A deeper look at the grooves pressed into This Means War’s self-titled 10” EP. The catch, when it comes to trying to be in a good melodic hardcore band, is that trying to navigate the waters of punk rock is fraught with risk because the region is so over-populated. Unfortunately, there are lots of “melodic hardcore” bands which aren’t particularly melodic (read: the singer can’t carry a tune on his back) and aren’t exactly poster boys for hardcore either, for...

The Dopamines Tales of Interest My history with the Dopamines goes way back. I remember driving on the highway in Aruba years ago rocking them in my headphones, soaking in the sounds. It was one of those situations where the music permanently became embedded in the setting for me. The Dopamines are a part of that Midwestern pop punk sound that graces bands like the Copyrights (who I used to think were the same band), Teenage Bottlerocket, and Banner Pilot....

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Mid-Century Sounds – Deep Cuts From The Desert 2LP compilation. It might not be the first location which comes to mind when one thinks of “music hot spots” (and there is some irony in saying that – believe me), but those in the know are well aware of just how rich and the artistic soil is in the state of Arizona. Arizona was, of course, the birthplace of such grand musical...

It’s no secret that we’re fans of movies here on Ground Control Magazine, and with all the movies we watch, it’s really refreshing when an original one comes along. Extra points for it being independently produced. Say what you will about Dave Made a Maze but chances are you’ve never seen anything like it, and that it will be a movie people will want to talk about. So talk we did to the film’s cinematographer Jonathan Boal.   So Jon,...

Photos by Greg Scranton, M.F.A. gregscranton.com surviving the golden age...

There is no doubt that the Oh Sees (formerly Thee Oh Sees, and now actually just OCs) are an unstoppable force. Releasing what seems like their 40th album this year and another one already announced, it’s important sometimes to step back and assess what you’re getting with this band because their catalog can easily meld together into a metropolis of music. With all this published material, what would front man John Dwyer choose to highlight in a live set? The...

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Kids In The Street LP by Justin Townes Earle. After being toasted first and then either critically maligned or flat out ignored for a little while thereafter, Justin Townes Earle has made a sound on his seventh album (first for New West Records) that any critic worth his sand simply cannot ignore. After all the hard luck, Earle had some addiction issues and he has walked on the wrong side of...

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Visions LP by Able Baker Fox. The first thing that Visions, Able Baker Fox’s first album in ten years, proves is that even if a type of music has fallen from popular fashion in recent years, it can still re-emerge sounding both fantastic and timely if there’s passion powering it. Right off, as soon as “Purple Mountains”kicks the doors open on the A-side of Visions, listeners who once felt a genuine...

Artist: Various Artists Album: American Epic (5CD Box Set) Label: Legacy/Third Man/Columbia/Sony Music It might sound like a bit of a reach on the surface, but the first thing that listening to American Epic reminded me of was my university experience and how music like that which can be found on this box set changed my life. My first full-time year – in addition to the classes which were requisite for a bachelor’s degree in Communications – I took a...

Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by bell hooks Has there ever been a better time to read bell hooks? Sure, it’s never been a bad time to read bell hooks, but you get what I mean. Even though some of her books were written decades ago, bell hooks is someone who has remained relevant even today. Ain’t I a Woman is definitely one of those books. In Ain’t I a Woman, hooks essentially discusses the struggles of...