Remember when ska was popular again in the 90’s for about three months? It seemed like you couldn’t swing a dead fish without smacking into a ska cover of some popular song. A couple come to mind: Reel Big Fish’sRead more…
Bit Brigade – Ninja Band
You’ve got to admire Bit Brigade’s painstaking attention to detail. With “Ninja Band,” they’ve recorded note-for-note covers of the soundtracks from the NES Ninja Gaiden games. Tecmo’s series of side-scrollers were notorious for two things: their brutal difficulty and theirRead more…
Tales From the Bargain Bin: Tal Bachman
I spend a lot of time browsing record stores. While the majority of the human population has turned to buying/streaming/stealing their music digitally, there are still those who prefer to buy their music on vinyl. I am not part ofRead more…
Anamanaguchi – Endless Fantasy
My introduction to chiptune-powered outfit Anamanaguchi came many years ago when the gamer-centric (and immensely influential) website Penny-Arcade linked to their “Power Supply” EP. I was immediately hooked by this band creating original music using what sounded like an oldRead more…
Swervedriver – Deep Wound
The last release of new material from psych/shoegaze band Swervedriver was all the way back in 1998 with “99th Dream”. A decade and a half later they’ve resurfaced with a new single in “Deep Wound”. Though it hasn’t been completelyRead more…
The Antlers – Familiars
I really wanted to like Familiars. To date, The Antlers have a stellar track record of majestic space-rock. 2009’s Hospice was a head-trip of sad-bastard melodrama. A concept record revolving around the trials of spending one’s days around the soonRead more…
Guiltfeeder – Shadow People
I don’t get hardcore bands like Guiltfeeder. I mean, I kind of get them. They are to music what brutal, gory, horror movies are to film. It seems less of an exercise in musicality but rather a display of aggression,Read more…
Phantom – The Powers That Be
Over the past couple years, Toronto has been going through a revival of old-school heavy metal. Metalheads will recognize the term NWOBHM which stands for “New Wave of British Heavy Metal.” This movement started in the early 80’s with theRead more…
The Baseball Project – 3rd
The Baseball Project is a group I’ve always been interested in, but it took me a couple years to pick up one of their records. After hearing how great 3rd is, I feel pretty late to the party. The groupRead more…
Rhinosaur – Live
Rhinosaur is the new project from Mick Srivastava who was last seen as the singer/drummer of The Atomic Ravens: a space-rock outfit that is best described as “the best damn band you’ve never heard of.” For the first time, however,Read more…