Music 1
QUITAPENAS (self-titled)
A thumping bass line, hand percussion, vicious guitar and chanting vocals? When I first heard “Valle Moreno,” the intense opening cut from self-titled LP QUITAPENAS, I was almost convinced I was listening to a B-side from another latin rock group’s self-titled debut, though that one was released in 1969… Each song off this record introduces a new facet of QUITAPENAS’ […]
The Bad Plus – Suspicious Activity?
The Bad Plus cemented their reputation as giants of the modern jazz world with their 2005 release, Suspicious Activity? At first glance The Bad Plus looks like a traditional piano trio, however looks are deceiving in their case. Rather than being driven by one person with interchangeable personnel, they are a true musical collective. By […]
The Cinematic Orchestra – Every Day
For years, The Cinematic Orchestra have been a highly respected and beloved group dominating the UK scene with their fusion of jazz, hip-hop and electronic music and it’s about time they get the love they deserve over here in the US of A. Every Day is one of those rare albums that really showcases their at […]
Shiner – The Egg
In this music review, we’ll take a trip back in time to the fall of 2001 and the release of post-hardcore band Shiner’s fourth and final album, The Egg. Equal parts aggressive, technical, and polished, this swan song is arguably the band’s finest work. Produced by J. Robbins, this record really feels like an extension […]
Townes Van Zandt – Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
Spanning six solo performances in July of 1973 at an old Texas saloon, Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas is often regarded as the quintessential Townes Van Zandt album. As a artist with a long, diverse discography, this album captures every aspect of his style. While Van Zandt’s studio work is not without its […]
Tove Styrke – Kiddo
It seems like I’m on an electropop kick lately. I’ve tried to do all sorts of self-analysis to see why this is, and I’ve decided that I don’t need a reason — I should just accept my newfound love of catchy hooks and danceable beats. The first step to acceptance? Drowning my ears in synthesizers. […]
Mark Barrott – Sketches from an Island
Mark Barrott is a very smart man. However, being smart doesn’t always mean you’ll make great music. In my opinion, sometimes the intellect gets in the way of the feeling. Not so with Mark. On his criminally unheralded album “Sketches from an Island” takes a much maligned style, the music of Ibiza, and reinvigorates it […]
City of Ships – Ultraluminal
Ultraluminal is the new LP from Austin, TX / Brooklyn, NY based post-rock outfit City of Ships. I was lucky enough to jump on a portion of their 2012 summer tour and I thought they were on-point back then, but they’ve done nothing but grow in the past three years. In the album’s first single, “Alarm,” […]
Roots Music: The Berlin School of Electronic Music – Part 1
Roots Music is an ongoing series where we attempt to trace the influence of certain music genres and instruments. In this two-part opener, we’ll first trace how the Berlin School of Electronic Music began, and eventually (in the second part) how its innovations have left their mark on current electronic dance music. What exactly is the Berlin School […]
