Back in 2002, Against Me released an album called Reinventing Axl Rose. The little blurb on the label’s website said that it was folk/punk in the same vein as Billy Bragg, Stiff Little Fingers and the Clash. I ordered it on the spot. it came, I listened and, though it was good, I was disappointed. It was certainly folk/punk, but… Read more »
As I promised when I wrote the review of the KYI show with 7 Seconds, I bought their new album, From Companionship to Competition, and gave it a listen. First of all, stop reading if you don’t like hardcore, because this album won’t build any bridges into your world. While it’s a considerable step forward from the cacophony of 2001’s… Read more »
When I first got pretty serious about music, I remember the idea of “selling out” being a big deal. I said it a lot about bands that I didn’t like and bands that changed their sound or signed a major label deal. But I never really considered what I meant when I said it. It was just a nice catch-all… Read more »
Stoner rock is largely thought of as a sub-genre of heavy metal, but Queens of the Stone Age, perhaps its most prolific band, far transcends its limitations. This has been increasingly true as they’ve regenerated from the ashes of Kyuss. Now that they’re really just the Josh Homme show on their new album, Lullabies to Paralyze, it’s more true than… Read more »
Barsuk Records released a political fundraising comp last year called Future Soundtrack for America. At first glance, the track listing looks almost too eclectic. It includes the avant-garde pop of David Byrne and They Might Be Giants, the pop-punk of Jimmy Eat World and Blink-182, the alt-folk of Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith, the Americana leanings of the Old 97s… Read more »