Sugar Eater
Nine Songs
Eyephat (2005)
There's obviously a fine line between the hyper-clich' badge of 'the next big thing' and the less fortunate one of 'what should be the next big thing.' In discussing this, it's easy to get very cynical very quickly. But at the end of the day, isn't it really the music that matters? Sure, I'd be na've to assume that every … Read more
Sugar Stems
The Sweet Sounds of the Sugar Stems
Dusty Medical (2010)
The Sugar Stems know what sound they’re after, and that’s pretty clear from their name alone. The Sweet Sounds of the Sugar Stems immediately hits on an upbeat and, ahem, sugary sound led by singer/guitarist Betsy Borst’s energetic vocals and Drew Frederichsen’s backing harmonies. The Sugar Stems take the familiar saccharine love song and speed it up, giving a bit … Read more
Suicide Note
Empty Rooms
Hawthorne Street (2008)
Some things just get better with age. Suicide Note is one of those things. As the band has progressed over the past ten years they are gradually refined their sound and improved their songwriting. With each new release came another step forward. And now with the release of their latest full-length, Empty Rooms, the band is nearly at the pinnacle … Read more
Sum of R
Lahbryce
Consouling Sounds (2022)
Reto Mäder has always moved into the occult and mysterious spaces with his project, Sum of R. Since their inception, Reto Mäder has not been content in settling on a particular sound or scene. Instead, Sum of R have been roaming freely on many different aspects of dark, experimental music. Their initial outings through Utech records displayed that much. Doom … Read more
Sumac
The Deal
Profound Lore (2015)
Aaron Tuner sure keeps himself busy. After the demise of Isis back in 2010, Turner has been active musically with other acts such as Old Man Gloom and Mamiffer, while at the same time being a part of SIGE Records alongside Faith Coloccia. There have been quite a few projects that have spawned lately, with Jodis and Greymachine standing out … Read more
Sumac
What One Becomes
Thrill Jockey (2016)
The announcement on the newest band from Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom) was one of the most intriguing news in 2014. And things only got more exciting as the line-up of the new band was confirmed to include bassist Brian Cook (Russian Circles) and drummer Nick Yacyshyn (Baptists), as well as the members stating that SUMAC would be a … Read more
Summer Cannibals
Show Us Your Mind
New Moss Records (2015)
I know I’d already read the band’s bio, but I think I would have guessed Pacific Northwest anyway. There’s just something dreary and with a bi to’ sunshine about Summer Cannibals. Just like their name, it’s a mix of positive and desperate, with a genre tag somewhere in the vein of grunge-pop.It’s the Portland, OR band’s second full-length and the … Read more
Summer Homes
Nocturnes
Independent (2015)
Though the album might attract some of the same listeners that gravitate towards otherworldly new age music, Summer Homes’s 2015 album Nocturnes actually has a more earthy and less corny sound to it. Written and performed by Massachusetts-based musician Daniel Radin, this album seeks to reimagine the early life of the artist as ambient music works and seems entirely earnest … Read more
Summoning
With Doom We Come
Napalm (2018)
Summoning have been at the forefront of Tolkien inspired metal for the twenty five years they’ve been a band. Formed in Austria in 1993, the duo take from the world of The Lord of the Rings – and its extended universe – to create music that is extraordinarily cinematic in scope while feeling rich and earthy at its core. Summoning … Read more
Sun Caged
The Lotus Effect
Century Media (2011)
For a band I really enjoy, it was extremely difficult for me to review the new album from Dutch progressive metal band Sun Caged, The Lotus Effect. I found this odd, because it actually is a very good album. It took me a while to pin down exactly what it was about it that was irking me.In fact, I actually … Read more
Sun Kil Moon
Ghosts of the Great Highway
Jet Set (2003)
If this album were being reviewed by a sportswriter the scoffing would begin within it's first 10 seconds. "Cassius Clay was hit more than Sonny Liston"...what the hell is this guy talking about? What is he some kind of sports conpiracist? "You're not duping me, Kozelek!" And even though Mark Kozelek seems to have a mild obession with boxers throughout … Read more
Sun Ra/Merzbow
Strange City
Cold Spring (2016)
Big kudos are due to Justin Mitchell of Cold Spring for making this release possible, and bringing to life one of the strangest meeting of the minds. Irwin Chusid of the Sun Ra estate released a few rare and unreleased tracks from the great artist, which would be remixed by noise maestro Masami Akita, also known as Merzbow. Strange City … Read more
Sun Worship
Elder Giants
Translation Loss (2015)
Back in early 2014 Elder Giants dropped like a bomb in the midst of the black metal scene. The German outfit had previously released a couple of splits (with Earth Chaos and Unru) as well as an EP and a demo, but their debut album found them on a whole different level. Their work managed to encompass different aspects of … Read more
Sun Worship
Pale Dawn
Golden Antenna (2016)
Sun Worship made a grand, and quite unexpected, appearance in the black metal scene with their debut full-length, Elder Giants. The album was supposed to be released just in digital format and on a limited tape release, but, the quality of this work saw an additional CD release coming later on through Translation Loss Records. The band's grasp on the … Read more
Sun-0-Bathers
Floater EP
Morning Wood Records/Thousand Islands Records/Paper + Plastick (2020)
Two years ago I reviewed Local Warming, the debut EP by Sun-0-Bathers. Two years have passed, but not much has changed for Sun-0-Bathers. I am not going to blame them for it. If you have a winning formula, why change it, right?That winning formula for Sun-0-Bathers is straightforward 90’s skatepunk. Summer is the best time for releases of this type … Read more
Sundown
Keep Moving
Wise Blood Records (2022)
It’s interesting that Sundown calls this record Keep Moving because, in many ways, it feels stuck in 2005. It’s a mix of melodic and chugging hardcore, with dual vocalists and two very different styles to breathe some extra life into it the format. At its best, Keep Moving recalls Avail while, at its worst, I’m brought back to those screamo … Read more
Sundowner
Four One Five Two
Red Scare (2007)
I've always thought of The Lawrence Arms' guitarist Chris McCaughan as a bit of a lyrical genius, being able to ever so eloquently put to those seemingly indescribable feelings of your mid-twenties to words. The real magic of his game is the ability to do all of this over the distorted guitars and colossal drums that are often the foreground … Read more
Sundowner
We Chase the Waves
Asian Man (2010)
We Chase the Waves is the second release from Lawrence Arms singer/guitarist Chris McCaughan. While technically his second solo release, this one is truly an individual effort, with McCaughan handling all the instrumental duties except for a few peripherals. His Lawrence Arms bandmate Neil Hennessy handled the majority of the production. Waves has a more stripped down, personal feel than … Read more
