Category: music reviews

A young man sits in his 1973 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, driving down a road in the middle of an outer-space desert. The road will not cease to unravel into a straight route that seems to go on for an eternity. He’s darting down this never ending highway at a constant speed of 90 mph, with…

Paul McCartney’s Wild Life is, to many, considered an iconic failure. By the standards of the day, it was. McCartney had just completed his run as front man for the biggest rock band in the world, and there he was with a seemingly half-baked record that did not have any clear singles. Famously, he threw…

This week at Radio 1190, we have a lot of great music to add, including “Hypnic Jerks” from The Spirit of the Beehive, “Small Car Big Wheels” from Enjoy and “27: The Most Perfect Album” from New York Public Radio. The Spirit of the Beehive had me hooked from the first moment I heard them open…

Here at Radio 1190, the school year is ramping up and we have a plethora of new volunteers and DJs getting involved. Our recent favorites around the station include “I Hate Myself” by P.H.F., “Render Another Ugly Method” by Mothers, “monocloud” by Nestoria and “Roadkill” by Capital Punishment. P.H.F. (f.k.a. Perfect Hair Forever) is the…

A lot can be said about Frank Zappa’s 1968 satire, “We’re Only in It for the Money”. For starters, if you look closely, Jimi Hendrix is on the cover, and he was actually there, because he was friends with Zappa. Vocals from Eric Clapton are featured in one of the album’s skits. Villains, killers, and…

For those who don’t know, the bilge is the lowest compartment on a ship, below the waterline, where the two sides meet at the keel — in other words, the worst place on the ship. Living up to their name, Bilge Rat’s music feels filthy, skittish and dark, but all in the best way imaginable.…

Chicano Batman’s Cycles of Existential Rhyme, to me, represents one of those rare moments when everything goes completely as planned. There is so much that can be said about this album, which, I will make no attempt to hide, is one of my all time favorites. The cover is a clear homage to the Door’s…

I often like to focus on music from long ago in this column, however, Yussef Kamaal’s Black Focus from 2016 is so exceptional that I feel as though it deserves recognition. The album is not only unlike anything that I have heard in recent years, but it is also truly unlike almost anything from the…

Cortex was everything jazz-funk fusion could have ever hoped to be. Their music was tightly arranged, with imaginative improvisations and not a note out of place. It was uplifting, with dance-worthy tunes, but it was also highly experimental and at times pensive and otherworldly. Troupeau Bleu (1975) was the first album created by the trio…

John Coltrane is known as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. He played longer solos than Miles Davis on Kind of Blue, created A Love Supreme, and constantly pushed jazz in an increasingly experimental direction during his short and prolific life. His life ended unexpectedly in 1967, and he would not live…

Very few would commonly connect Gay pride, 50’s nostalgia, avant-garde film, and motorcycle culture. Kenneth Anger did so regularly, through a variety of strange and beautiful films. Today I will be celebrating the masterpiece that is Scorpio Rising (1963) Ignoring any technical cinematic innovations, this film was noted for something which would become standard in…

In 1966, the U.S. was transformed by many significant events. Beatlemania, Vietnam protests, the influential Miranda case, and the birth of both Adam Sandler and Mike Tyson all came in this year. So too came an album which has profoundly impacted me. Herb Alpert Presents: Sergio Mendes and Brazil ‘66 was born in this year,…

Finals is right around the corner, and I always like to use stressful times like these to recommend some practical music for studying or just getting stuff done. Today’s mix features instrumental music or music with gentle, muted vocals to serve as a non-distracting backdrop to a hopefully productive finals season. Ethiopia’s Hailu Mergia was…

I’ve acquired a handful of bangers off Bandcamp over the past few weeks. They aren’t the newest, but these are new to my MP3 library and hopefully to you as well. Bloomington, Ind., duo Nice Try released their self-titled record back in 2016. And with all but one of the tracks clocking in at under…

Radio 1190 has been bombarded with several exciting releases the past couple of weeks. Here’s a look into three of the records we’ve recently added to our library and why we dig them. Hop Along‘s “Bark Your Head Off, Dog” is the group’s third studio album. This record seems like somewhat of a stepping stone…

The world is coming to life once again after a long, grey winter. The same can be said about music: After the typical slow, release season, new music is flooding in and there’s a ton of exciting stuff. This week features two standout records from old favorites Frankie Cosmos and The Voidz. Greta Kline aka…

A playlist featuring The Voidz, Broadcast, Stereolab, and others I don’t think spring is anywhere near sprung yet, as I’m sure that snow will fall the second I finish writing a column inspired by the nice weather we’ve had lately, but I’m choosing to ignore this possibility and do it anyway. It’s warm! The world…

This week features a weird jumble of tunes. From a super catchy indie-pop record to two great local releases, we are really mixing things up this week, so let’s just get into it. Cuckoo, formerly knows as Coo Coo Bad Brains, is a Boulder/Denver-based indie pop-rock, slow-core trio that just released its latest album “Big”…

Midterms have been hitting me hard this semester. When school has me really stressing, it’s always hard to find that perfect balance with music: uplifting, but not so happy it reminds you of how unhappy you are; relaxed, but not too calm as to make you lazy. It’s a difficult balance. Luckily for you, I’ve…

The past few weeks have seen the release of a ton of rockin’ new music. From Palm’s “Rock Island” to the re-recording and release of Car Seat Headrest’s “Twin Fantasy,” there’s a lot going on. That being said, you’ve likely heard of these albums already, or if you haven’t, you could look them up and…