Let’s take a little stroll through Alternative Control history… The Listening Lately column series started back in 2017 and had entries as recently as September 2020. But with the new year, it’s time for a new column series, or at least slapping a new title on an old one: Inbox Gems. This series is thusly… Continue reading Inbox Gems: Belushi Speed Ball, Boozewa, and Black TarPoon
Tag: grunge
EP Review: Maze by PTOLEMEA
Luxembourg rockers Ptolemea are ready to offer up their sophomore release, Maze, on March 13th, 2020 via FinestNoiseReleases. This EP is a follow-up to their 2018 album Tome I. Ptolemea’s sound is rooted in 90s rock and grunge, with electric violin and female vocals giving it a distinctive twist. The band is seductive on the… Continue reading EP Review: Maze by PTOLEMEA
Proof of Ownership – A Review of Gramma Vedetta’s Proof of Concept
Engaging and successful music comes in two forms for me. A few artists have the drive to try new things and experiment with new sounds. The new Xiu Xiu album I just reviewed is something I’ve never heard before. It was delightful to listen to because it was a surprising and unconventional adventure. Then there’s… Continue reading Proof of Ownership – A Review of Gramma Vedetta’s Proof of Concept
Album Review: Save Me by Neurotix
Neurotix ‘s debut full-length Save Me immediately brings the Nirvana vibes. Its songs are anthemic, fuzzy, and sparsely arranged, with nasal vocals would at times be at home in a Green Day or Rancid song. I disagree with the Chicago band’s statement that grunge has been “mostly obsolete” since Kurt Cobain’s death — but I appreciate… Continue reading Album Review: Save Me by Neurotix
Dirt Church: The Reformation of Canadian Rockers Groupoem
Groupoem guitarist and songwriter Terry Robinson says in their documentary, “In a way, I don’t think any of us could do anything without each other.” Do his bandmates agree? Well, the band originally formed in Toronto in the Eighties, but broke up in 1989. Bassist Darren Katamay set out to find the rest of the… Continue reading Dirt Church: The Reformation of Canadian Rockers Groupoem
Album Review: Talia’s Thugs They Look Like Angels
Thugs They Look Like Angels by French rock trio Talia has some serious 90s nostalgia. The 2015 album is heavily influenced by grunge bands such as Nirvana and Hole. Peppy riffs belie dark subject matter, like in the song “American Bride”: Talia opened for Soul Asylum in Los Angeles this summer, and they’ll be opening for… Continue reading Album Review: Talia’s Thugs They Look Like Angels
EP Review: Linchette Marcel (Self-Titled)
My first thought when I read the words “Lithuanian alt rock duo” was, “Jesus, what the hell is this going to sound like?” And my second thought was, “Where the hell is Lithuania?” It turns out that Lithuania is the “southernmost of Europe’s Baltic states, a former Soviet bloc country that borders Poland, Latvia, and… Continue reading EP Review: Linchette Marcel (Self-Titled)