A critical evaluation of ApocalyptiGirl: An Aria for the End Times by Andrew MacLean. I know ApocalyptiGirl has gotten some very positive feedback, and I love Dark Horse comics (maybe the biggest comics publisher right now still putting out good titles), but is it OK to say that I was simply unimpressed by this comic? It certainly has lots going for it: cool setting (post-apocalypse survival), cool art (crude-like character designs, and dim colors make for a perfect way to...

A critical evaluation of The Recording Angel: Music, Records and Culture from Aristotle to Zappa by Evan Eisenberg. See if you can process this statement: the Recording Angel reads like I wished I would sound when I talk about music. In other words, this book is a complete nerd-out on music but at an in-depth academic level. We never find out just what Eisenberg’s background is in music (is he just a fan?), but he sure knows how to put...

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into a vinyl copy of Distortland by The Dandy Warhols. It might seem silly to entertain the idea that The Dandy Warhols could be suffering from a mid-life crisis but, listening to Distortland, that appears to be the case. The emotional state of the band is particularly evident in listening to the vinyl pressing of the album as the five-per-side running of it gently divides the running into two separate movements which lead...

Bipolar Explorer Electric Hymnal (Slugg Records) I knew what I was getting into when I said that I’d like to receive a free copy of this latest release by New York City’s BIPOLAR EXPLORER, I didn’t know how deeply into it I’d be going. My last contact with the band’s leader, Michael Serafin-Wells was last December and he mentioned that they had been working on some new pieces that were inspired by the time he’d been spending in a West...

The Low Anthem Eyeland (Washington Square/Razor+Tie/Concord) To say that the last ten years have been busy ones for The Low Anthem would only betray a gift for understatement in the one who said it. In that time, the band has bounced between no fewer than three record labels in addition to releasing a couple of albums on their own. They’ve been toasted as great additions to the “new folk” and “Americana” fads, only to abandon them as quickly as the...

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into Bum City Saints’ self-titled LP. While some critics may claim that an album or artist being “derivative” is a negative trait, that’s not always true – in the right context. Sometimes, the right sequence of sonic elements can align and instantly throw listeners listener back into the mindset which they had perceived to have long forgotten; it can be exhilarating and comforting all at the same time, no matter how aggressive the...

Leftover Crack @ Once Ballroom – Somerville, MA – June 18, 2016 Who would have guessed that the reputation Leftover Crack would have this year in Boston is as the hottest show in town. Sure, they were playing the coolest new venue in Boston (as Stefon would say, “This place has everything!”), but I remember from Punk Rock Bowling in Vegas last month that their show was one of the first to sell out. Let’s be clear here, Leftover Crack...

Aesop Rock Paradise Rock Club – Boston, Massachusetts – June 17, 2016 I love Aesop Rock, and I love the sweaty shows he puts on at the Paradise in Boston (where I’ve seen him numerous times before). Of course there might be pandering to the crowd (“This is the best crowd of the tour!” he exclaims), but this is also the best I’ve ever seen Aesop Rock. I know now that the man focuses heavily on his newest album when...

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Means LP by Fews. Even at first sight – before a note of music is heard from the Means LP – those who happen upon Fews’ debut full-length will get the sense that they’re about to bear witness to an important musical event. The front cover poses a bunch of very tantalizing questions; on it, a camera captures a stolen frame of the bandmembers with a brick wall as a backdrop....

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the diecut “Carry On” single by Booze & Glory The catch about the genre that’s affectionately known as “street punk” is that those who make the music often do not make it for very long. The reason for that is simple: street punk is impoverished by nature – the best of the genre is made by penniless players who are making music either to entertain themselves or their friends – and loses...