Ivy
A Cat's Cause, No Dog's Problem
Katorga Works (2015)
Before I heard this I didn’t know a lot about this band other than that they were definitely not the indie-pop trio of the same name. I picked this 7” up based strictly on the artwork, the title, and the fact that Katorga Works is a fairly trustworthy label. Visually-speaking it doesn’t exactly scream punk. And the title, well, who … Read more
Jesse LeBourdais
Long Winter
My Fingers! My Brain! Records (2015)
Long Winter is the third proper full length from former Cambridge frontman Jesse LeBourdais and seems to be his fullest musical realization to date. While his previous solo releases have been folk-oriented acoustic endeavours,Long Winter utilizes a full band for the entire recording. The instrumentals on the album give it depth and dynamism without taking away from the rawness and … Read more
John Carpenter
Lost Themes
Sacred Bones (2015)
Having produced the energetic low-budget action picture Assault on Precinct 13 in 1976 prior to laying the foundations of the modern slasher movie with 1978's Halloween, film director John Carpenter positioned himself as a master of frightening and just plain exhilarating cinema with the early '80s trio of The Fog, Escape from New York, and The Thing. 1983's Christine (based … Read more
Julien Baker
Sprained Ankle
6131 (2015)
Similar to how people said, “Alright, I guess we’re done with the novel now” after James Joyce’s Ulysses, I thought, “Alright, I guess we’re done with the singer-songwriter genre now” after Sun Kil Moon’s Benji, with its overwhelmingly detailed accounts of second cousins’ deaths and watching The Song Remains the Same. When I took a class on Ulysses (God, why … Read more
King Diamond
The Spider's Lullabye (reissue)
Metal Blade (2015)
When King Diamond's album The Spider's Lullabye, his sixth, was first released in 1995, it was a unique entry in the catalog as it was the first of Diamond's albums since his Fatal Portrait debut that was not a full concept album. It also marked the debut of a whole new band, with the exception of guitarist Andy La Roque, … Read more
Kowloon Walled City
Grievances
Neurot Recordings (2015)
Named after one of the most dense places in the history of the planet, Kowloon Walled City have been undergoing a transformative process. The band's origin lies within the sludge domain, with the release of Gambling On The Richter Scale revealing the heavy, filled with dirt foundation of the band. Through their debut album there is a sense of demolition … Read more
Krallice
Ygg Huur
Avantgarde Music (2015)
Krallice was a band that was working like a Swiss clock watch. They were very punctual with their releases, putting out album after album, with just about one year gaps between each release. That was the case at least until and including the release of Years Past Matter. That was also the first time that the band did not release … Read more
Le Butcherettes
A Raw Youth
Ipecac (2015)
"secret consciousness of power is far more delightful than open domination"Dostoevsky - The Adolescent. Le Butcherettes came seemingly from out of nowhere a few years ago. In this case, nowhere was more specifically Guadalajara, Mexico.Fronted by Teresa Suárez, otherwise known as Teri Gender Bender, the band was quick to gain the attention of music notables and began to appear as … Read more
Leviathan
Scar Sighted
Profound Lore (2015)
It has been quite a journey for Jef Whitehead, aka Wrest, and for his solo project Leviathan. The longevity of the band is quite astonishing when you consider that its inception dates back to the late ‘90s, releasing myriads of demos through the years before the debut album, The Tenth Sublevel of Suicide, came out, with the aggressive sound of … Read more
Lightning Bolt
Fantasy Empire
Thrill Jockey (2015)
Though much attention relating to 2015’s Austin Psych Fest (a.k.a. Levitation) was directed towards the reunion of the legendary 13th Floor Elevators, one of the biggest surprises in the lineup for me was the appearance of Rhode Island’s Lightning Bolt. I guess I never really thought of this aggressive and abrasive noise duo (made up of Brian Gibson who plays … Read more
Lightning Bolt
Fantasy Empire
Thrill Jockey (2015)
This noise rock duo has been terrifying the music scene for close to two decades now with their unconventional sound and experimental attitude. Throughout their career Lightning Bolt have stuck with the same recipe that seems to be working so marvelously for them: chaotic patterns, schizoid riffs, intense songs and with a fucking razor sharp edge to them. Fantasy Empire … Read more
Little Sister
Split Up
Independent (2015)
Little Sister is an East Bay post-punk group with a passionate and well-deserved local following. The trio consists of Monbon and Erica, who both pull double duty on bass, guitar, and vocals, and Nada responsible, according to the album credits, for “drums, perc, beard and sunglasses.” Blues, soul, garage rock, early punk and, unless I’m mistaken, even salsa are among … Read more
Locrian
Infinite Dissolution
Relapse (2015)
Locrian’s approach to metal is to disassemble the core structures, push them further away from their crude beginnings and delve into building them back up again into towering walls of sound and phases of light and dark. Infinite Dissolution is a record that shares small similarities to the genre that it’s born from, mostly in Terence Hannum’s hoarse screams and … Read more
Loud Boyz
Tough Love, Hard Feelings
Cricket Cemetery (2015)
Before I get started I’m going to dish out a rare complement. Loud Boyz have a good, fitting name. Even the record title, Tough Love, Hard Feelings is apt of their sound: rough, distant, yet with a clear emotional connection. Sure, the record cover is…let’s say odd, and I kind of hate the whole “z” in place of “s” thing, … Read more
Lycia
A Line That Connects
Handmade Birds (2015)
Lycia was a band that always seemed to me like they were flying a bit under the radar. With a career spanning for almost thirty years now, the act from Arizona released a series of excellent full-length albums, with A Day In The Stark Corner and Cold particularly standing out. What is more, their presence in the scene was constant … Read more
Make Do and Mend
Don't Be Long
Rise (2015)
Back in 2010, Make Do and Mend were taking over top 10 lists with their debut, End Measured Mile. The band went on to shake things up with, Everything You Ever Loved. They slowed things down and focused on finding the right formula for their songs to burst and bloom. Their newest record, Don't Be Long, takes every chance it … Read more
Mamaleek
Via Dolorosa
Flenser (2015)
The experimental black metal outfit from San Francisco has been able to create a veil of mystery around their existence. The origin of Mamaleek is traced back in 2008, and since then, these guys have been quite active. Their first couple of albums, the self-titled debut and Fever Dream, were released on a very limited amount of copies through (I … Read more
Mastery
VALIS
Flenser (2015)
The origin of Mastery, the one man black metal project of Ephemeral Domignostika, is traced back in 2005. Through the years, Mastery have released five demos, a compilation of which is found in Barbaric Usurpation of the Hypereonic Black Metal Throne, and a couple of splits with Palace of Worms and Skullflower. So it has taken the act quite a … Read more
