Twins Fletcher and Wyatt Shears, also known as art punk duo The Garden, have never been fans of the ordinary. In 2015, they released haha, on which they experimented heavily with their older garage punk sound. They’ve shown they’re not afraid to take risks with their sound and their latest EP,…

Allan Rayman doesn’t do interviews. In today’s climate of social media and over-sharing, he puts forth that novel idea of letting the music speak for itself. On his sophomore album, Roundhouse 01 (released last week), he succeeds thanks to the sheer strength of his song-craft and the intensity of the…

There’s always been something a little fascist about heavy metal. Putting aside the violent imagery, the sexist lyrics and the glaring absence of femininity, the tyranny of metal demanded conformity; conformity to the mathematical exactitude of double bass drums and power chords, minor scales played at blistering speeds, to…

Vampire Weekend drummer Chris Tomson, picks up the guitar as Dams of the West, his first solo project. It has yielded the thoughtful and sardonic Youngish American, an LP that speaks to the heart of any newly turned 30-something, reassessing life—but in a manner we can all relate to as…

Feelings of angst have had a home in rock music since the first power chord was formulated. Since then, rock has evolved into different iterations and sub-genres, yet this theme has always found itself within the circle of relevance. Seattle trio Dude York uses this familiar theme, among others, to…

The Dallas quartet Old 97’s has been around for just shy of a quarter century—yes, you read that right—but with the release of Graveyard Whistling, they make it clear that they have no intention of fading away anytime soon. Graveyard Whistling Old 97’s Feb. 24 On the heels of their widely acclaimed…

Loyal fans of the Feelies will be excited to discover that the post-punk band’s reunion seems to have stuck. In Between, their second release since they resumed playing together in 2008, was produced by guitarists and founding members Glenn Mercer and Bill Million almost exclusively in Mercer’s New Jersey…

Tim Darcy, the lead singer of Ought, has struck out on his own. Darcy decided that he has a wealth of music inside of him that must be released and it must not be within the confines of his post-punk band. Saturday Night could have been a great album, but…

Nikki Lane‘s third album, Highway Queen, details a Southerner’s journey through heartbreak. Lane embodies classic ’60s country melodies with a modern spin. The singer-songwriter’s mesh of musical genres puts her latest album on the map. Highway Queen Nikki Lane Feb. 17 The 10-song album opens with an ode to the…

Chicago-based rockers The Orwells are back with their latest effort, Terrible Human Beings. This is their third full-length album, following Disgraceland and Remember When. The Orwells have a formula and it’s evident early on in this record. It’s in that formula where the listeners decide whether they are fans. Terrible Human Beings The…