‘Attic Tapes’ Illuminates the late Tim Taylor as the Epicenter of Brainiac’s Genius
Attic Tapes might be Record of the Year material for those who followed Brainiac back in the day. And it might also be a gem solely for completists.
Justin Vellucci
Justin Vellucci is a staff writer for PopMatters and MusicTAP, a contributor to Pittsburgh Current, and a former staffer for Popdose, Delusions of Adequacy and Punk Planet. His music writing has appeared in national magazines like American Songwriter, alt-weeklies such as Pittsburgh City Paper, The Brooklyn Rail and San Diego CityBeat, blogs Swordfish, Punksburgh and Linoleum, and the Gannett publication Jetty. He lives in Pittsburgh.
Black Midi Avoid the Sophomore Slump on ‘Cavalcade’
Black Midi’s Cavalcade is a great LP, and though not a fully brilliant or complete masterwork, it will leave many others imitating these guys sucking wake.
Damien Jurado ‘The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania’
Damien Jurado presents a collection of ten beguilingly potent song-stories about individuals determined not to be broken by gray circumstances.
Loscil’s ‘Clara’ Is a Beguiling Work
Loscil’s Clara is a beguiling work that toys with space between light and shadow while touching on themes of space and gravity as all-encompassing and inspiring as the universe itself.
Experimentalist Loren Connors and Post-rock’s David Grubbs Collaborate on ‘Arborvitae’
Loren Connors and David Grubbs’ Arborvitae is a beautiful and vexing little record that is aging like fine Kentucky bourbon. The 2003 album is out on vinyl.
Punk Rockers the T-Tops Are ‘Staring at a Static Screen’
Listeners are treated to 12 high-octane songs straddling the ill-defined spaces between punk, post-hardcore, and noise-rock on T-Tops’ Staring at a Static Screen.
The Dead Space’s Indie Punk ‘Chlorine Sleep’ Is Half of a Great LP
The Dead Space had promise. Many in Austin saw it from the get-go on their first LP, Faker. However, the sophomore slump hits these guys hard on Chlorine Sleep.
Scott Helland’s Guitarmy of One ‘The Spy Detective Collective’
The Spy Detective Collective from Scott Helland’s Guitarmy of One will strike a chord with those schooled in ’60s-era surf-rock and Henry Mancini themes.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor ‘G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END!’
G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! is the best album Godspeed You! Black Emperor have put together since 2000’s Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven.
Gaadge Hit All the Right Notes on Excellent Debut ‘Yeah?’
Gaadge’s debut LP Yeah? is the sound of a new Pittsburgh. This version of the “Paris of Appalachia” is more cosmopolitan, more contemporary but still reserves a kind of understated magic behind its Fort Pitt-like cement walls
Tomahawk Take Some Amazing Departures on ‘Tonic Immobility’
Tomahawk’s ‘Tonic Immobility’ doesn’t sound resigned to repeat the familiar tropes and traps of the past. There are amazing departures, incredibly textured asides, and several flights of fancy.
Human Impact Are Best When They Just Roar on ‘EP01’
With the one-two sock to the gut of “Transist” and “Contact” on ‘EP01’, Human Impact reaffirm the grime and wonderful nastiness of last year’s debut and drip with joy to revisit the site of the crash.