Micah P. Hinson
Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit
Jade Tree (2006)
So, my brother calls me out of the blue one day and excitedly explains to me that he has discovered the most "amazing" singer-songwriter that he has heard in ages. I was skeptical, as he usually likes the absolute worst music imaginable within the punk, hardcore, and indie genres. Thus I returned his enthusiasm for this newfound artist, Micah P. … Read more
Micahel Gira
I am Not Insane
Young God (2010)
"Swans are not dead!" So went the headlines across certain dark alleyways of the blogosphere and on the Swans Myspace page and on the Young God web site (the record label ran by one Michael Gira of Swans). People were all a twitter with mixed emotions ranging from near euphoric excitement to horrified gasps of disbelief as the news that … Read more
Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake
Cold Town/Soft Zodiac
Learning Curve (2009)
The Blind Shake are a power-garage trio from Minneapolis. They play highly synchronized, precision rock with guitar, tenor guitar, and drums. Michael Yonkers is a noise-guitar pioneer, having finally gained recognition when Destijl and, consequently, Sub Pop released the 1968 recorded, but never released, Microminiature Love in 2003. The record starts with haunting, dark, and heavy guitars and Yonkers' warbly … Read more
Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake
Period
S.S. (2011)
Michael Yonkers has a fascinating story: getting dropped by the majors, personal injury, and being rediscovered a generation later. That story has already been told in almost every review I’ve read, though. Instead, let’s talk about the rock. Period marks his third record with Minneapolis trio The Blind Shake, and the two forces offer a full collaboration when they get … Read more
Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music
Variants of Vibe
Wicked Cool Records (2022)
Hey Mickey you're so fine, You’re so fine you blow my mind Hey Mickey, Hey Mickey. “Do You remember lying in bed/ With the covers pulled up over your head/Radio Playing so no one can see”-Ramones I do remember getting my first cheap transistor army green radio and picking up on a local AM station that played the oldies/ goldies. … Read more
Microwaves
Contagion Heuristic
Crucial Blast (2006)
I don't think I've ever heard an album come from this far out in left field and still come together flawlessly. The general consensus seems to be that you can either have a totally bizarre album or a catchy, cohesive album, but you can't have both. But Pittsburgh, PA's Microwaves is living proof that they don't have to be mutually … Read more
Middian
Age Eternal
Metal Blade (2007)
I can think of very few albums I have ever purchased, listened to once, and sold back to the store. Generally, I am a pretty forgiving guy and I can find something worth listening to on a disc. However, YOB just was not my cup of tea. I don't know what it was, but after I listened to the latest … Read more
Mike Hale
Lives Like Mine
Suburban Home (2009)
In the Red frontman Mike Hale recently made the decision to be a musician full-time and he's been very busy at work considering that his solo record, Lives Like Mine, was recorded only two weeks after In the Red's second album was released. One would think that the album may have been rushed and the quality of the songs may … Read more
Mike Patton
A Perfect Place
Ipecac (2008)
It's been no secret that for quite some time now, Mike Patton has wanted to broaden his ever-widening horizons into the world of film scoring. Now, with Ipecac's 100th release, we now have the first film score composed by Mike Patton, and it's a doozy. A Perfect Place is a twenty-five minute black-and-white icy-cool neo-noir film directed by Derrick Scocchera … Read more
Mike Patton
From The Film and Inspired By the Book The Solitude of Prime Numbers (La Solitudine Dei Numeri Primi)
Ipecac (2012)
It's not much of a secret that Mike Patton is an odd fellow. Incredibly talented and carrying a relatively large fan base but, odd nonetheless. In the years since the demise of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle along with the extended downtime of his other bands (Tomahawk and Fantomas) he has managed to make a name for himself by … Read more
Mikey Erg
Love At Leeds
Don Giovanni (2022)
Sometimes I dread writing about an artist for the fourth or fifth time. What new thing can I say? Fortunately, Mikey Erg isn’t just prolific -- he mixes it up, a lot. Last time around, I opined that the last two tracks seems to show a new direction and I’m going to argue that ‘90s rock-influenced tone is exactly where … Read more
Mikey Erg
Mikey Erg
Rad Girlfriend Records (2021)
Mikey Erg deserves an honorary degree from somebody. The projects he fronts all have a healing, therapeutic quality, which is something we all need as the calendar flips.Billed as a “return to punk” after doing solo singer-with-a-guitar thing, the self-titled record is a statement that begins with its Clash nod cover. It’s loud and direct. It’s personal in that unique … Read more
Mikey Erg
Tentative Decisions
Don Giovanni (2016)
It took all of three seconds into Tentative Decisions, about 10 seconds before his unmistakable voice, to ID the record as being made by Mikey Erg. Drummer/guitarist/vocalist in bands ranging including but definitely not limited to The Ergs!, The Dopamines, Worriers, The Slow Death, and so many more. Erg’s work has long been built on a pop-punk foundation, emotional indecision … Read more
Miles Away
Rewind, Repeat...
6131 (2007)
If you were to listen to the latest offering from Miles Away, Rewind, Repeat , and yet knew nothing of the band, the last place that you would guess they were from would be Australia. If anything, you would have come up with either the Pacific Northwest or Boston. And while both are logical guesses based on the style of … Read more
Mind Eraser
Glacial Reign
Painkiller (2006)
I will put this simply. There are too many powerviolence bands. You can find more Myspace pages with Infest and No Comment under their influences than were ever records pressed from either band. I've realized this is a pretty egregious style of music (kind of like moshcoreââ¬Â¦which these kids call stupid and neandrathalic). So who out there is stopping the … Read more
Mind Spiders
Furies
Dirtnap (2018)
While I’ve always enjoyed Mind Spiders, they’ve kind of felt like a side project, an idea that hadn’t really grown into a full-fledged band yet. On each of their releases so far, I listen and think, “I like this, but it’s not really my thing.” Then the next album comes along, I give it a spin, and think, “This keeps … Read more
Mind Spiders
Inhumanistic
Dirtnap (2013)
Maybe Minnesota is just a long way from Texas, but it seems that Mind Spiders are more of a studio band, releasing a record a year but only hitting my town once in the past three. Or maybe it’s just the 1000 miles in between. That’s really neither here nor there, though, as far as talking about the sound delivered … Read more
Mind Spiders
Meltdown
Dirtnap (2012)
Mark Ryan may not tour all that often, but you can’t fault the man’s productivity. Meltdown marks the second release from solo project Mind Spiders in a year, although the “solo” seems to be a stretch on this release. The first time around, Mind Spiders was Ryan’s project. He wrote the songs, he sang them, and he played almost all … Read more
