Review / 200 Words Or Less
The Photographic
Pictures of a Changing World

Galaxia (2008) — Graham Isador

The Photographic – Pictures of a Changing World cover artwork
The Photographic – Pictures of a Changing World — Galaxia, 2008

Clocking in at just under an hour, Pictures of a Changing World is truly a cohesive release encompassing a gamut of emotions; a valiant task considering The Photographic don't have the luxury of words. Like most instrumental bands the two-piece is heavily reliant on reoccurring themes while expanding on such ideas with the help of loops. The effort comes across as an ambient jam session varying between the up-tempo rifts and the mildly self indulgent slower tracks, allowing for a backdrop which lets the listener to fill in the blanks of what exactly the music is trying to put across. This isn't to say that the band fails to deliver a captivating set of songs, but rather the strong suit of Pictures of a Changing World is The Photographic's ability to engage the subtleties of their music. Similar to bands such as Mogwai or Godspeed! You Black Emperor simply because of the genre, the two-piece are beginning to flirt with the concepts that make post-rock the most intelligent music today.

The Photographic – Pictures of a Changing World cover artwork
The Photographic – Pictures of a Changing World — Galaxia, 2008

Recently-posted album reviews

Roky Erickson And The Aliens

The Evil One (deluxe edition)
Fire Records (2026)

I feel very fortunate to have seen Roky Erickson perform live at SXSW backed by Okkervil River in 2010 or 2011. Erickson passed away in 2019 at the age of 71. For those of you who aren’t already disciples, Roky Erickson was the lead vocalist of legendary Texas psych rockers 13th Floor Elevators. Recorded after the breakup of the Elevators … Read more

Mike D

Thank You
Capitol (2026)

Beastie Boys were a huge part of my transition from teenager into adulthood. An album for every stage of their growth musically matched the many chapters of my own personal development. Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D were like cherished friends for my earholes. The world mourned together when we lost Adam Yauch to cancer in 2012 and were heartbroken knowing … Read more

Softjaw

Love Can't Kill You
Bachelor Records, Dandy Boy Records (2026)

I already wrote about these dudes in my mid-year top 5 since Oakland’s Dandy Boy Records released a compilation of their early digital singles back in April, and here they are following it up with a 12-song album of all new material! This second release proves Long Beach’s Softjaw have a masters in powerpop from the school of rock. I’m … Read more