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Toh Kay

Streetlight Lullabies
Pentimento Music (2011)

I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews about this record, and based on the feedback received, I think it’s a really underrated album. Is it perfect? No, but it’s very rare to find a completely flawless album. Is it worth listening to? Of course, this is Tomas Kalnoky we’re talking about here. If you haven’t heard by now Streetlight Lullabies … Read more

Digital Leather

Modern Problems
FDH (2012)

It’s been three years since Shawn Foree’s one man synth-punk project Digital Leather released the critically acclaimed album Warm Brother. In that time he’s seen the untimely passing of his friend-turned-manager Jay Reatard, and—after one-off stints on Goner and Fat Possum—has returned to the smaller label he was with before that, FDH. The latest outing, Modern Problems, was recorded to … Read more

Bleaklow

The Sunless Country
Independent (2011)

Though a lot of post-anything music can, using a single theme, reach past the 10 minute mark without necessarily becoming repetitive or stale, there is still a point where too much is too much. You can only listen to embellishment and variation on one theme for so long before you start to go mad and beg for some variety. I'll … Read more

Bubonic Bear

Fleshworld
Sloth Tapes (2011)

Over several very under the radar releases (EPs, splits, half lengths, etc.), the dynamic duo that makes up Bubonic Bear unleash Fleshworld on a mostly unsuspecting audience that (despite lots of touring and tons of shows) still have yet to experience the crushing doom-y noise-y sludge that has become this group’s trademark for audience destruction (I always thought of the … Read more

Signals Midwest

Latitudes & Longitudes
Tiny Engines (2011)

Placing the band Signals Midwest into a genre is a difficult task; their latest release Longitudes and Latitudes is a beautiful mesh of melodic interludes, upbeat pop punk and gritty punk rock. Having this many influences in your work can often lead to great things being lost in translation and the overall result being muddled. However, you can fully appreciate … Read more

After

Edges Of The World
Independent (2012)

When I heard California's After described to me with phrases like "Soundgarden meets Rush" and "progressive pop", I knew I had to give them a try. Any band willing to reach back and recapture some of the classic rock sound that you just can't hear today definitely gets my interest, and I gave this EP a listen as soon as … Read more

The Shins

Port Of Morrow
Aural Apothecary (2012)

Spring has arrived. The sun pours through the sky. Pollen blankets the surroundings. The streets suddenly become more occupied. Much has happened in the world since last spring. Even more has occurred in the five years passed since we were last offered a new album from The Shins, a band whose spring-like sound sonically reflects the seasonal transference.In the world … Read more

Junius

Reports from the Threshold of Death
Prosthetic (2011)

I will say this: Junius' newest album Reports from the Threshold of Death is certainly a unique release. But that's really the totality of positive things I have to say about it. Believe me, I really want to like this album. And, to their credit, Junius certainly do a lot of things that entice my interest. But here's the issue: … Read more

The Men

Open Your Heart
Sacred Bones (2012)

This could be the album that shoots The Men into music lovers’ hearts or it could be a slow burner that floats in the whereabouts of obscurity. The hope is for the latter. Open Your Heart is a musical mash of various genres, all neatly performed by a loose-sounding band that’s mastered the art of rocking out. There are punk … Read more

The Roots

Undun
Def Jam (2011)

I’m conflicted when it comes to “conscious rap.” On the one hand, I hate the label and attempt and creating a subgenre for hip-hop that doesn’t adhere to the conventions of mainstream rap. To me, it’s still rap and it makes little sense to marginalize those artists who seem to more highly value originality over the fast-food punchlines which dominate … Read more

Remnants

Suspension
Tycho Magnetic Anomalies (2011)

Brooklyn based drone purveyors Remnants four track cassette Suspension is a curious little release, building on a foundation of fuzzy electronic notes, and deep unnerving tones. Lead track "Ornamentals" is a tad unsettling in it's minimalism. The quiet buzz of white noise sitting just behind dissonant strikes slowly build in sound level, washing over the touches of an almost bell-like … Read more

Senmuth

Bar-Do Thos-Grol
Independent (2012)

After writing ethnic music for over half a decade at this point (over the span of one hundred and forty-three individual studio albums), it's no surprise that Russian musician/history buff/general crazy man Senmuth has gotten rather good at it. Bar-Do Thos-Grol, his most recent foray into dark ambient music, shows off just how proficient he's become at it. The album … Read more

Red Hot Rebellion

Self Titled
Independent (2012)

Red Hot Rebellion are a band that was destined to be. Formed as the result of a want ad placed on Craigslist, they are now part of the music scene in Dayton, Ohio that has been strong for years now. As they say in their bio, they were “formed with a singular goal: to rebel against the watered-down excuse for … Read more

Plague Widow

Self Titled
BuriedInHell (2012)

Sacramento three-piece Plague Widow came to form late last year, and have through some kind of sorcery already unleashed an uncompromising and punishing EP. Fifteen minutes of pure intense grind with a tiny hint of death, Plague Widow EP is disgustingly ferocious and absolutely relentless. With an intro track that is longer than 95% of the songs on the EP, … Read more

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