always listening
Last week I wrote about Swervedriver’s new single “Deep Wound.” I should’ve known SIANspheric wouldn’t be far behind with a 7″ of their own in “The Owl”. (SIANspheric and Swervedriver frontman Adam Franklin shared a double-EP compilation back in 2003).Read more…
It’s pretty common practice for a band to release a covers record. But a record of knock-offs? Amon Amarth included “Under the Influence” as a bonus disc to their album “Deceiver of the Gods.” It was intended as an homageRead more…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…