album

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the vinyl reissue of Hater’s self-titled debut album. I must confess that I had never heard of Hater before Ben Shepherd put out In Deep Owl a couple of years ago. I was really, really taken with that album and had been thrilled at the prospect of taking an interview with him when the opportunity came up; in fact, I jumped at it. It was during that interview when I learned about...

The Descendents Hypercaffium Spazzinate (Epitaph Records) The differences in the performance and presentation of Hypercaffium Spazzinate from every other Descendents album are subtle but evident from the moment “Feel This” screeches in to open the album. There, while the tempo of the drums and guitar are precisely at the speed fans would expect them to be (at that of an over-caffeinated blur, of course), the tone in Milo’s voice has changed to reflect a different demeanor from that of any...

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...

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into a vinyl copy of Lost Time by Tacocat. Although Tacocat has gained a reputation as our lovable party garage punk band, I think of them as “Oh, that band.” You see, I have this split 7-inch of Ghost Mice and Tacocat that I think about every time I think about this band. I got this 7-inch years ago because I really like the Ghost Mice. Tacocat was a lovely inclusion and their...

Various Artists God Don’t Never Change (Alligator) It has been said before that the greatest measure of an artist can be found in the list of other individuals who assemble to pay him tribute. If we take that as the truth, it can also be taken as doubtless that Blind Willie Johnson is one of the most important musicians to ever pick up a guitar and play the blues; on God Don’t Never Change, a veritable who’s who collection of...

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into Ancient Shapes’ self-titled debut LP. While Daniel Romano has found great success exposing his Country & Western inspirations over the last few years (both 2011’s Sleep Beneath The Willows and 2013’s Come Cry With Me got longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize in those respective years), it’s refreshing and relieving to hear that the singer has elected to turn up and speed up for the new project he has called Ancient Shapes....

PUP The Dream Is Over (Side One Dummy/Universal) Over the last few years, critics have announced the death of rock n’ roll so often that it has become pretty difficult to truly wonder if they’re not right. It gets even harder to not think that maybe – just maybe – there’s no going back either; it is the twenty-first century, after all, and making music on a computer is easy – so why bother picking up a guitar? Are those...

The Claypool Lennon Delirium Monolith of Phobos (ATO/Cadence Music) Even right on the face of it, a project which features contributions from Les Claypool and Sean Lennon screams intrigue and instant sub-cultural credibility. Lennon has spent the duration of his career riding the fact that he is his father’s son as well as illustrating that his dad’s fine pop songwriting chops really are a genetic gift, while Claypool has spent toe duration of his career illustrating that generic lines –...

Rob Zombie The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (T-Boy/UMe) At first glance, one might assume that everything is just business as usual for Rob Zombie on his sixth solo studio album. Its title, The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser, reads like a compilation of words pulled from the titles of his other albums and seems a little laughable and ridiculous, at first. Likewise, the same could be said of all twelve of the titles...