Album Review: This Will Destroy You – Another Language
–Written by Mike Hogan
I’m constantly amazed by how much can be accomplished with some droning, reverb-y guitar feedback and a simple, repetitive drum beat. It seems like nothing – an album skipping, perhaps – but there can be so much depth and subtlety hidden within the noise, invoking a fresh new mood with only slight adjustments in dynamics. It’s truly a phenomenon to experience when a single non-melodic sound can inspire so much emotion. Years ago, Austin, Texas post-rock band This Will Destroy You took an idea very similar to this one and cemented their place within the hearts of the post-rock community with their debut EP Young Mountain. The first track, “Quiet” encapsulated the prodigious grasp TWDY had on just a single phrase of music, showcasing how such a simplistic structure could be manipulated into a million different emotions – from despondent and melancholy to bright and uplifting, all driven by a largely unchanged drumbeat. It was a brilliant exercise in simplistic minimalism, and it became the hallmark of their sound.
Read More
Weekend Wind-Down No. 6: Acoustic Jams
–Words and list by Michael Hogan
I might have gone a little overboard with this one. “Wind-down” quickly turned into “super fucking depressing” in several cases – see: Bayside, Alkaline Trio, Jimmy Eat World – but that doesn’t change the fact that these are all really great songs. Many of them could rank among my favorite songs of all time; tracks like “Play Crack The Sky” and “Always Coming Back Home to You” have managed to resonate with me for over a decade now.
Read More
Show Preview: DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist
Written by: Mike Hogan
Imagine what you could learn by searching through your favorite artist’s personal record collection. You could discover all the subtle nuances in their musical identity; you’d pick out their favorites by the worn corners on the album sleeves, and know which ones were gathering dust, still wearing their price tag. You could figure out which inserts they poured over as if they were studying for a test, and which ones were simply discarded. Someone’s music collection tells a lot about who they are, it can speak volumes about who they were and who they are by chronicling their own personal journey through musical history.
Read More
Weekend Warm-Up No. 6: Screamo/Metalcore Throwback
–Words and list by Michael Hogan
I remember the first time I heard As I Lay Dying. I believe it was 2003; it was the demo for “Forever,” not even the real track off of Frail Words Collapse. Hell, Frail Words Collapse hadn’t even been released yet. Up to this point I had been running on a borderline unhealthy mix of AFI and Slipknot, but this was a game changer. As I Lay Dying was so much heavier, so much more chaotic. It was like a mix of all the best qualities of my reliable staples of the time and I loved it. Of course, it also opened the floodgates to my discovery of all the bands that made this list. So with that, he’s a trip down memory lane with some old-school heavy.
Read More
Four Quick Things: Lockn’ Music Festival
–Written by Kevin Madert
As a kid, I always dreaded Labor Day. It meant summer was over and school was imminent – a one-two knockout punch. As I got older and began to accept the inevitability of all things in life, my dread diminished to a dull dislike. This would most likely have persisted for many years to come if it weren’t for a man named Dave Frey. Frey is the cofounder of Lockn’ Music Festival – a four-day, first class rock music experience at Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, Virginia that took place for the first time early last September. Showing no signs of a sophomore slump, round two is slated for this weekend (the 4-7 of September) with headlining performances from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Allman Brothers, Phil Lesh & Friends, Umphrey’s Mcgee, and more. There’s far too much to highlight here, but read on to learn a little more about Lockn’ – the festival so good it has me excited for the end of the summer.
Read More
Weekend Wind-Down No. 5: Post-Rocking
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
We’re pushing the chill envelope (chillvelope?) this week with a collection of instrument-centric tracks the genre gods term “post-rock.” Snatching elements of ambient, rock, jam, and even a hint of classical, these ten tracks are just as much about the journey as each individual moment. When the final arpeggiating guitar cadence of “Your Hand In Mine” comes to a close it feels as though you’ve accomplished something.
Read More