Tommy Keene – Astronomy – One of the Best Pop-Rock Songs Ever Committed to Vinyl, By JK Manlove and Tom Kipp

I’ve been listening to Tommy Keene and in particular last year’s “Tommy Keene You Hear Me, Retrospective 1983-2009.” I have always leaned toward [1989 album] “Based on Happy Times” over [1986 album] “Songs From the Film.” The cello (!) riff alone on the title track, as I told said Mr Keene, ought to be sampled …

Hunter Hunt-Hendrix – Liturgy’s Self-Styled Tempest in the Teapot of United States Black Metal, By Eric Buhle

This poetic little nugget (sent in by Mark Erickson) comparing and contrasting the Burst Beat with the Blast Beat, may be the most expansively cosmic piece of music writing ever. Titled, “Transcendental Black Metal: A Vision of Apocalyptic Humanism,” this ponderous net-ifesto has ignited controversy wherever it has been read. The author, Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, said …

Personally, I Prefer My Music a Bit More Dangerous: A Review of Wild Flag’s Eponymous Debut, By Holly Homan

Personally, I prefer my music to be a bit more dangerous, but I can listen with an open mind. Wild Flag is a supergroup fronted by Carrie Brownstein of Portlandia and Sleater-Kinney fame. This long-awaited debut showcases a band capable of mastering and rocking diverse musical styles. Song types range from gentle and folky in …