At the ripe age of 50, Leeds post-punk/alt-country collective Mekons revisit last year’s under-the-radar Horror LP as a dub record with the aid of Pere Ubu’s Tony Maimone.
Continue readingArchive for the Reviews Category
Mekons’ ‘Horrorble (Mekons vs. Tony Maimone in Dub Conference)’
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Jon Langford, Mekons, Pere Ubu, Sally Timms, Tony Maimone on 07/16/2026 by Kurt OrzeckGunner’s ‘Reality Soldier’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Gunner on 07/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
In case you haven’t noticed, the most disorienting senselessness that exists in our world is the reality we suffer through each and every day. As much as the vast majority of us would not only prefer not to hear the sound of reality but block our ears with our palms with such force that we might squash our own skulls like melons, Gunner buck up and administer the soundtrack of everyday life with Reality Soldier, an eleven-and-a-half minute brutal assault that leads you to re-evaluate the question, “can I hold my breath for that long if I submerge myself in water?”
Read the rest of my Post-Trash review here.
Cola’s ‘Cost of Living Adjustment’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Cola on 06/18/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
It appeared that Montreal’s post-punk squad Cola tried to pull a fast one when they formed in 2020. After all, properly capitalizing all the letters in their name would’ve clearly indicated it was an acronym and not a synonym for soda—which, in all fairness, would’ve been equally bland. On this, their third record, the trio finally come clean by confirming through its title that their handle is, in fact, a phrase used in the titillating field of economics and employment contracts.
Continue readingConverge’s ‘Hum of Hurt’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Converge on 06/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Released just a few months after the more metal-leaning Love Is Not Enough, Converge course-correct by balancing the scales with hardcore on their second LP of 2026.
Continue readingBlack Lung’s ‘Forever Beyond’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Black Lung on 06/02/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
With Forever Beyond, the title of which alludes to their limitless ambitions, Black Lung have fully embraced their psychedelic proclivities. In doing so, their experimentalism reaches greater heights than ever before; such exploratory tendencies are one of the main characteristics of psychedelic music. Somewhat similar to Jason Spaceman embellishing and expanding his vision for Spiritualized with each successive album, Black Lung incorporated not only the aforementioned add-ons but also the bouzouki and cello on Forever Beyond.
Continue readingTwo Cent Review: Elder’s ‘Through Zero’
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Elder on 06/02/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
With their seventh LP, heavy psych-rockers Elder demonstrate what experimental majesty a band can create when they’ve spent two decades working to play together on the same wavelength.
Continue readingFuture Islands’ ‘From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Future Islands on 06/01/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Synthpop outfit Future Islands celebrate 20 years together by propping up their lesser known material, affirming the value of these cutting-room-floor songs that the band knew they had all along.
Continue readingKilling Joke Album Review by Yours Truly Featured in Treble’s ’50 Best Post-Punk LPs of 21st Century’ Feature
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Andy Gill, Dave Grohl, Jaz Coleman, Killing Joke, post-punk on 05/27/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Killing Joke released a self-titled album in 2003 that drew much well-deserved attention for featuring Dave Grohl behind the kit. But that’s not the only reason it stands as one of the 50 best post-punk records of the 21st century.
Continue readingWeird Nightmare’s ‘Hoopla’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Alex Edkins, metz, Weird Nightmare on 05/25/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Amid an ongoing hiatus by his primary band, post-grunge noisemakers Metz, Alex Edkins spends Hoopla staying laser-focused on addressing the emotional roller coaster that is a failing romantic relationship, the breakup itself and where exes then find themselves. The result is a Weird Nightmare record far more honest, direct and intimate.
Continue readingWinston Hightower’s ‘100 Acre Wood’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Winston Hightower on 05/12/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
The 14 songs featured on Columbus, Ohio, native Winston Hightower’s second album, 100 Acre Wood, may be as short as the ones on its lo-fi predecessor, but they’re far more fleshed out with catchier and on-point rock music. Read my FLOOD review here.
