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Album streams, our Set List "top five..." features, our year-end "best of" lists and other music-related miscellany.
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Music
Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2018)
Posted July 16, 2018, 11:45 a.m.We're halfway through the year. When did that happen? Luckily for you, SPB's expert staff are on hand to guide you through the records you may have missed so far in 2018, and the albums you need to go back and listen to so you can pretend you were on top of things this year. Get your shit together. Andy's top 5 albums of 2018 so far 1 Yamantaka / Sonic Titan Dirt (Paper Bag Records) After a few year hiatus, this Canadian group returns in a big way with an album that runs the gamut between moments of sheer beauty to aggressive hard rock - sometimes in the same song. Perhaps this album is less genuinely enigmatic than ...
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Music Graspop Metal Meeting 2018 (Friday)
Posted July 2, 2018, 3:59 p.m.The task of summing up a well-organized European festival is large enough, especially since I dislike festivals to begin with. So I’ll leave you ...
Music Dark Mofo Festival 2018
Posted July 2, 2018, 3:44 p.m.Hobart, Tasmania Australia Dark Mofo is unlike any other festival on this earthround. Never merely l’art pour l’art. Dark. Weird. Sexy. Transcendent. Joyous ...
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One Question Interviews
Quite literally, a one question interview. Also known as 1QIs, we post these first to our social media on a near-daily basis, with the archival piece here. Check 'em out.
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Interviews
An in-depth discussion with a band or artist, generally in the form of a straight Q&A – no editorializing.
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Music
Album streams, our Set List "top five..." features, our year-end "best of" lists and other music-related miscellany.
» Browse 157 features
Regular Columns
Contributions on a range of topics from a range of industry figures: musicians, filmmakers, editors and more.
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Other Reviews
A melting pot of mixed content: movie, book and even video game reviews. Updated sporadically, but eclectically.
» Browse 12 features
Upcoming Talent
A semi-regular column exploring new and rising local bands and artists deserving of attention.
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From the archive...
Music
Top 5 Most Unforgettable Video Game Themes
Posted June 7, 2012, 6:19 a.m.It's E3 season. A time when new games get debuted and companies embarrass themselves with a dance-off to demonstrate their newest product. We thought we'd take the time to appreciate the tunes that danced their way into our hearts and our minds from some of video gaming's biggest franchises. Despite how recognizable some music from video games can be, it can often go under-appreciated. Here we present the top 5 "Most Unforgettable Video Game Themes." New! If you're a Spotify user, you can play the songs as you read below. 1 Super Mario Bros. - Ground Theme ...
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Music Review: Iron & Wine (Sydney Opera House)
Posted May 29, 2018, 12:22 p.m.Alright. Full disclosure: While the moniker Iron & Wine blipped here and there on my radar and your humble narrator thinking ...
Music Halo Of Flies Records
Posted May 26, 2018, 9:37 a.m.In hindsight, Halo Of Flies is one of the labels responsible for dragging me into dark hardcore music. I was ...
Music SXSW 2018
Posted April 8, 2018, 12:53 p.m.The year's third month is always a crazy time to be in Austin, what with the South by Southwest ...
Music MONA FOMA Festival 2018
Posted Feb. 6, 2018, 4 p.m.19-21 January 2018 Hobart, Tasmania – Australia Nine is fabled to be the number of completion and fulfillment. After nine incarnations ...
Music Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2017)
Posted Dec. 31, 2017, 2:36 a.m.It's been a strange year. Global turmoil, political unrest, uncertainty and populism dogging every decision and public event. Who ...
Music Pass The Mic: Artists and labels on 2017
Posted Dec. 17, 2017, 11:22 a.m.Each year at SPB we reach out to the wide stable of artists, labels and other music scene folks to ...
Regular series
We post a variety of features in recurring series – click below to browse them.
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The Set List
A collection of items grouped by topic, eg. "Top 5 Worst Beatles Songs" or "Top 10 best '77 punk releases". Browse 20 features
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Beyond Casual Observation
A wide-ranging guest column written by BJ from Ancient Shores, mainly covering film but extending into philosophy and aesthetics too. Check out BJ's work on the A389 podcast. Browse 12 features
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era vulgaris
Guest column by T of Vegas Browse 11 features
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Year End 2016
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2016. Browse 4 features
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Fest 11
A roundup of coverage of the annual punk rock festival held in Gainesville, Florida Browse 4 features
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Remember that one time...?
