Like the soundtrack to Hellraiser, Posthuman is a desolate, eerie behemoth of an album by Justin K Broadrick (utilizing the moniker of JK Flesh). Fans who feared that Jesu spelled the end of Godflesh-like material from Broadrick need only take one listen to opener “Knuckledragger” to have their fears laid to rest. Some of Posthuman is exactly what fans have been waiting for but just to show that Broadrick is anything but predictable, songs like the title track come at you in a [...]
Spin Cycle: B.o.B’s “Strange Clouds”
Rapper, singer, and multi-instrumentalist B.o.B returns with “Strange Clouds”, the stormy follow-up to his hit-spawning “The Adventures of Bobby Ray”. Check out our review!
Spin Cycle: Marilyn Manson’s “Born Villain”
Born Villain, Manson’s eighth studio album in 16 years, is a triumphant return to form and a gem in the discography of an artist who has never compromised for anyone except himself. In my mind and ears, this should have been Manson’s fourth proper album. While Golden Age of Grotesque was a somewhat interesting experiment with Tim Skold, Twiggy Ramirez’s (Jeordie White) absence over the course of the next four years (and couple of albums) was duly noted. [...]
Spin Cycle: The “Avengers Assemble” Soundtrack
“The Avengers” soundtrack brings together a bunch of rock stalwarts for an unappetizing collection. Read our review to find out how odious this album actually is.
Spin Cycle: Santigold’s “Master of My Make Believe”
Santigold’s (a.k.a. Santi White, formerly Santogold ) 2008 debut was easily my favorite album of that year. Indeed, there was much to love about the album, with its unabashed nods to new wave while tossing in dashes of reggae, pop, and hip hop. I played the hell out of the album in the summer months, which were a personal transition for me as I migrated from Iowa City (my home of four years) to Baltimore. (I had the pleasure of [...]
Spin Cycle: “Listen Whitey!: The Sounds of Black Power 1967-1974″
“Listen Whitey!” is a compilation that unearths gems from the Black Power era of the late Sixties and Seventies. Check out our review.
Spin Cycle: Breton’s “Other People’s Problems”
Has the term “blip-hop” been coined yet? If not then I would like to formally ask for it to be added to Webster’s. Use it in a sentence? Sure. “Breton’s unique blend of hip-hop beats and electronics have created a unique sound that I have dubbed “blip-hop””. That’s as good a definition as any, right? So here we are with Breton’s full-length debut Other People’s Problems, a debut unlike any other in style and originality. Each note and beat has been [...]
Spin Cycle: Mount Carmel’s “Real Women”
Indie rockers Mount Carmel hail from Columbus, Ohio, and, like many things Midwestern, nearly fooled me into thinking they were one thing when they were really something else. Their handle sounded to me like they would be hipster pop or some other ironically-named alt-rock-nuvo-art-thing. But noooo – they are straight-up, four-chord seventies rock, those sneaks. As if I weren’t already thrown off enough, once they launched into their opening track, ”Swaggs”, and I heard those gritty vocals coming through a classic condenser mic, [...]
Spin Cycle: Torche’s “Harmonicraft”
It’s hard to listen to any of Torche’s recordings and not have the biggest, stupidest, shit-eating grin on my face. Heavy? Hells yes. But it’s such a groovy-puts-a-smile-on-my-face kind of heavy that it matters not at which decibels their glorious sounds are being expunged from my speakers thus making me deaf. Harmonicraft, for me, was easily one of the most anticipated records of 2012 and now that it’s here I can easily say that it exceeded all of my expectations. It’s [...]
Spin Cycle: Jack White’s “Blunderbuss”
Here’s a review of Jack White’s “Blunderbuss!” You know you wanna read it.
Spin Cycle: Halestorm’s “The Strange Case of…Halestorm”
“That bitch can eat her heart out!” That sums up nicely what Lzzy Hale is going for throughout her band’s new offering, The Strange Case of…Halestorm. She seems to be saying “don’t you wish you were me, girls? I completely rock and am still totally a chick about the whole thing. Keep reading Cosmo, but you’ll never get your hands on this secret sauce.” And chances are good that they never will. Many girl-fronted rock acts fall quickly into self-parody [...]
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