Arab Strap Still Clearly Give a Fuck on Their Latest LP
Once again, Arab Strap have done a grand job worthy of broad smiles, screens off, and the stereo turned all the way up. Get outside and hear the birds sing.
Nick Soulsby
Nick Soulsby is a fairly everyday bloke who hopes to stay that way while never turning the things he loves into things he must do to earn a daily crust. Nick's is the author of five books. Three of his books are focused on the band Nirvana — Dark Slivers (Running Water Press, 2012), I Found My Friends, (St Martin's Press, 2015) and Cobain on Cobain (Omnibus Press, 2016). This was followed by We Sing a New Language: the Oral Discography of Thurston Moore, (Omnibus Press, 2017). His most recent book is SWANS: Sacrifice And Transcendence — The Oral History(Jawbone Press, 2018). In 2014 Nick collaborated with Soul Jazz Records to curate No Seattle: Forgotten Sounds of the North West Grunge Era 1986-97, a release of little known and never before seen bands from the State of Washington's heyday. He also wrote the liner notes to the reissue of The Fire Ants sole 1993 EP release Stripped.
Melvins’ ‘Tarantula Heart’ Marks Their Strange Trip
Melvins are masters of their craft, still able to make songs that stand with their finest work precisely because they’re never trying to recapture that past.
Erika Angell’s New LP Makes You Appreciate Her Excellence
Experimentalist Erika Angell has a deep track record of producing intriguing music, but here, under her own name, it feels like she’s created her masterwork.
The Libertines’ ‘All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade’ Is a Welcome Return
The Libertines’ All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade is something of mixed bag, but it’s worth persisting with for its moments of beauty and always fun energy.
Punk Rockers CNTS Offer ‘Thoughts & Prayers’ to the Hypocrites
Punk rockers CNTS have created a tight album that brings the hothouse vibe of a crammed club: bare concrete walls, bodies slamming in from all angles, and crowd surfers.
Myrkur Rejects What Came Before on ‘Spine’
After an unimpeachable run of Scandinavian black metal and folk albums across the 2010s, it’s not yet clear what Myrkur will be here in this decade.
Niecy Blues’ ‘Exit Simulation’ Is the Sound of a Singular Artist
Niecy Blues’ Exit Simulation is a breathtaking and immaculate creative statement, expanding R&B. It will lay down fire and love in innumerable hearts and minds.
Venera’s Debut Is a Compelling Suite of Industrial Electronica
On Venera’s self-titled debut, nu-metal royalty James ‘Munky’ Shaffer and renaissance man Chris Hunt make a compelling suite of industrial electronica.
Massimo Pupillo’s Prayer for the Survival of the North Is a Haunting Ambient Masterpiece
Massimo Pupillo’s Our Forgotten Ancestors takes the Sámi peoples of the Arctic Circle as its theme and inspiration for an instrumental tour-de-force.
Revisiting Melvins’ Mid-1990s Makes Claim for Their Sheer Excellence
At the Stake: Complete Atlantic Recordings 1993-1996 gathers the three album run Melvins delivered during their short stint on a major label.
Public Image Ltd Skirt Between Success and Failure on ‘End of World’
Public Image Ltd’s End of World, their first in eight years, marks some of John Lydon’s best work in decades and a half that should have never left band practice.
Rancid Set Sail for Glory on ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’
A rollicking experience from start to finish, Tomorrow Never Comes shows once again why punk rockers Rancid are so fondly regarded. Here’s to them!