VAR are going to get some Sigur Ros comparisons. They’ll resist of course- at this point every Icelandic band is probably duty-bound to declare just how different they are than their homeland’s most famous rock export- but the quartet share plenty of similarities beyond a postcode. They also employ icy cool ambience, volcanic crescendos, lush strings, plaintive piano, and sweet […]
Read moreAt a time when it sounds like a ton of punk bands have started gazing at their shoes, Chicago quartet Ganser feel like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Blending lean, frantic guitars with a wall of noise, the steadfastly DIY outfit’s 2018 debut, ‘Odd Talk’ was a signal flare. They have fleshed out their sound with […]
Read moreJoseph D’Agostino has been through hell. And of course that doesn’t just mean the injustice of his former band, the terrific but terribly-named Cymbals Eat Guitars, never getting the credit they deserved. In between that outfit’s slow demise and the rise of his solo project, Empty Country, he’s also faced mental health challenges, the suicide of a friend and mentor, […]
Read moreIn their own words, ‘Mustard Coloured Years’ is something of a P.S. for Wild Cat Strike, an addendum to the wistful wonder of their 2018 debut full-length. The first lyrics here even echo the final words of that album. But this shouldn’t be considered an afterthought. In fact, opening track ‘Mustard’ instantly ranks as one of the best things the […]
Read moreOversize are brand new. But despite the fact that the Bristol four-piece only played their first show at the end of last year, they already feel like the realest of deals. Chains by Oversize While still honing their sound, they’ve tapped into a rich seam of sun-baked, alt-rock energy. Their first single was a peachy indie throwback (with visuals to […]
Read moreFriend/Enemy aren’t strictly a new band. They released their debut album, ’10 Songs’, way back in 2002. But they fell dormant soon after and while the members have been very busy elsewhere, it’s been radio silence ever since. That is, before suprise-releasing a second full-length just last week. HIH NO/ON by Friend/Enemy About those members. Friend/Enemy is yet another project […]
Read moreStrange times. As if the world wasn’t anxious enough of late, now a global pandemic and its cascade of consequences have made things quite literally deadly out there. It might feel a little frivolous to talk about music at a time like this but it’s one of the only things keeping me in one piece. I don’t want another news […]
Read moreIf the debut album from Modern Rituals saw them stand out in a crowd, the London-via-Bristol quartet’s follow-up finds them stand virtually on their own. They still play what is essentially four-dudes-in-a-room rock music but there’s a palpable sense throughout ‘This Is the History’ of the band’s natural urge to zig when most others would zag. Here there is acoustic […]
Read moreGold Cage feel like they’ve come out of nowhere. It might be that the LA-based trio have only been around for a couple of years with just one record under their belts- a self-titled full-length released through Felte Records last month. Social Crutch by Gold Cage Or it might be that no one saw them coming through the haze. See, […]
Read moreThey pronounce it “Saxes”. But whichever way you say the name of this barnstorming Chicago-based duo, they sound brilliant. At times simmering with rage, at times fully boiling over, they play fast but not really loose, wild-eyed but wicked smart. Their self-titled debut EP, out this week, is essential listening for fans of Shellac, These Arms Are Snakes, and Coliseum. […]
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