Ben Allen – Free from the restraints of seminal punk noise legends Sonic Youth, Lee Ranaldo has fully realized his musical ambitions on his latest record. If Sonic Youth were the Beatles, Ranaldo would be George Harrison, and Electric Trim would be his All Things Must Pass.
Chuck McCammon – For those already familiar with Cursive, you are going to love this 2018 album of dark musical complexity and existential ruminations, the first from the Omaha, Nebraska band since 2012’s I Am Gemini.
Sean Jewell – The first time I heard “Wits End,” the opening track to Matriarch’s debut metal massacre, my throat tightened and my eyes welled up with tears. Living helplessly among the political tragedies and trashfires of the last few years, this is the jagged, aggro-punk I’ve been needing to hear.
Sean Jewell – There is a cadence to The Luna Moth’s new album, a determination that their previous records did not have. The Luna Moth has always been a system of clangorous, instrumental, noise built around steady drone; experiments and improvisations, grinding up against conventional meters, with drums, bass and guitar, but this record is a cut above anything they’ve done in terms of style and fidelity.
Adam Jacobs – Remember when hip-hop was fun and not centered on money, drugs, and crime? Seattle area MC Tim Stiles sure does. Here he collabs with local beat maestros Visceral Candy. The result is a refreshingly fun musical experience full of dope rhymes, catchy hooks, and beats made to blow your speakers.
