Emo’s Ogbert the Nerd Deliver ‘What You Want’ on New LP
Ogbert the Nerd sound exuberant. There is a beating heart and pathos under the hooks, and they have much to offer listeners outside of emo’s ardent fans.
Brian Stout
Brian's work has been featured in PopMatters and The Ryder magazine.
Tim O’Brien of Blood Is a Multi-Dimensional Man
It’s raucous, it’s queer, and it’s uncompromising. Blood’s Tim O’Brien is sticking to his guns. “I won’t change the [band] name for the sake of search engines.”
Blood Deliver Catharsis on ‘Loving You Backwards’
Blood’s LP builds and occasionally explodes, providing catharsis in sounds more than shouted lyrics. It sounds more like a balm than ripping off a Band-Aid.
Los Campesinos! Deliver Their Definitive Statement on ‘All Hell’
That All Hell is another high-quality release is not the least bit surprising; it’s Los Campesinos!’s best record and likely one of the finest of the year.
Detroit’s Big Life Channel Punk’s Revolution Summer
For those who like their hardcore punk with hooks and intelligent, witty lyrics, Big Life deliver big time on two EPs. They are music lovers first and foremost.
Joyce Manor’s ‘Never Hungover Again’ Is a Timeless Snapshot of Fading Youth
Joyce Manor’s ‘Never Hungover Again’ still sounds urgent and endlessly replayable cranked up loud with the windows down, and it will stay that way.
Rui Gabriel Comes of Age on the Reflective Triumph ‘Compassion’
It’s not easy to make a record that can soundtrack a barbecue and also provide balm for a dark night of the soul, but Rui Gabriel’s solo debut does just that.
Joan of Arc Are Resurrected at Last (Just Ask Tim Kinsella)
By putting Joan of Arc’s collected works in a dynamic box set, Tim Kinsella gauges how fans and critics are reconciling with the band’s work with modern ears.
The Eerie Beauty in Horror Film ‘I Saw the TV Glow’
With horror film I Saw the TV Glow, Jane Schoenbrun creates an eerie, emotional journey into the intersection of identity and popular culture.
The Ophelias Want to Devastate You
The sad queer folk rock anthems of Ohio’s the Ophelias have pierced through the noise, and now, no matter how unusual the venue, they’re road-testing new tunes.
Les Savy Fav Stretch Their Sound on ‘OUI, LSF’
Les Savy Fav’s OUI, LSF is an energetic blast of post-punk that makes many of the newer bands in that scene sound pale in comparison.
Extra Arms Set Out to Own Summer with ‘Radar’
Detroit’s Extra Arms make power pop look easy on their catchy, energetic new record, Radar. It’s a half-hour of no-skips, life-affirming, and no-frills rock.