Photos by Collin...

Lou Reed Metal Machine Music There’s this Venture Brothers episode where they make fun of Andy Warhol’s Factory collective. I got what they were parodying and just felt like it was a tribute them. What do I know about art, anyway? Then I heard the audio commentary from the creators and them skewering both Warhol and his minions. It was incredibly gratifying to know that there were other (smarter) people out there who thought both Warhol and...

Sinners I can’t help but blame myself for watching these kinds of movies. And by “these movies” I mean movies that are highly acclaimed, and I don’t do my homework to figure out where my expectations should be. I’m so disappointed in this movie, but who I really should be disappointed in is myself. Do I even have the energy for a “long” review about Sinners? Let me start rambling and see where it takes me. Sinners was the...

WHO: Panda bear WHAT: Sinister Gift WHY: I definitely had an Animal Collective phase. I don’t think I “outgrew” them, because I occasionally revisit them and remember I enjoy that music. I even thought Time Skiffs was a cool album, so there was no harm in giving the new Panda Bear album a shot. Sinister Gift is more rock, pop, and less experimental, but still “weird” by contemporary standards, so sonically it’s in a unique space. It also has those...

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I grew up on the New Bomb Turks. Getting into punk rock, I was a frequent listener of the Fat Music and Punk-O-Rama compilation CDs. What a deal! 20+ songs from different bands for $4! I remember those days fondly and how I would skip to my favorites. The New Bomb Turks were on these comps but, strangely, never made an impact. Come to think of it, I can’t believe these guys were ever an Epitaph band. Did you know...

Thelonious Monk Live at the It Club Record Store Day Exclusive I remember distinctly talking about Jazz with one of my professors in graduate school. This was years ago when I was an even bigger idiot than I am today. But, I was smart about music. I wanted to branch out. Jazz was, and remains, a mystery to me. But as a punk rocker (a good one that welcomed a wide range of music), I wanted to learn more. I...

WHO: Aesop Rock WHAT: Black Hole Superette WHY: Because, despite being big Aesop Rock fans, we slept on his previous record ITS. Fool me once. Black Hole Superette has the same slick production and personal elements Aes is known for. Full of personality, serious topics, humor, and slice of life stories (who is John-something?), this album just further proves that the best rap music happens not in the mean stream. I didn’t even know they were called “superettes.” Listen to...

Photos by Zack...

Lambrini Girls Who Let the Dogs Out? I’ve been holding off on reviewing this record because I’ve been thinking about it a lot the past couple months. There’s a lot of buzz around this band  right now and rightfully so. Their music has the best elements of punk rock: it’s socially and politically conscious and has a sense of urgency to it. It’s also confrontational and has guts, which I love. People love comparisons, and why not? Why not try...