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Swingin' Utters

Poorly Formed
Fat Wreck Chords (2013)

First things first, Poorly Formed packs some nice verbiage. With word drops like “crumb bums” and “rigmarole” the Swingin’ Utters have incorporated some lively language into their 8th studio album. It follows 2011’s decent but underwhelming Here, Under Protest and, with the new one they seem to be back in the swing of things. Poorly Formed is far more interesting … Read more

Portal

Vexovoid
Profound Lore (2013)

The only thing that would make sense of how this album came to be is the following scenario: Portal managed to somehow open a gateway to the realms of the Great Old Ones and were granted supernatural powers by malicious beings, such as Azathoth, Nyarlathotep, Yog-Sothoth, Tsathoggua and obviously Cthulhu. And soon enough, Portal decided to put their newfound powers … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Crypt of Kerberos

World of Myths (2012 reissue)
Pulverized (2012)

Ever heard of Crypt of Kerberos? No? Well get ready to be schooled in one of the greatest forgotten relics of the early tech death scene: their lone release, World of Myths.Originally released in 1993, this album has every hallmark for tech death bands of the day: tons of frantic riffing, unnecessarily complicated compositions, tempos and time signatures changing on … Read more

Atoms For Peace

Amok
XL Recordings (2013)

Every so often an unusual group of veteran musicians gather to form what was coined in the late ‘60s as a supergroup. There have been exceptional creative ventures, from the early Crosby, Stills & Nash, to the more recent Them Crooked Vultures and various Jack White endeavors, while others were better left to inebriated jam sessions at rock star house … Read more

Johnny Marr

The Messenger
Warner Bros. (2013)

The '80s are memorable for many wonderful things, like Pac-Man and Bill & Ted, but perhaps most importantly it was the decade in which a seismic shift occurred in the British alternative music scene that many new bands still consider massively influential today. Enter Johnny Marr, former Smiths guitarist and NME's Godlike Genius, who was an essential player in the … Read more

Bliksem

Face The Evil
Alone (2013)

In the 80’s and early 90’s, many underground metal bands gained popularity though tape trading. This method of distribution was fueled by numerous fans mailing copies of demo recordings to other like-minded metalheads. As a result, fans would often end up receiving a copy of a copy of the original demo. Needless to say, many fans most likely became familiar … Read more

Ragnarok

Malediction
Agonia (2012)

Norway's Ragnarok have made their name playing traditional Black Metal for nearly 2 decades now. On this, their 7th, full length they remain steadfast in style and attitude. Much can be said for consistency especially when it comes to genre whose fans can be as fickle as Black Metal. The record itself starts with a cold atmospheric piece before breaking … Read more

Red Room Cinema

Apsis
New Grenada (2012)

You know what makes me feel really good about myself? Post-rock. I'm not talking about the overwrought, nihilistic, dreary stuff (though I do like that too!), but the kind that just brings you up so much that it's quite literally impossible to feel bad about anything while listening to it, the kind of music that forces you to feel happy … Read more

Mudhoney

Vanishing Point
Sub Pop (2013)

25 years later, Mudhoney still know how to kick out the jams. Drummer Dan Peters gets the festivities started with a drum-roll, no less and is shortly joined by bassist Guy Maddison and guitarist Steve Turner for "Slipping Away" - a burner of an opener and the perfect song to remind us just how cool these cats are. Let's talk … Read more

CZARFACE (INSPECTAH DECK + 7L & ESOTERIC)

Self Titled
Brick (2013)

Revisiting a collaboration that first appeared on the title track of Speaking Real Words, the debut EP by 7L & Esoteric, the Beantown duo has teamed up with Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck again. Some 14 years later the three veterans come together with a full-length superhero project titled Czarface. Taking into account the back catalogue of the parties involved, it … Read more

Various Artists

Northless / Light Bearer - Split LP
Halo of Flies (2012)

Lightbearer and Northless are two bands that tend to resemble parallel curved lines. They share bits and pieces stylistically but never quite touch. Where Lightbearer create atmosphere and spice in some brutality within their artistic and literate story-songs, Northless avoid pretense by creating brutally lurching pieces. So when you bring these two bands together it may be hard to see … Read more

Various Artists

So Cow/Squarehead - Out of Season
Inflated Records (2012)

Out of Season is a two-band split 12” from Inflated Records that presents two Irish Groups, So Cow on Side A and Squarehead on Side B. It pairs two up-and-comers, delivering successful and enjoyable mid-tempo power-pop for the most part.So Cow is a three-piece (previously one-man band) who plays 1960s influenced poppy stuff with a bit of modern quirk and … Read more

Nadja

Corrasion (Reissue)
The Miskatonic Sound Lab (2012)

Being an acquired taste is a blessing for some bands as they get to be as adventurous as they could ever want to be and their “fan” base usually will go along with them, and Nadja is most definitely one such band that truly benefits from such an underground status or descriptor (what have you). In any case, listening to … Read more

The Capitalist Kids

Lessons on Love, Sharing, and Hygiene
Toxic Pop (2012)

Holy Lookout Records! The Capitalist Kids’ Lessons on Love, Sharing, and Hygiene bears some stark similarities to the output of seminal 1980s-1990s East Bay pop-punk label. With an ear for clean melodies and crisp chords, the songs are quick, catchy, and witty in similar fashion to early-era Green Day, Mr. T Experience, or Screeching Weasel. It’s a sound that is … Read more

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