This album is the sound of a band trying to make up its mind--and failing. Hesitancy and indecision are sometimes tolerable in a record -- but usually only in retrospect, when we realize what we heard were the beginnings of a great band in the process of defining itself. Bandcamp: [...]

A new song and new album for The Mountain Goats on its new label, the venerable Merge Records, who are putting out All Eternals Deck on March 29. I actually didn't really love The Life of the World to Come , maybe the first effort by John Darnielle and Co. that I wasn't enamored with, but I still have high hopes for the new album, particularly given the beauty of the first leaked single. Download The Mountain Goats - "Damn These Vampires".mp3 [...]
Ancient Kids is definitely a case where the sum is greater than its parts! All of the Ancient Kids lineup started life in other fairly well-known indie bands that were all okay, but not THIS good. 01 See Through.mp3 Ancient Kids - See Through Download 05 Slowing Down (already).mp3 Ancient Kids - Slowing Down (already) Download 08 Get [...]
Ancient Kids - Crystal Family Before I left Seattle, I got blitzed drunk and antagonized my roommate, stealing his phone and turning off his computer as he typed an email. Here's a list of some of the shittiest things I've seen people do to housemates. 1. Turn off computer while roommate typed email 2. Insult the gap between teeth 3. Wear only a towel while humping to awaken 4. Strap down with rope in bed 5. Put toothpaste in asshole 6. Dip sweaty ball sack into agape mouth [...]