Category: Reviews

Album Review: Ghost — IMPERA

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Loma Vista Recordings; 2022]
Rating: 5/10
Key tracks: “Kaisarion”, “Call Me Little Sunshine”, “Griftwood”
The heavy and glam metal outfit Ghost is back with their fifth studio album, IMPERA, and when I say “glam metal” for this album, it is total glam metal. A lot of this album feels like a rock opera, and while that may sound like a positive thing, it ends up being a negative. If Ghost were to just make a pure metal album, it would sound so much better. However, the “glam” sound on this album mixed with the heavy metal instrumentation makes this album feel mixed and disjointed, not quite sure of what it exactly wants to be. Glam metal can be done well, with example from bands like Scorpions and Bon Jovi, that have the perfect mix of using that glam sound while the instruments fit in perfectly. Ghost tries to achieve that level of prestige, but falls achingly short.

Album Review: Black Midi — Cavalcovers

By Venus Rittenberg, Editorial Director
[Rough Trade; 2022]
Rating: 8/10
Key tracks: It’s three songs man
When Black Midi announced Cavalcade, they also announced a contest in which they would cover five songs, and depending on who the listeners preordered Cavalcade from, they would receive a 7” vinyl of one of the covers. Three of the five songs appear on this EP, finally added to streaming (sadly missing the excellent “Psycho Killer” cover that features some of the worst French I’ve ever heard).

Album Review: Broken Equipment — Bodega

By Venus Rittenberg, Editorial Director
[What’s Your Rupture?; 2022]
Rating: 8/10
Key tracks: Thrown, Doers, How Can I Help Ya
Broken Equipment sees Bodega improving upon their already noteworthy work from Endless Scroll, an album that emerged amidst a flourishing third wave of post-punk that was sweeping America and Europe with bands like Parquet Courts, IDLES, and many more. There were many incredible bands in this scene, and I went through a huge phase of obsessing over it during Summer 2020 – this is when I discovered Bodega. They were not my favorite band in the scene, but they were doing something unique with their lyrics. There was specificity to them that made them stand out. They were also loaded with references to other music that I was a fan of which also made them noteworthy. Ultimately, they were very catchy, groovy post punk, and at the time, that was what I craved.

Album Review: Reeling — The Mysterines

By Jonah Cashel, Contributor
[Fiction Records; 2022]
Rating: 8/10
Key tracks:   “Life’s a Bitch (But I Like it so Much)”, “Hung Up”, “Under Your Skin”, “All These Things”
Liverpool rock group The Mysterines released their debut Album, Reeling this March. The record exploded immediately, reaching top 10 on the UK charts before the end of the month and garnering millions of listeners in weeks. The album captures exactly what rock music today should sound like, perfectly blending a slew of great influences while equally focusing on the unique meta-frustrations of today.

Lobster Review: Hop Along – Get Disowned

By Venus Rittenberg, Editorial Director [Hot Green Records; 2012] Rating: 9/10 Key Tracks: “Tibetan Pop Stars”, “Diamond Mine”, “Laments“ Get Disowned begins with a whimper to an ex-lover asking them to not obliterate whatever dignity the two of them have left between each other. “It’s time to exit / with some grace.” Frances Quinlan doesn’t…

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Album Review: Amber Mark — Three Dimensions Deep

By Grace Koennecke, Columns Editor
[PMR Records, Universal Music Operations; 2022]
Rating: 8/10
Key tracks: “What It Is,” “Most Men,” “Darkside,” “Competition,” “Bliss,” “Event Horizon”
Amber Mark may be a name most have never heard before in the R&B scene, but the singer has been
around for the last six years. She’s dropped two EPs: 3:33 AM in 2017 and Conexao 2018. Both works explored grief and love through the melding of R&B, pop, dance and Bossa Nova sounds together to produce a classy, polished repertoire. Now, Mark is ready to prove herself beyond the world of EPs with her debut album Three Dimensions Deep, taking her voice to new levels and diversifying her use of production.

Album Review: Eels — Extreme Witchcraft

By Jonah Cashel, Contributor
Rating: 7/10
Key tracks: “Grandfather Clock Strikes Twelve”, “Strawberries & Popcorn”, “So Anyway”
tive-Rock band Eels released their newest album, Extreme Witchcraft late last month. The group has been producing funk-infused rock hits since the mid ’90s, and continues to this day with a steady flow of tours and releases. This record makes it clear that even almost 30 years after the band’s conception, there is no sign of slowing down. Band leader, Mark Oliver Everett (aka E), continues to mutate his sound and find new ways to tickle his audiences’ ears.

Album Review: 2nd Generation Wu — The Legend of Shaolin

By Adrian Woods, Contributor[Round Table / Blurred Noise / Intellectual Ent.; 2022]Rating: 6/10 Key tracks: “There Will Be Blood”, “No Place 2 Hide”, “Decimation of Frauds” Being the sons of Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and U-God, who were part one of the most influential and groundbreaking rap groups of all time, The…

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Album Review: Cordae — From a Birds Eye View

By: Ethan Hofer, Staff Writer
[Atlantic Recording Corporation; 2022]
Rating: 3/10
Key tracks: “Shiloh’s Intro”, “Today”, “Sinister”
ity and experience under his belt, something that unfortunately did not translate to talent on this album.

Album Review: Earl Sweatshirt — SICK!

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Tan Cressida; 2022]
Rating: 7/10
Key tracks: “2010”, “Lye”, “Titanic”
Earl Sweatshirt is back with his first studio album since 2019’s Feet Of Clay. The new release has so much of what one would expect from an Earl Sweatshirt album: it’s packed with interesting, creative samples and head-turning, dark lyrics, all wrapped up within a short runtime. Even with these similarities, Earl brings a fresh sound with SICK! 

Single Review: Lana Del Ray — Watercolor Eyes (From “Euphoria” An HBO Original Series)

By Grace Koennecke, Columns Editor
Interscope Records; 2022
Rating: 7/10ritten for the second season of HBO’s Euphoria, Lana Del Rey encapsulates the struggles of young love and the inevitable heartbreak that all high school couples face at some point in their relationship. If you’re a fan of the show, this song appears in the second episode where the main characters, Rue and Jules, come face to face for the first time since the first season’s shocking and gut-wrenching final episode. It’s the perfect accompaniment for the moment that the two reunite in front of a bonfire at a dingy high school party, both reminiscing about the good and bad of their budding friendship turned romance.