Category: Album Reviews

old-fashioned (and neo-modern) record reviews

Album Reviews

Dynamic Sounds Reflect Kevin A’s Self-Exploration

In recent years, the music I connect with most largely deals with the painful, tangled nature of love. Yet, Kevin A’s incredibly romantic mixtape Tropic stood out to me in spite of itself. The Scarborough, Ontario native spent years on the project and said that it is an “exploration of his identity,” which inadvertently doubles as a meditation on all types of love.  Widely labeled … Continue reading Dynamic Sounds Reflect Kevin A’s Self-Exploration

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Album Reviews, Interviews, Zines

Nuanced Wisdom Flows From Via Intercom’s New LP, Flex, Release

Originally appeared on Grimy Goods. The wisdom that emanates from Brooklyn’s Via Intercom may teach you something about yourself and the society we live in. The duo, comprised of Maggie Colgan and Stevie Jick, debuted their project two years ago with an ambitious 14-track concept record called Buzz Buzz Buzz Vertigo, which explored childhood and budding queerness. Jick has worked with music most of his … Continue reading Nuanced Wisdom Flows From Via Intercom’s New LP, Flex, Release

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Album Reviews, Zines

Celebrating Parrot Dream’s Debut LP One Year Later

Photo by Catalina Kulczar Originally appeared on Post-Trash.  Last August, Brooklyn’s Parrot Dream, comprised of guitarist Gonzalo Guerrero and vocalist Christina Hansen Appel, released their formative debut album, Light Goes, via Good Eye Records. It took the duo two years to write and record, and in that time they changed lineups and landscapes, moving from Santiago, Chile to New York, where Appel had lived previously. Now … Continue reading Celebrating Parrot Dream’s Debut LP One Year Later

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Album Reviews, Zines

Mauno’s lack of subtlety fuels new LP, Really Well (in a good way)

Originally appeared on Post-Trash.  Great persuasion doesn’t rely on qualifiers. It is subtle, and needs no emphasis. Unfortunately, Canadian four-piece Mauno haven’t mastered this skill, at least not according to their newest album, Really Well. It is the band’s third full-length, and, especially compared to their preceding effort, it seems to indicate a new direction of both emotion and sound. Read more.  Mauno | buy … Continue reading Mauno’s lack of subtlety fuels new LP, Really Well (in a good way)

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Album Reviews

Goth Rock Icon Dol Ikara Debuts Obsidian Ritual EP, To Perform at Zebulon on Sept 9

Originally appeared on Grimy Goods. If you attended the third night of Brass Box’s residency, you probably caught wind of a dark new rock icon named Dol Ikara. Her debut EP, Obsidian Ritual, demonstrates the command that the goth rock artist, née Claire Roddy, has on lyricism and ambiance. You will have another chance to see Dol Ikara live at Zebulon on September 9 during … Continue reading Goth Rock Icon Dol Ikara Debuts Obsidian Ritual EP, To Perform at Zebulon on Sept 9

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Album Reviews, Zines

Caring is not creepy, smileswithteeth declares with new LP

Originally appeared on the 405, view archived article here. Pop music is no stranger to indifference—well, that’s how it may seem on the surface. In late 2011, Drake revealed the title track of his then-forthcoming record, Take Care, which was a tender declaration of love and not a passive aggressive goodbye, as the title may suggest. The following year, Icona Pop and Charli XCX had … Continue reading Caring is not creepy, smileswithteeth declares with new LP

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Album Reviews, Zines

Share in Shannon Lay’s Joy With Her New Album, August

Photo by: Denée Segall Originally appeared on Grimy Goods.  With her new album, August, Shannon Lay challenges us to be joyous. She makes a case for celebration and for perseverance and for life. It is somehow shocking (in a good way!), which speaks volumes about not only the record itself, but also about our current society. Wallowing in sadness is relatable; ruminating on joy isn’t … Continue reading Share in Shannon Lay’s Joy With Her New Album, August

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Album Reviews

Brass Box Bring Their Shoegaze Mythology to the Echo for June Residency

Originally appeared on Grimy Goods. Brass Box seem to record inside their namesake. Echoes bounce all over the band’s new album, The Cathedral, and lead singer Ammo Bankoff’s voice never wavers. She spins mythological tales: the crowded guitars create a landscape of brutality underneath what can only be a message from a goddess, coming directly from the heavens. As one of the leading singles, “DDM” … Continue reading Brass Box Bring Their Shoegaze Mythology to the Echo for June Residency

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Album Reviews, Zines

LA’s Mating Ritual delivers new album Hot Content and preps for North American tour

Photo Credit: Kevin Vinh Doan  Originally appeared on the 405, view archived article here.  A warning should come on Mating Ritual’s new record—like a Parental Advisory sticker, but spicier. It could resemble a chili pepper or a flame, or another universally accepted symbol for heat. That is, of course, because the LA-based duo’s third LP is a cache of Hot Content; fans can get their … Continue reading LA’s Mating Ritual delivers new album Hot Content and preps for North American tour

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Album Reviews, Interviews, Zines

TheKhue and the Experiments of a Working Stiff

Photo courtesy of the artist Originally appeared on Irvine Weekly.  The daytime hustle of an artist does not define them. Ask them what they do and their secondary answer may include terms like “day job” or “paycheck,” but rarely “career.” It carries too much weight. It suggests that so-called work life is fulfilling and secure. It pretends that there is only one path in a … Continue reading TheKhue and the Experiments of a Working Stiff

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