Listening Lately: The Music Blogger’s Dilemma with Phat A$tronaut, Piss River, Aura Noir, and Howling Giant

Hey, folks!  In this installment of Listening Lately, I don’t even know what to do…  There is SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC that comes across the blog’s path that it’s impossible to do justice to it all.  But I’ll try to at least point you in the direction of some acts to check out… Local favorites… Continue reading Listening Lately: The Music Blogger’s Dilemma with Phat A$tronaut, Piss River, Aura Noir, and Howling Giant

EP Review: Oliver Cheung’s Remembrance

Hong Kong composer and multi-instrumentalist Oliver Cheung has released his first offering, an three-track instrumental EP titled Remembrance.  It’s a pleasant, ambient listening experience, but it lacks passion.  Cheung has a solid songwriting foundation; moments in “Fragments” and the title track gain momentum quite well.  However, I feel this project would benefit from the input… Continue reading EP Review: Oliver Cheung’s Remembrance

Begat the Nephilim Surreptitiously Begets a Great Album

When I first saw New Hampshire’s Begat the Nephilim play at Cherry Street Station several years ago, I was struck by the contrast of their blistering performance and blithe stage presence.  Pretty sure one of them was wearing a skirt and fishnet stockings, although it may have been a Halloween show…  I later had the… Continue reading Begat the Nephilim Surreptitiously Begets a Great Album

EP Review: Nocturnal Animals’ Dark Lit Places

In their 2017 EP Dark Lit Places, Atlanta’s Nocturnal Animals serves up four tracks of mysterious, surf-tinged alternative rock.  Fans of Green Day will enjoy this band — vocalist Mason Jones has a vibe reminiscent of Billie Joe’s nasal whine, especially in “Red Shoes.”  (Unrelated to the Elvis Costello tune of the same name, as… Continue reading EP Review: Nocturnal Animals’ Dark Lit Places

EP Review: Trigram (Self-Titled)

LA-based industrial artist Trigram released his debut EP in November 2017, commenting on topics from that range from social media addiction to relationship violence.  In the video for lead single “Assimilate,” people are controlled by their devices in a post-apocalyptic world.  But is that really so far off from the “pre-apocalyptic” world we live in… Continue reading EP Review: Trigram (Self-Titled)

Album Review: Guy Grogan’s Purgatorial Hearts

Prolific New Mexico singer-songwriter Guy Grogan released his eleventh full-length album, Purgatorial Hearts, on New Year’s Eve of 2017.  A dozen anthems for those “navigating their way through the wreckage of […] relationship battlefields,” Purgatorial Hearts‘ upbeat music belies its serious topic. One of my favorite tracks was the Elvis Costello-esque “Tell Me Your Name… Continue reading Album Review: Guy Grogan’s Purgatorial Hearts

Listening Lately: The Dahmers, Oblivious, and River Cult

Top: Oblivious Bottom Left: River Cult Bottom Right: The Dahmers

The ol’ inbox has been bountiful this week, bringing many music from near and far… First up are the Swedish punk rockers The Dahmers.  Any Misfits fan will instantly love this band’s music and campy visual appeal.  Check out their video for “To the Night,” from their sophomore album In The Dead of Night: The Dahmers… Continue reading Listening Lately: The Dahmers, Oblivious, and River Cult