Album Review: YAWNING SONS’ Sky Island

Yawning Sons are a band steeped in the culture and history of the “desert rock” scene. The band came into existence back in 2008, when British instrumental post-rockers Sons of Alpha Centuri asked Gary Acre of Yawning Man to produce their next record. Instead of merely producing, Acre instead joined the band and they recorded… Continue reading Album Review: YAWNING SONS’ Sky Island

AltCtrlToob Video Round-Up: Continuum and Bone Church

Two of my favorite Connecticut metal bands have released videos this week! Let’s take a look… First up, local death metal stalwarts Continuum have just shared the video for “Tides” off their 2019 EP Chronophobe. Edited by another local metal stalwart, Bob “Knob” Marino of OFNR Studios, this video finds vocalist Brenda St. Amant having… Continue reading AltCtrlToob Video Round-Up: Continuum and Bone Church

Music I Liked in 2020

Certainly there was a lot not to like in 2020…  To avoid making a series of gross understatements, I’ll just leave that there. But along with a very positive development in my family life that should be arriving on The Scene in early 2021, there was a lot of great music that came out in… Continue reading Music I Liked in 2020

RIPPLE MUSIC to Issue Blue Öyster Cult Tribute Album

There have been a lot of great tribute collections in recent years, like Glory or Death’s ode to Thin Lizzy or Magnetic Eye’s redux of Pink Floyd’s The Wall. (Dirt redux coming soon from them, BTW!) And tastemaker stoner rock label Ripple Music is joining that club, announcing today that they’d be putting together a… Continue reading RIPPLE MUSIC to Issue Blue Öyster Cult Tribute Album

Listening Lately: Brimstone Coven, Khemmis, and Slow Draw

I belong to a dying breed of music listeners that still burns CDs and plays them in the car.  Here’s what’s been in rotation this past week: Brimstone Coven’s new album The Woes of A Mortal Earth is due out August 21st through Ripple Music.  A spin of the promo on the ride to Grandma’s… Continue reading Listening Lately: Brimstone Coven, Khemmis, and Slow Draw

AltCtrlToob Video Premiere: BONE CHURCH Sits Down with Charlie Platteborze

Connecticut doom rockers Bone Church sat down at Altones last month with Charlie Platteborze to chat about how the band got started, their relationship with Ripple Music, and more. Presented by SCENE Productions, it’s quite the enlightening interview. For instance, find out which member of Bone Church may or may not have a family history… Continue reading AltCtrlToob Video Premiere: BONE CHURCH Sits Down with Charlie Platteborze

Album Review: Wino’s Forever Gone (Ripple, June 26th)

The best music makes you feel something. It communicates something universal and beyond words. You can’t put your finger on it but you know when you find it. This quality can be traced back and found in the output of artists such as Neil Young and Steve Earle, in country music, in old time American… Continue reading Album Review: Wino’s Forever Gone (Ripple, June 26th)