy revisiting the man’s life in chronological fashion and will be delighted by how much original and unreleased material they’ll hear...
WHO: Superchunk WHAT: What a Time to be Alive WHY: It’s not just that I love this album by Superchunk. It’s that I tried getting into them with their selftitled debut with marginal success, and decided to give this new one a chance, and put in the time, and it just snuck up on me one day and hit me, and now I can’t stop listening to it. What a Time to Be Alive is full of catchy punk tracks...
WHO: Swingin’ Utters WHAT: Peace and Love WHY: Through their many iterations (now with a new rhythm section, courtesy of the Cobra Skulls), the Swingin’ Utters are teetering the rope of can-do-no-wrong. This release sees them experimenting with their new buzz-poppy sound even more for an album that sounds both complex and maybe a little fragmented. The Swingin’ Utters are maybe the gutsiest punk rock band around today, considering how long they’ve been at it. With every new album they manage...
Ooooooooh! What’s this? Well, it’s your favorite Back to School guide, THAT’S WHAT! Dear readers, year after year, we’ve been giving the most in-depth coverage of all the articles we think you’re gonna want for the next school year and this time around it’s no different. How is it that we can sort through all the noise to bring you just the creme of the crop out of the slew of pretend-swag out there? We don’t know. We must have...