A life lived and lessons learned by Eddie Spaghetti of Supersuckers. Browse 4 features
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Fest 12
Our annual roundup from Gainesville, FL's famous Fest. Browse 4 features
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Year End 2013
It's the end of 2013, so here's our best-of roundup for the last twelve months. Browse 4 features
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Fest 13
SPB's coverage of the annual festival in Gainesville, Florida. Browse 4 features
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Year End 2014
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2014. Browse 4 features
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The Greatest Story Ever Told
A brief but englightening chat with an artist who reveals an interesting or unexpected story from their career Browse 4 features
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Year End 2015
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2015. Browse 4 features
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Year End 2012
A collection of coverage rounding up the year 2012, covering our favorite albums, shows, bands, and more, as well as asking record labels and bands about their past twelve months in music Browse 3 features
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Feast with the Famine
A cookery column by Nick, vocalist with metal band The Famine. Veggie/vegan friendly! Browse 3 features
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Year End 2017
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2017. Browse 2 features
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Fest 16
Our coverage of the annual Fest extravaganza. Browse 1 features
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Against Orthodoxy
A regular series by Robert F. Browse 1 features
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Only Death Is Real
There’s so much music released, whether physically or digitally, that keeping up with what’s going on becomes almost like a full time job. With Only Death Is Real, the aim is to bring together a selection of Browse 1 features
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Scene Point Local
A semi-regular column where we choose a specific area and give a local scene report. Browse 1 features
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- 2004: A Year In Review
- 2005: A Year In Review
- 2006: A Year In Review
- 2007: A Year In Review
- 2008: A Year In Review
- 2009: A Year In Review
- 2009: SPB's Top EPs
- 2010: A Year In Review
- 2011: A Year In Review
- 2012: A Year In Review
- 2013: A Year In Review
- 2014: A Year In Review
- 2015: A Year In Review
- 2016: A Year In Review
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- A389 Recordings VIII Anniverary Bash
- Album stream: Night Fever - New Blood
- Austin City Limits Music Festival 2015
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- City Of Ships Album Stream
- Coalition of the Webzines
- Coming in 2012: Scene Point Blank Anticipates
- Coming in 2013: Scene Point Blank Anticipates
- Coming in 2014: Scene Point Blank Anticipates
- Coming in 2015: Scene Point Blank Anticipates
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- EP Stream: Power - Death Haunts
- EP Stream: Raindance - Love Under The Sun
- Exclusive: Stream Honest Abe's debut EP
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- Fest 10th anniversary: Fests 1-3 remembered
- Fest 10th anniversary: Fests 4-6 remembered
- Fest 10th anniversary: Fests 7-9 remembered
- Fest 12
- Fest 13
- Fest 16
- Field Studies Album Stream
- Fun Fun Fun Fest 2015
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- MONA FOMA Festival 2018
- More to a Picture Than Meets the Eye: Kurt Cobain in Film
- Music History: Beginner's Blues (I)
- Music History: I Was A Teenage Headbanger (II)
- Music History: Seminal Moments in History (III)
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- Pass The Mic: Artists and 2007
- Pass The Mic: Artists and labels on 2017
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2013
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2014
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2015
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2016
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and 2006
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2008
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2009
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2010
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2011
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2012
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2013
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2014
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2015
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2016
- Pitchfork Music Festival
- Pitchfork Music Festival 2017 Roundup
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- Record Store Day 2015: our recommended local record stores
- Red Scare 10th Anniversary Show Review
- Refused (are fucking alive)
- Remembering Elliot Smith
- Remembering Erik Peterson
- Review: Iron & Wine (Sydney Opera House)
- Review: Riot Fest 2015
- Riot Fest Toronto 2014
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- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2005)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2006)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2007)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2009)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2004)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2008)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2011)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2012)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2013)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2014)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2015)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2016)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2017)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2018)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (June 2003)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2003)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2004)
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- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2005)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2006)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2007)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2008)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2009)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2010)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2011)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2012)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2013)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2014)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2015)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2016)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2017)
- SPB at the DNC
- SPB Hits The Fest 8
- Swans: our favorite songs and records
- SXSW 2015 Wrap-Up
- SXSW 2016
- SXSW 2017
- SXSW 2018
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- The Greatest Story Ever Told: Felix Hagan
- The Greatest Story Ever Told: Frank Turner
- The Horror
- Theologian Album Stream
- Top 10 Acts Worth Mentioning at Riot Fest 2017
- Top 10 Songs From the New David Bowie Boxed Set “A New Career in a New Town”
- Top 5 Album Closers
- Top 5 Bands That Never Topped Their Debuts
- Top 5 Covers That Are Better Than the Original
- Top 5 Elliott Smith Songs That'll Choke You Up
- Top 5 Most Iconic Post / Math Rock Album Covers
- Top 5 Most Unforgettable Video Game Themes
- Top 5 Progressive Album Covers
- Top 5 songs by Nick Lowe
- Top 5 Songs Under 30 Seconds
- Top 5 Songs Whose Meaning Eluded Us
- Top 5 TV Themes
- Top 5 whoa-oh songs
- Top 5 Worst Beatles Songs
- Top 5: Albums/Songs/Video Games/People/Events/Shows - The Year So Far (June 2003)
- Top Five Acts We're Excited About at Pitchfork 2017
- Top Ten Acts We're Excited About at Riot Fest 2017
- Two years without Hydrahead
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