By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [GKIDS; 2016] Rating: 8/10 Never has a film title been better suited to prepare audiences for what they’re about to watch. My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea radiates quirk; in its title, in its celluloid style, in its plot, even in its casting. The ensemble is built of…
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Album Review: The Spirit of the Beehive – pleasure suck
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Tiny Engines; 2017] Rating: 7/10 Key Tracks: “future looks bright (it’s blinding),” “big brain,” “twenty first road trip” Noisy and distorted with an obscured beauty, the latest record from The Spirit of the Beehive carries the feeling of high walks through the woods on sunny days; like there’s a fleeting, kind…
Sexism in Local Spaces: You Do It Yourself
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer Content Warning: This piece contains mild language and references experiences dealing with sexual assault. From its inception, DIY has been fundamentally about empowering the underdog. The scene is designed to give voices to people who don’t have them, to reject power structures and to equalize the playing field (see every…
Album Review: The Obsessives – The Obsessives
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Lame-O; 2017] Rating: 6/10 Key Tracks: “Now She’s Smoking,” “It’s Not Fair” The new self-titled record from DC-based duo The Obsessives is the most the polished the pair has ever sounded. Nick Bairatchnyi and Jackson Mansfield clean up their production to turn out their strongest work since Heck No, Nancy. However,…
Album Review: Jay Som – Everybody Works
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Polyvinyl; 2017] Rating: 8.5/10 Key Tracks: “The Bus Song,” “One More Time, Please,” “Take It” Melina Duterte – a.k.a. Jay Som – is 22, and despite her youth, she shows no lack of experience. Her 2016 compilation record, Turn Into, was a lo-fi hit, and she does it again on…
Album Review: Ed Sheeran – ÷
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Asylum; 2017] Rating: 4/10 Key Tracks: “Shape of You,” “New Man,” “Supermarket Flowers” From independent EPs to three sold-out shows at London’s Wembley Stadium, Ed Sheeran has done a lot. In 2011, + made Sheeran’s debut, and in 2014, x solidified his chart success. The third installment in his catalog – which is…
Album Review: Xiu Xiu – FORGET
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Polyvinyl; 2017] Rating: 8/10 Key Tracks: “Wondering”, “Petite”, “Faith, Torn Apart” The experimental rock discography of Xiu Xiu has accumulated into quite a catalog. From goth-pop works like Dear God I Hate Myself and Always, to cover albums like Nina and last year’s Plays the Music of Twin Peaks, the group…
Album Review: Vagabon – Infinite Worlds
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Father/Daughter; 2017] Rating: 7.5/10 Key Tracks: “The Embers”, “Cleaning House”, “Alive and A Well” Space is hard to come by naturally. For any non-majority person, space even is harder to come by. You feel small, it becomes hard to speak and you crave to feel sturdy. It’s a difficult feeling,…
Album Review: Surfer Blood – Snowdonia
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Joyful Noise; 2017] Rating: 6/10 Key Tracks: “Six Flags in F or G”, “Snowdonia” Surfer Blood has become synonymous with bad news. An abuse scandal in 2012 turned many fans away from them, and more recently the band’s had to deal with the departure of bassist Kevin Williams and the…
Album Review: Allison Crutchfield – Tourist in This Town
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Merge; 2017] Rating: 8/10 Key Tracks: “Charlie,” “Sightseeing,” “Mile Away” The name may sound familiar; the former drummer of P.S. Eliot, twin sister of Katie Crutchfield a.k.a. Waxahatchee, and notably the voice behind Swearin’. Allison Crutchfield has done a lot, but after the breakup of her last band and one…
Album Review: Joan of Arc – He’s Got the Whole This Land Is Your Land in His Hands
By Tanner Bidish, Staff Writer [Joyful Noise; 2017] Rating: 7.5/10 Key Tracks: “Stranged That Egg Yolk,” “Full Moon and Rainbo Repair,” “F Is For Fake” Joan of Arc stands with an ironic longevity, given their wide dislike. Their two-decade long career feels unlikely with the menagerie of releases they’ve compiled as well as the oscillating…
Album Review: Half Japanese – Hear The Lions Roar
By Tanner Bidish, Contributor [Fire; 2017] Rating: 6/10 Key Tracks: “Attack of the Giant Leeches,” “The Preventers,” “Do It Now” Half Japanese is known for their persistent unmusical style and upbeat punk jams. On their 16th full-length release, Half Japanese ironically shows that their long career is key on consistency. Hear the Lions Roar is a journey through…
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