Chicago transplant from South Florida, enjoying freezing winters to make up for almost three decades of constant heat. Into fast and heavy tunes, as well as all the other kinds. I play bass and drums, in that order, and enjoy a nice dark cup of coffee.
Interview: Victor Skamiera of Fero Lux Talks No Rest
There are only a few bands that can hit me emotionally while simultaneously creating intricate and original compositions. Fero Lux achieves this gracefully in No Rest, their first release since 2013 and first full-length album since 2012. They have always been a band that walks the line between technical and accessible, but this album takes it […]
Three Guitar Pedals That are Great for Bass
It’s not so much that there aren’t a good amount of bass-specific pedals that get the job done — I’m a big fan of the Boss ODB-3 and Dunlop’s bass wah, for instance. But there are certainly more made-for-guitar effects out there that are more readily available. For that reason I took a handful of guitar pedals we […]
Brand New – Daisy
Brand New is a curious outfit, in that they draw fans from virtually every tribe and more or less change their sound between each record. Their debut album, Your Favorite Weapon, can be described as a straightforward emo punk record, and while their sophomore release has plenty of “emo” characteristics, Deja Entendu is anything but generic. The Devil […]
Ex-Breathers – Past Tense
Chances are if you frequent NPR.org or Spin Magazine you’ve likely heard of Ex-Breathers within the last couple months. I was lucky enough to spend a good chunk of my formative years in their hometown, Tallahassee, FL, and got to see them grow from some of their earlier projects. The guys have been in about 100 […]
New Gear Report: EARasers renewal kit and Reverend bass case
EARasers ERK Renewal Kit Replacement Sleeves Being a proud owner of these earplugs, I’m beyond excited to see there’s finally a convenient carrying case (CCC for short) for the little guys. While many a venue security guard will stop you if you have them attached to your key-chain to make sure there’s “just earplugs” in […]
Birds in Row – You, Me & The Violence
I was lucky enough to catch these guys the last time they were in the US, with The Chariot on their farewell tour, and they quickly have become one of my favorite bands. They are intense, passionate, honest, and have yet to disappoint with any of their releases. You, Me & The Violence is no exception. Birds […]
Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
As my bio and previous posts suggest, I tend to gravitate toward bands and albums of the heavy variety (e.g. Machinist! and Fero Lux), so it is not often nor without a heavy heart that I stray from my niche, let alone find something that will hardly leave my CD player for months at a time. An Awesome […]
Frameworks – Loom
Before moving to Chicago I lived in Tallahassee, FL, about two hours northwest from Gainesville, hometown of Frameworks. They’ve been around since 2011 with their first EP, Every Day is the Same, coming out in October of that year. I booked the first (house) show they played in Tallahassee, and now they’re signed with Topshelf Records, […]
Fero Lux’s Gear and Custom Rigs
Fero Lux has been one of my favorite bands for a while now. Their recordings will pique your interest and catching one of their live performances will make you a believer. They play with a passion and precision that’s as impressive as it is entertaining. If you have the chance to catch these guys live, don’t […]
