*shels – “Butterflies (on Luci’s Way)” I love all the work that supergroup *shels produces, but “Butterflies (On Luci’s Way)” is still the song that I go to when I want to zen out without falling asleep. That being said, it is definitely not everyone’s relaxing cup of tea. The ethereal opening notes, followed by
IN THE MIDDLE of indie rock band Duster’s sold-out show at Mississippi Studios last January, founding member Clay Parton asked the audience whether they ever feel a little off. Someone shouted back an assurance that the band certainly sounded “on” — which was undeniably true, as well as slightly paradoxical. This is because Duster’s “on”
By Ben Weinstein Iceage probably doesn’t want me writing about them; at the very least they’d be wary, and rightfully so. Since the Danish band released their debut album in 2011, most journalistic engagement has been predicated on the knowledge that they’re not interested in engaging with journalists. Looking exclusively at the written reception to
By Brendan Nagle To listen back to The Smashing Pumpkins’ bizarre fourth album “Adore” is to hear a band at a crossroads. Prior to its release 20 years ago, conflicting label reports confused the press by describing the album as both “acoustic” and “techno.” The final product lies somewhere in between, but its bizarreness has
By Ben Weinstein Before Kanye took to Tidal and began the “Life of Pablo” rollout, London-based enigma Dean Blunt was notorious for altering (and often deleting) previously released albums, as well as uploading several distinct versions on several different platforms. The mastermind behind this ephemeral discography, however, proves even harder to trace than any of
By Jack Conroy In 1958 Paul McCartney wrote the soon-to-be Beatles smash hit single “Love Me Do.” Sixty years, 13 Beatles albums, seven Wings albums, and 24 solo albums later, McCartney is still cranking out new music, and with his latest release, “Egypt Station,” he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. With nothing
By Roshan Bhatia The newest release from producer and singer Yves Tumor, “Safe In The Hands of Love” is his strongest project yet, one that takes inspiration from U.K. rave and industrial music, solidifying Yves Tumor as a heavy hitter in experimental music. In terms of style, “Safe In The Hands of Love” is a
By Riley Hanna While St. Paul and the Broken Bones first formed in 2012 in Birmingham, Alabama, their nostalgic sound will take you back to the rise of soul in the ’60s. The band’s lead vocalist, Paul Janeway, has a similar vocal style to “The Godfather of Soul” himself, James Brown, with unique range and
By Gabe Commissaris The mighty behemoth that is Hooded Menace has returned with another monstrosity of an album. This Finnish death/doom metal act has been consistently smashing skulls for over 10 years. “Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” is a continuation of this practice. They may have had a near complete lineup change, but once the riffage kicks in,
By Brendan Nagle When I hear the phrase “golden hour” my first thought is of Terrence Malick’s 1978 masterpiece, “Days of Heaven.” The film’s infamously troubled production is due in part to Malick and his cinematographers’ insistence that most of the scenes be shot during golden hour, just after the sun has begun to set,
By Brendan Nagle As far as consistency goes, not many ’90s bands can rival Superchunk. Most of their contemporaries called it quits years ago, and of the ones that didn’t, few have released quality music post-2000. Yet somehow, nearly 30 years since they formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the legendary indie rockers are still in