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Book Review

Joy Division

Juvenes
Hachette Publishing (2021)

Chances are that if you dig underground music, you will harbour an appreciation for Joy Division and New Order. If you close your eyes and envision Ian Curtis and co in their heyday, chances are what will appear is a depiction that has been channelled through the lens of Kevin Cummins, a photographer that like no other depicted the band … Read more

The Muslims

Fuck These Fucking Fascists
Epitaph (2021)

Fuck These Fucking Fascists is the fourth full-length by the Muslims, and their first on Epitaph. As the name suggests, it’s complex music steeped in subtle political theory. Just kidding. This is straight-up angry, screamy punk with overt politics. Which is often needed, especially in the current environment. Besides the title track, other song titles include “Crotch Pop A Cop,” … Read more

Pop Icons

Prelude
Independent (2020)

The slack jawed audio sample that begins this EP sets a tone like many other humorous pop punk groups, a promising sign. Southern Arizona’s Pop Icons instantly launch into a full throttle punk sound that reminds me of many things I’ve heard before. Catchy lyrics and sharp chords played on distorted guitars sounds very normal and competent. Two vocalists trade … Read more

Send More Paramedics

The Final Feast
Independent (2021)

When Send More Paramedics announced a brief reformation to play a handful of shows celebrating 20 years of reanimation no one expected them to chuck out a brand new 9-track album but they surprised us all by doing just so. The Final Feast is their first studio album release in 15 years, the last being The Awakening (2006). Listening to … Read more

Vacation

Existential Risks & Rewards
Salinas Records (2021)

I’ve been fighting the urge to just quote John Hoffman from when I interviewed another one of his bands, The Mimes, earlier this year, because I think he described his songwriting style really well in it. Instead, you get a vague, shameless plug, though I’ll circle back after more explanation. On their latest offering, Vacation hasn’t wildly changed. Existential Risks … Read more

Book Review

Robby Krieger

Set the Night on Fire: Lying, Dying and Playing Guitar with The Doors
Hachette Publishing (2021)

Within the canon of American countercultural rock bands of the 1960s, there is hardly one that stands out more than The Doors - not merely because of their musical output but due to the controversy the trailblazing riddle hidden an enigma that was their frontman Jim Morrison embodied with his beautifully erratic and mythological persona. Formed in 1965, the core … Read more

Znous

Znousland 3 EP
Independent (2021)

It took Znous exactly one year to release a new EP. You will not hear me complaining about this. Avid readers of this site will remember I was very fond of Znousland 2, which I discovered half a year after its release. I described the sound of this Tunisian band as a mix of modern metal bands (Sepultura and Ministry … Read more

Book Review

Oasis

Supersonic: The Complete, Authorised & Unabridged Interviews
Hachette Publishing (2021)

Despite having parted way more than twelve years ago, Oasis and the way they have diligently and borderline religiously channelled their Beatles worship continues to be one of the most influential British bands of all time. No matter if you were into what was labelled “Cool Britannia” in the 1990s or do not dig them, chances are that you do … Read more

Light Field Reverie

Another World
Avantgarde Music (2020)

I’m always on the prowl for dreamy music, especially metal. It’s harder to find things that fit that descriptor in the metal area too. After discovering sometime three or so years ago ISON, I somehow didn’t run into Light Field Reverie until earlier this year. My surprise arises from the fact that former ISON vocalist, Heike Langhans performs vocals on … Read more

Slow Crush

Hush
Church Road Records, Quiet Panic Records (2021)

Dennis: When browsing through new releases in my overflowing inbox I decided to go for Slow Crush. It is released on Church Road Records, a sympathetic new label and mentioned shoegaze, dream pop and indie rock. I may not have the deepest of knowledge on this genre, but enough to give you an honest opinion. To my surprise I was … Read more

Book Review

Tessa Norton & Bob Stanley

Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall
Faber Publishing (2021)

When it comes to what is referred to as “post-punk” and repetitive-driven guitar sounds accompanied by tense, circular bass lines and grimy, otherworldly vocals with the an enigma of a frontman meandering through tropes of British magic realism that seemed to be fuelled in equal parts by uppers and downers, you cannot go past The Fall. After the untimely demise … Read more

Sincere Engineer

Bless My Psyche
Hopeless (2021)

Sincere Engineer, fronted by Deanna Belos, runs the emotional gamut with angry highs and desperate lows – often both within the same song. I kind of think of it as a female take on ‘90s emo: the songs are personal and introspective, searching for help through the downtimes. A difference being that most ‘90s emo was seeking validation while this … Read more

Barcelona Gipsy Balkan Orchestra

Nova Era
Satelite K Records (2020)

Nova Era is a sweet journey through the olden Balkan ethos that permeates this region, of which I also happen to be a part of. Of course, I have certain biases that will come to light through the course of this review, but do not let that discourage you from delving into these sounds in any way. Barcelona Gipsy Balkan … Read more

San Salvador

La Grande Folie
Music Development Company (2021)

There’s nothing like a good vocal driven ensemble am I right? Well, I don’t know about you but I find myself impressed to the highest degrees by such bands. It has to do at least partly with the steep mastery curve of the human voice as a musical instrument as well as its phenomenally unique tonal characteristics at an individual … Read more

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