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Medicine

Self, Shot Forth Living
Captured Tracks (2013)

“Sometimes it rains inside my head / All the words run dry…”She sang so sweetly up there on the big screen, and I had absolutely no idea at the time that what I was seeing in the movie theater at that minute was to become a weird love affair that has literally spanned virtually two decades, and I have loved … Read more

Arctic Monkeys

AM
Domino (2013)

By the end of their erogenous fifth LP, the Arctic Monkeys have asked three questions: "Do I Wanna Know?", "R U Mine?" and "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?". All three tracks were released as singles, with each begging the carnal fury pulsing in their latest record, AM. Remarkably, each of the three tracks signify distinct stylistic nuances, … Read more

Hessian

Manégarmr
Southern Lord (2013)

There are at least two bands named Hessian. As such, one of them is supposed to be referred to as Hessian A.D. I refuse to play that game. If movie sequels can be released with nothing more than an indefinite article added to the title, we can have more than one Hessian. In any case, this is the one from … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Agrimonia

Rites of Separation
Southern Lord (2013)

In this day and age, if you're going to write 11-15 minute songs about death, decay and other moribund topics you need to make damn sure that they're interesting. This is usually achieved with liberal doses of the left hand of doom sprinkled throughout the riffage. On this front, Agrimonia succeeds quite well, and without playing the doom card. At … Read more

Sebastian Plano

Impetus
Denovali (2013)

Sebastian Plano returns two years after his debut album, Arrythmical Part of Hearts. The case of the Argentinian composer is a truly intriguing one. Born into a musical family, Plano became after years of training a multi instrumentalist and a magnificent music composer. Now, with his second album, Impetus, he expands musically even further, where his true genius lies, within … Read more

Mainland

Girls Unknown
Independent (2013)

Sounds can create images. New York City based 4 piece Mainland have this effect on "The Stroll". It concocts an image of bright strobe lights that make you even more bleary eyed in your drunken stupor, as you stomp your heels off the sticky floor in time to the drums as though your life depends on it, before the bridge … Read more

Ulcerate

Vermis
Relapse (2013)

Ulcerate are one of the few bands that can honestly claim to have invented a genre. (Well, a subgenre at any rate.) Blending equal parts atmospheric sludge and technical death metals, the freaky Kiwis sparked a huge following of bands eager to try the same thing. And though they haven't really changed their style much over the years, no one's … Read more

A Storm of Light

Nations To Flames
Southern Lord (2013)

A band reinventing itself is not an uncommon occurrence, but a successful reinvention is, and the more drastic the shift, the less likely it is to succeed. There are some notable success stories, but let's face it, not every band can have the graceful chance of being, say, Anathema. One of the most recent bands to take the chance and … Read more

Psychic Teens

COME
SRA (2013)

So, the three regular adults that make up Psychic Teens has found time in their adult lives to hash out another album of quirky skronking post punk that is somewhat coerced through a heavy (emphasis on the heavy) dose of disaffected charm and maybe some early nineties alternative rock (this is a purposefully broad stroke because there are many little … Read more

The Octopus Project

Fever Forms
Peek-A-Boo Records (2013)

When did the Octopus Project add vocals? Well, it’s not exactly a lead singer—think more along the lines of Black Moth Super Rainbow (with whom they released a collaborative record in 2006)—it’s mostly loops, reverb, and effects, but it really changes the dynamic of the four-piece group from Austin, TX.Dubbing themselves “experimental pop,” Fever Forms is their fifth full-length and … Read more

Orchestre de Trenos

Critique of Musical Reason
Independent (2013)

Let's talk about cajones for a minute.Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, aside from being a formidable, densely written, obtuse tome, is one of the most important books in the history of philosophy. But the reason philosophy students still struggle through semester-long courses in order to scratch the surface of this nigh-impregnable monolith isn't for the blind satisfaction of having … Read more

The Wild

Dreams Are Maps
Asian Man (2013)

Maybe Defiance, Ohio are the height I hold the folk-punk genre to, maybe it’s just that they’re the first such band to really click with me. Regardless, on listening to The Wild’s second full-length, Dreams Are Maps, I find myself making several comparisons. Given the context that’s a good thing. Given the band’s overall sound, well, there are also some … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Haiku Salut

Tricolore
How Does It Feel to Be Loved? (2013)

To say Haiku Salut are an odd ensemble would fall several metres short of the mark, judging by their 2013 release Tricolore.Their music has influences from all over the map, unifying elements of indie, post-rock, electronic music, and even baroque pop. Their compositions, largely instrumental, rarely conform to expectations, with each piece taking more twists and turns than can be … Read more

Video/DVD Review

Various Artists

SpokAnarchy!
MVD Visual (2013)

SpokAnarchy! is a feature-length documentary about the punk rock and new wave movement that took place in Spokane, WA during the ‘80s. Even if you're unfamiliar with the bands or have never even heard of Spokane for that matter, it’s an engaging story told by a seemingly unending source of the scene’s survivors. Many of the characters in the movie … Read more

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