After a tour with The Decemberists and a prominent song sync, Chicago indie rockers Ratboys talk dealing with more exposure upon the release of their new LP, Singin’ to an Empty Chair. Read my full FLOOD feature article here.
Ratboys Are ‘Singin’ to Bigger Rooms
Posted in Interviews with tags Ratboys on 03/02/2026 by Kurt OrzeckRemember Sports’ ‘The Refrigerator’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Remember Sports on 03/02/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Astute listeners, after hearing the entirety of this Remember Sports album, will realize they just heard 12 songs with 12 choruses; and that they weren’t subjected to anger, fear or really any ill feeling on The Refrigerator—just joy, thoughtfulness, happiness and reflection. Read my full review via Treble.
Cat Power’s ‘Redux (The Greatest 20th Anniversary)’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Cat Power, Chan Marshall on 03/02/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Cat Power is the real deal, and she’s achieved what every artist should aspire to: letting their work speak for itself. Of course, Cat Power (a.k.a. Chan Marshall) isn’t the only artist playing in a league of artists who eschew placating the masses in favor of staying true to themselves, but what makes Cat Power so irresistibly charming is her lyrics, musicianship, live performances, and the cleverness that she lets linger below the surface. Redux (The Greatest 20th Anniversary) proves that theory to be correct. Read my full review of the compilation courteously of Post-Trash.
Meet Frontman of ‘Egg-Punk’ Band Tacoblaster in His First Interview With an American Rock Critic
Posted in Interviews, Videos with tags Tacoblaster, Tom Caussade on 02/17/2026 by Kurt OrzeckWhat do exploding tacos, France’s Bordeaux region and a trio of musicians who play so-called “egg punk” music have in common? Well, a five-year-old band called Tacoblaster, of course.
Based in Bordeaux, the project is led by Tom Caussade — for whom the mere word “multi-instrumentalist” doesn’t do justice to the 11 instruments he plays on his band’s just-released fifth album, Digital Fun-Zone! (Howlin Banana Records).
In his first interview with an American music journalist, Caussade recalls how the colorful and wacky band came together, and how he landed on the smile-inducing name for it.
Continue readingFavorite Films: Did You Catch These Easter Eggs in ‘One Battle After Another’?
Posted in Essays, Favorite Films with tags Benicio del Toro, Leonardo DiCaprio, movies, One Battle After Another, Sean Penn on 02/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Do we still have to say “spoiler alert”? Then fine: spoiler alert.
Here are observations from someone who has watched the best movie of 2025 too many times:
1. Let’s start with the obvious: Leonardo DiCaprio has said in interviews that he loosely based his character, nicknamed “Ghetto Pat,” after “The Dude” – or “El Duderino,” if you’re not into that whole brevity thing – from The Big Lebowski. For one, both Pat and Jeffrey Lebowski are essentially confused throughout the duration of each movie.
2. Both characters have goatees, occasionally tie back their hair and dress similarly with bathrobes, flannel and sunglasses. (HalloweenCostumes.com actually sells a “Big Lebowski The Dude Bathrobe Costume for Men.”)
Pet Sounds #83: Dandy Warhols Synth-Bass Player Saved 6-Month-Old Mutt From Gang of Chihuahuas’ Bullying
Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags Dandy Warhols, Pet Sounds, Zia McCabe on 02/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
The Dandy Warhols surely had a blast creating PIN UPS, a collection of cover songs they’ve recorded over the years. Coming March 20 via Beat the World Records and Little Cloud Records, the reputed psych-rock band take on The Beatles, The Cure, Gang of Four, The Clash, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, The Runaways and more.
That said, one member of the Dandy Warhols – synth-bass player Zia McCabe – is equally if not more passionate about spending time with her dog than making music. The exuberance she feels when with 6-year-old Alice is clearly evident in the above photo. Those emotions are probably heightened due to the fact that McCabe recently lost her pet cat.
We dare you not to smile at the words and photos McCabe generously gave to us for this joyous entry in Pet Sounds.
Continue readingOn Tyranny: Abronia Guitarist Urges Americans to Take Action as U.S. Faces ‘Last Gasp’ of Democracy
Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags Abronia on 02/15/2026 by Kurt OrzeckICE is building “detention centers” (synonymous with concentration camps) across the U.S. this year thanks to an influx of $38 billion. ICE, CBP and other federal agencies are snatching kids from classrooms to the horror of their classmates. The same crew recently executed two U.S. citizens in broad daylight, onlookers be damned.
These horrors and others committed by the Trump Administration are enough to cause fear, resignation and paralysis among the populace. But while those feelings are understandable, history will not look kindly upon U.S. citizens who opted to stay on the sidelines, kept their head buried in the sand, denied reality and/or waited for democracy to naturally restore itself post-Trump.
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The Bad Penny (beta) 