Lockerbie
Ólgusjór
Kapitän Platte (2012)
I'll admit, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this album quite as much as I did. Though it's not perfect, Lockerbie's 2011 release Ólgusjór is something that pretty much everyone will find something to like about.They have the same kitschy Icelandic appeal and post-rock sound of Sigur Rós combined with the accessibility and songwriting of Coldplay. There are tons of bright … Read more
Locrian
Infinite Dissolution
Relapse (2015)
Locrian’s approach to metal is to disassemble the core structures, push them further away from their crude beginnings and delve into building them back up again into towering walls of sound and phases of light and dark. Infinite Dissolution is a record that shares small similarities to the genre that it’s born from, mostly in Terence Hannum’s hoarse screams and … Read more
Locrian
Return To Annihilation
Relapse (2013)
Holy mother of god I was clearly not ready for Return To Annihilation from Locrian, and I guarantee that “Eternal Return” will do the same to you; now, my reaction has more to do with the shockingly uplifting sound and mood that the song seems destined to pop on people as they press play for the first time than the … Read more
Locrian
The Clearing
Fan Death (2011)
OK, so I finally get to sit down with album number four (or three depending on who you ask) from Locrian and not because I did not want to listen to this sucker; but rather I waited and waited to hear this spin on my turntable first until at last I gave in and listened to the advance copy that … Read more
Locrian
The Crystal World
Utech (2010)
Hauntingly beautiful, The Crystal World is precisely that; and I seriously cannot believe that this almost slipped beyond my notice because Locrian has just simply blown me away with this record of harrowing soundscapes and buried melodies that coax your subconscious into a dream like state. I sincerely mean it; this record is one of those have to hear records … Read more
Locrian & Horseback
New Dominions Split
Utech (2011)
This collaboration between Horseback and Locrian was a hotly anticipated one in several musical circles (particular if you were a fan of either outfit prior to hearing of this release), and the prospects of what these two projects might create together induced some mind blowing (think the head explosion scene in Scanners) possibilities in the heads of those of us … Read more
Locrian & Mamiffer
Bless Them That Curse You
Sige\Land Of Decay\Profound Lore\Daymare (2012)
Without a doubt in my mind, Bless Them That Curse You is one of those releases that without hearing a single note of music, people will immediately become excited by the prospects of just such a pairing (hell, I know I did when both groups of musicians began posting pictures of recording sessions and pictures of pieces of paper outlining … Read more
Locrian With Christoph Heemann
Self Titled
Handmade Birds (2012)
There is definitely an incredibly creeped out vibe coming out of my speakers right now, and I mean that in only the best possible way because the tension building dark ambience of this inspired collaboration is a work of what could be a singular artist as the music is so spot on in its execution and delivery that the idea … Read more
Logh
A Sunset Panorama
Hydra Head (2005)
Is Sweden even cold? Whenever I think of Northern Europe, I think of mountains, yodelers, and folks with Princess Leia hair wandering around in big coats. Yet the continent keeps popping out some of the ââ¬Â¦well, warmest albums I've ever heard. Par example: the new album from Logh, a band I didn't care about until this year. I started caring … Read more
Loma Prieta
Our LP is Your EP
Inkblot (2006)
When it comes to jocking, there's no place better to be jocked than Northern California. This magical place is blowing up like an infirmary the day Ebola hits the streets. Their roster includes bands like Hella and Xiu Xiu, bands like Ceremony and Look Back and Laugh, bands like Funeral Diner and Bullets In, bands like Sabertooth Zombie and Burial … Read more
London Grammar
If You Wait
Columbia (2013)
Heartbreak in its truest form is one of life's most sobering and unyielding experiences. As the tedious old adage goes: there's a thin line between love and hate. The strength of these emotions can feel like a bizarre tug-of-war. They're not lacklustre, they're arresting, enthralling and all-consuming. If You Wait siphons some of the rawest feelings, left over after picking … Read more
Lonesummer
There Are Few Tomorrows For Feeding Our Worries
Music Ruins Lives (2011)
Philadelphia based one man band Lonesummer deal in black metal. Sorta. It's an interesting take on a genre which in recent years has become even more experimental, bands such as this adding layers of personality and tone to a style of music most people would likely associate with early 90's Norway. Thank the dark lord then for bands like Lonesummer. … Read more
Long Distance Calling
Self Titled
Century Media (2011)
Long Distance Calling are everything that Mogwai wants to be and can't exactly accomplish. They artfully blend elements of progressive rock, post-metal and even alternarock into a result that works so perfectly that it's nothing short of sublime. They've had two prior releases to this album: their debut album Satellite Bay in 2007 and their follow-up Avoid the Light in … Read more
Long Distance Calling
The Flood Inside
Superball (2013)
German rockers Long Distance Calling have always occupied an interesting musical space—though they started out unabashedly as a post-metal act, their slow slide into post-rock has been so slow that, by the time their eponymous third album was released, almost no one noticed the difference. And that's part of what makes their newest album, 2013's The Flood Inside, so intriguing—the … Read more
Long Knife
Sewers of Babylon 7”
Beach Impediment (2017)
Oh man, haven’t heard Long Knife’s name called in a long time. You can choose to split pubic hairs over whether they’re back or still here, but what’s not up for debate is that Portland’s second favorite antiheroes have dropped a damn fine slab o’ new wax upon the jean vest-wearing masses. It comes via the mostly-reliable Beach Impediment label, … Read more
Long Lost
Save Yourself, Start Again
No Sleep (2013)
Long Lost first began life as the acoustic side project of Transit frontman Joe Boynton, shortly after the release of Transit's fourth album Young New England he turned his attention to Long Lost making it his main band. The result of this is Save Yourself, Start Again, an album of songs consisting of retrospective glances and attempts of retribution. Perhaps … Read more
Longwave
Secrets are Sinister
Original Signal (2008)
So much going on here it's hard to know where to begin. But if you like bands that prefer atmospheric overlays on their songs versus sparse settings, this band is for you. Fans of The Church and Echo & The Bunnymen will most likely appreciate the sonic depth presented here. "No Direction" should be a hit, I'm surprised I haven't … Read more
Look Mexico
The Crucial Collection
Lujo (2008)
No band begins as brilliant; the songs can be good, but they're only skeletons of the potential a band might possess. It takes years of practice, scattered releases, and thousands of hours between writing, touring, and practicing before a group fully realizes itself. Introduced to Look Mexico with their first full-length, This is Animal Music, I thought, "Bands like this … Read more
