(The following first appeared on the Lowlands website. I’m publishing it here in its extended form.) As I briefly mentioned in my previous Throwback Thursday Post, I have a penchant for revisiting a band’s catalogue when they release new music—that is, if I like the band enough. The first time I recall doing this was for… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Commentary
Subscribe to Commentary RSS FeedCharlie Ray’s Seasonal Music Rundown: Fall Edition
Autumn is upon us in the northern hemisphere, and all remnants of the swollen, lustful last third of summer have faded away. Soon, the weather will turn and the trees will begin to shudder, reminding us of our cyclical mortality and inevitable demise. July and August are for sweaty partying and gettin’ lucky, but just… Continue Reading
Omniataxia refuses to compromise on eclectic, brutal debut EP
Omniataxia is a two-brain, experimental metal guitar-drum duo from Boston, Mass. The highly proficient East Coast transplants Ed Longo (Billings, Mont., and frequent subject of this blog) and Aaron Ramsey (Las Vegas) display an impressively variant catalog of influences in their work. Ranging from prog-rock, to tech-metal to thrash, and even ambient soundscapes, they meld… Continue Reading
Sigur Rós’ Valtari a return to the band’s ambient sound
Sigur Rós is probably one of the most beloved art-rock bands of the last decade or so, and the distinction is wholly deserved. Its latest effort, Valtari, continues its already accomplished and beautiful discography with agility and delicacy. It’s romantic and complex, but also bluntly beautiful and sad. Like most of our favorite bands, each… Continue Reading
Why the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ I’m With You Falls Short of Expectations
It’s been almost seven months since the release of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ I’m With You, but only now is the disappointment setting in, thanks to an A.V. Club article that forced me to confront my true feelings about the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees’ long-awaited follow-up to the stellar Stadium Arcadium…. Continue Reading