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Aidan Baker

Closure Axioms
The Miskatonic Sound Lab (2012)

For as prolific as Aidan Baker is (besides his most known musical endeavor Nadja, he is involved in a slew of other projects as well such as Arc and Infinite Light), his solo material seems criminally overlooked by some (which includes my own self in this group); though maybe this is not a case of overlooking so much as potential … Read more

The Tossers

The Emerald City
Victory (2013)

The Tossers top out my list of Celtic punk bands. Dropkick Murphys turned into cartoons long ago and I’ve just never been that big a fan of Dave King’s (Flogging Molly) voice. The Tossers, who call Chicago home, bring a mix of emphatic punk energy a la Flogging Molly, but blend it with a traditionalist sense found in, who else,The … Read more

Soror Dolorosa

No More Heroes
Northern Silence/Beneath Grey Skies (2013)

They say that imitation is the best form of flattery, and France’s Soror Dolorosa, in choosing to name their sophomore record after a Stranglers album (due to a badge depicting the album appearing on a jacket used for the cover art) manage to wear their hearts on their leather sleeves and show exactly what they’re about in one fell swoop. … Read more

Inter Arma

Sky Burial
Relapse (2013)

If there is any definitive point to life, certainly it must involve leaving something behind that has a positive impact that is discernible well after you are gone. While most of us will ultimately fail to have that kind of effect, we all have the great privilege of being the affected. Inter Arma are a band that have obviously been … Read more

Cnoc An Tursa

The Giants of Auld
Candlelight (2013)

I'll admit, I was intrigued by the idea of Scottish Pagan Metal. Even with the full understanding of Pagan Metal by definition of the more extreme metal using folk instruments from any religion or culture, the ole' noggin still tends to default to the Norse code. Cnoc An Tursa hail from the lowlands of Scotland. Falkirk, to be exact. They … Read more

Drivin' N Cryin'

Songs From The Psychedelic Time Clock
New! (2013)

The new release from Drivin’ N Cryin’ is the third EP of an anticipated four, each dedicated to a different genre that has shaped the foundation of the band’s sound over the last 25 years or so. While the previous EPs have been stellar, this one is by far the best of the bunch. With each song drenched in psychedelia, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Ensemble Pearl

Self Titled
Drag City (2013)

There's soundtracks to the apocalypse and then there's soundtracks to everything afterward. Ensemble Pearl provides the latter. The din and drone as your mind takes in the ruins of its surroundings, the dissonant fear of realization and finally the despair of acceptance. Stephen O'Malley has provided many a piss shiver in his work with Sunn O))) - a deliberate, almost … Read more

Multiple Authors

Ensemble Pearl

Self Titled
Drag City (2013)

It's genuinely hard for me to get excited about supergroups in general--they're almost never as good as the sum of their parts. And unfortunately, despite the calibre of the musicians involved, that seems to be exactly what has happened to post-everything supergroup Ensemble Pearl on their eponymous 2013 debut.Anchoring this band of notably crazy musicians is Stephen O'Malley, known best … Read more

Batillus

Concrete Sustain
Seventh Rule (2013)

The issue that I had with Furnace, the 2011 debut album from Brooklyn's doom metal band Batillus was that it kept losing my interest after the first two songs. Don't get me wrong, I love those first couple tracks and the overall chilling atmosphere of that album, but I just found myself getting sidetracked every time I tried to listen … Read more

Swollen Members

Beautiful Death Machine
Suburban Noize (2013)

Beautiful Death Machine is the eighth studio album by the Vancouver, British Columbia rap group, Swollen Members. I must admit, up until recently I hadn’t paid much attention to the group since their 1999 debut, Balance. It was one of my favorite underground hip-hop albums from that year, but in the 14-year interim I’ve missed a lot of material. Needless … Read more

A Sense Of Porpoise

Self Titled
Independent (2012)

Upon initial listen, this came across as the kind of sloppy folk punk that I’d likely be annoyed by if there was a male singer. Call me sexist if you will but the fact that a female is doing the vocals makes this totally pleasurable, whereas I’d normally dismiss such stuff after one listen as gimmicky coffee shop music that … Read more

Woe

Withdrawal
Candlelight (2013)

Having began life as a one-man project borne from the mind of Chris Grigg, Woe’s motive was one of total aggression and pure hate and signified a time when American black metal was only just starting to find its feet within the darker realms of the musical sphere. With A Spell for the Death of Man Grigg stepped forward and … Read more

Nai Harvest

Whatever
Pinky Swear (2013)

I unfairly judged Nai Harvest at first glance. Band name: wacky. Album title: hip self-awareness masquerading an average sounding record. Genre: Emo. Oh emo, we meet again old foe. A style birthed by ex-punks, killed by its own apathy, briefly reanimated by fringed goths, then killed and mounted by Tumblr. Why me? Can't Lew go back to Grazes and we … Read more

Caitlin Rose

The Stand In
ATO (2013)

In the intervening years between her debut Own Side Now and this sophomore record, there has been very little sign of Caitlin Rose apart from a great cover of Alex Turner’s “Piledriver Waltz.” So as she returns, it is immediately apparent that this interval has been used for growing up: gone is the indie aesthetic in favour of cover art … Read more

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