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...
WHO: The Monsieurs WHAT: Deux WHY: Deux is the long awaited sophomore release from these Bostonians. It’s gritty, raw, loud, and kicks like a mule. Deux ups the ante for these garage rockers and is a testament to the fact that this New England city has got the goods. I pity anyone who hasn’t heard this album. Be forewarned: it might be too much for you to handle. Check them out on...
Without intending to overstate the point, what a year 2017 was. Throughout the last twelve months, the world has seen the most unlikely turn which brought power to President Donald Trump, mourned the loss of such fantastic musicians as Tom Petty, Chris Cornell and Chuck Berry, and saw an absolutely tremendous amount of new and exciting music appear on new release racks. Fans were absolutely awe-struck As some bands revisited their catalogues and capitalized on the recent renewed interest in...
2017 was another fantastic year for music, with tremendous albums from so many genres. It’s sad seeing how many obvious entries made the cut on all those other websites, which makes us even more confident that we’re giving you a pretty good list here on Ground Control. And really, would you expect anything less from us? Though we had some favorites, it’s probably safe to say that the order of these releases would change depending on the day. One...
Welcome one and all to the happy tidings brought to you by our yearly Holiday Buyer’s Guide. Like every year, we bring you a list of perfect gifts and stocking stuffers. Some are old favorites and others are brand new! ‘Tis the season for giving, but also of rewarding yourself for having given so much. You know the drill: we’re not going to bombard you and drone on and on. We’re keeping it sweet and simple and tell you exactly...
Welcome welcome welcome, dear readers. It’s that time of year again where we put away those swimming trunks and sandals, slap some lotion on those sunburns, rethink that shitty tattoo you got and look ahead on another scholarly year. This is going to be it! The year you apply yourself and finally take notes and not just cram the night before. You’re going to have to reward yourself for all these unquestionable accomplishments or at least have some stuff to...