Best Albums Of 2015: Tribulation, High On Fire

Posted in Album Reviews, Lists, Reviews, Sound Off on 12/16/2015 by Kurt Orzeck

Tribulation album cover

1. TribulationChildren of the Night (Century Media)
2. High on FireLuminiferous (E1) Continue reading

Best Albums Of 2014: Nux Vomica, At The Gates, Harakiri For The Sky

Posted in Album Reviews, Lists, Reviews, Sound Off on 12/20/2014 by Kurt Orzeck

Nux Vomica album cover

1. Nux VomicaNux Vomica (Relapse)
2. At the GatesAt War With Reality (Century Media)
Continue reading

The Bad Penny New Music Releases Schedule 2014

Posted in Latest New Releases Schedule, MP3s, New Releases, Sound Off on 04/14/2014 by Kurt Orzeck

APRIL 15

The Afghan Whigs Do to the Beast (first new album in 16 years; Sub Pop)
The Both
(Aimee Mann and Ted Leo) – s/t (SuperEgo)
• stream: “Milwaukee
Crookes – Soapbox (Modern Outsider)
• stream: “Play Dumb
• video: “Play Dumb
Deleted ScenesLithium Burn (Park the Van/ Nevado)
• video: “Stutter
• stream: “Stutter
Ex-CultMidnight Passenger (Goner)
• stream: “Mister FantasyContinue reading

Best Albums Of 2013: Agrimonia, ASG, Beneath The Tides

Posted in Album Reviews, Lists, Reviews on 12/30/2013 by Kurt Orzeck

agrimonia

1. AgrimoniaRites of Separation (Southern Lord)
2. ASGBlood Drive (Relapse)

Continue reading

Best Albums Of 2012: Cloud Nothings, Woods of Ypres, Be’lakor

Posted in Album Reviews, Lists, Reviews, Sound Off with tags , , , , , , , , , on 01/01/2013 by Kurt Orzeck

Cloud_Nothings

1. Cloud NothingsAttack on Memory (Carpark)
2. Woods of YpresWoods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light (Earache)
• “Woods Of Ypres’ David Gold And Crash Test Dummies’ Brad Roberts: Doppelgängers
Continue reading

Woods Of Ypres’ David Gold And Crash Test Dummies’ Brad Roberts: Doppelgängers

Posted in Doppelgängers, Features with tags , , , on 03/21/2012 by Kurt Orzeck

Since David Gold is no longer alive, we’ll never get to hear him sing Crash Test Dummies’ “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.”

But that shouldn’t stop Brad Roberts of fellow Canadians CTD from tackling Woods of Ypres at some point.

Long live the bass-baritone.

The Grateful Dead: Black-Metal Brethren?

Posted in Sound Off with tags , , on 05/30/2011 by Kurt Orzeck

For musicians whose chief mission was to promote good vibes, it’s always seemed a bit odd that the guys behind The Grateful Dead went with that band name. But equally strange—and less widely discussed—is the group’s stylistic approach to its logo. Check out the above version and try to make the argument that it couldn’t be confused with a black-metal band’s titular style. Take Enslaved, for instance:

A Quick Question for In Flames

Posted in Sound Off with tags on 02/05/2011 by Kurt Orzeck

Dear In Flames,

Why have you allegedly titled your new album Sounds of a Playground Fading?

Sincerely,

A (concerned?) fan

The Bad Penny New Music Releases Schedule

Posted in Latest New Releases Schedule, MP3s, New Releases on 12/19/2010 by Kurt Orzeck

JANUARY 2011

Byrds of Paradise – TBA (Don Giovanni)
• Bad Penny download: “Barefoot Generation
Cut Copy – TBA (TBA)
Dave Hause (Loved Ones guitarist/vocalist) – TBA (Paper + Plastick)
Iron and WineKiss Each Other Clean (Warner Bros.)
Haroula RoseThese Open Roads (TBA)
SpectralsSpectrals Extended Play EP (physical version; previously available digitally; Moshi Moshi)
• Bad Penny download: “Chip a Tooth (Spoil a Smile)Continue reading

MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser On New LP, Doing Laundry – And His Favorite Cover Of An MGMT Song

Posted in Interview Transcripts, Interviews with tags , , , on 10/27/2010 by Kurt Orzeck

MGMT are still young. They’ve only put out two LPs. That said, the Brooklyn group led by Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser has toured a helluva lot, behind the platinum Oracular Spectacular and the more recent (and more commercially unfriendly) Congratulations. So why on earth haven’t MGMT, now four years old, played Florida till now? Continue reading