I rap around stairs, call me M.C. Escher.
Album Review: Cherry Glazerr | ‘Stuffed & Ready’
Over at Best Fit, I wrote about the splendid new record from Cherry Glazerr. It might be their best one yet.
Oh, and BTW: This is one of those situations where I’m cited on Metacritic. (Like Oh Em Gee!)
Hundred Word Reviews: Weezer | ‘The Teal Album’
This is peak hipster nostalgia. Releasing the silly cover of “Africa” on vinyl was bad enough. But now we have this. Just look at the art: They’re wearing cringeworthy ‘80s fashion, like oh-em-gee! Is hipster irony chic a thing? It is now. As for the music, it’s almost entirely a frustrating failure. The band needlessly smears power pop riffage over the originals. Meanwhile, Cuomo’s wooden delivery suggests Teal exists purely because the Toto cover went viral; this is social obligation, not enjoyment. The lone exception is Bell’s vocal on “Paranoid,” the only part of this that’s fun.
Throwaway Rap Punchlines #21
I crushed three boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch today – call me cereal killer.
Concert Review: Thrice @ The Rave
I saw Thrice at The Rave recently. It was a solid show, and the two openers, Teenage Wrist and The Bronx, were good as well. See any of them if you get the chance. (Also, I wrote about TW’s splendid debut LP when it came out earlier this year.)
Album Review: Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers | ‘Bought To Rot’
Really, really enjoyed Laura Jane Grace’s solo debut record. I wrote about it for Best Fit.
Album Review: The Primals | ‘All Love Is True Love’
I scribbled a few words about The Primals’ debut album for Best Fit.
It’s good, not great. If you like Mudhoney and the Toadies, you’ll like this.
Column: The Offspring’s ‘Americana’ Turns 20
My last column for Spectrum Culture was a retrospective on The Offspring’s Americana, a record that was a big part of my middle school years.
Some of it hasn’t aged well, but I still think “The Kids Aren’t Alright” is a great single.
Album Review: Chromeo | ‘Head Over Heels’
The final review I wrote for Spectrum Culture: Chromeo’s superb new album Head Over Heels.
It’s as good as White Women, but without the lofty ambition. Just a buncha great songs.
Hundred Word Reviews: Deafheaven | ‘Ordinary Corrupt Human Love’
In which the most divisive band in metal makes a record that will be divisive among its defenders. Their least metal offering, OCHL largely augments their blackgaze aesthetic with classic rock and piano balladering. Kerry McCoy wisely opts for sunset-purple watercoloring and arena-ready solos to augment George Clarke’s most impressionistic set of lyrics to date (“I have wondered about the language of flowers/ And you, elaborate mosaic, greeting me”). As a result, it’s (unsurprisingly) expertly paced and Deafheaven’s most emotional release. Is it happy? Rock? Black metal? None of that matters when an album is this fucking beautiful.