Blood Monolith - “The Calling of Fire”’ | Album Review
Various Artists - "True Names: A Benefit for Trans Youth" | Album Review
Thanya Iyer - "TIDE/TIED" | Album Review
Kinski - "Stumbledown Terrace" | Album Review
Viagra Boys - "Viagr Aboys" | Album Review
Black Country, New Road - "Forever Howlong" | Album Review
At this point, the only thing we can really expect from Black Country, New Road is to always be surprised. It must have been a challenge to rediscover their identity as a band, but they’ve pulled off their reinvention with grace, beauty, and intention, and created a record bursting with passionate ambition.
Model/Actriz - " Pirouette" | Album Review
While Dogsbody’s combination of high-tension dance grooves and rattling screech proved an excellent simulation of pleasure and terror, it left a lingering question: how would a band with a sound so distinct keep it up? The resounding answer presented by Model/Actriz’s follow-up Pirouette, confidently and beautifully.
Shannon Wright - "Reservoir of Love" | Album Review
Bedridden - "Moths Strapped to Each Other's Backs" | Album Review
Amiright? - "Husk of a Body" | Album Review
In every city’s music scene, there’s always that handful of bands that seem to be everywhere. Portland, Maine’s Amiright? has been one of those very bands for almost a decade. On Husk of a Body, the band takes their angular, cursive style of indie rock, pumps it full of depth, fuzz, and color, and drives that new sonic perspective into a lot of really interesting new directions.
SPELLLING - "Portrait of My Heart" | Album Review
SPELLING—the solo project of Chrystia Cabral—armed herself with a swarm of musicians from a 31-piece orchestra for her 2021 release The Turning Wheel; the impetus for the well-rounded, sonic alchemist that Cabral has morphed into. Portrait of My Heart represents what SPELLING does best: delivering the unexpected.
Funeral Commercial - "Dead Before I Die" | Album Review
Akron, Ohio’s Funeral Commercial brilliantly meld the angst and emotion of post-rock, shoegaze, math rock, and midwest emo on their most ambitious full-length project to date. On Dead Before I Die, Funeral Commercial are at their best, expressing the emotions that come with grief and loss in all extremities.
Sentridoh - "Really Insane: A Lou Barlow Compendium" | Album Review
More Eaze & Claire Rousay - "No Floor" | Album Review
Sharp Pins - "Radio DDR" | Album Review
Sharp Pins continue to deliver records that are inspired by the seemingly simple jangle of bands like Big Star and the Hollies, yet manage to meet those high standards of crafty and intelligent songwriting in a modern and inventive manner. Slater has managed to craft a power-pop work of art that pays its respect to its influences yet moves the bar forward.
Sumac and Moor Mother - “The Film” | Album Review
YHWH Nailgun - "45 Pounds" | Album Review
YHWH Nailgun has an economical prowess that bases everything that's going on around their drums and make the kinds of albums that oftentimes reflect more on what you desire and whether you trust your ears enough to lead you there. 45 Pounds is a strong contender for the real early 2024 rock album to have an opinion on.
The Ophelias - "Spring Grove" | Album Review
The Ophelias are no longer a scrappy Cincinnati quartet, and they have the accolades to prove it. On their fourth album, lead singer Spencer Peppet sharpens her visceral storytelling skills to confront old ghosts and untangle conversations she only accessed in her dreams. Emotive and intimate, each of the thirteen tracks explores emotions far beyond heartbreak, instead touching on personal transformation and queer joy.
