​Summer is here!

The “Chillwave” movement has been a breath of fresh air for those of us who love seaside moments and the sunny haze that songs can make us feel. Since 2009 I think Ernest Greene’s work with Washed Out epitomizes these sentiments.

“All I know” comes off his 2013 Paracosm album. It’s a Sunday drive of a song, that embraces the 80’s, winks at disco, and rolls around in tranquility.
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Look for Washed Out’s upcoming release on Stones Throw Records, they are a great group that should receive more attention. 

I first discovered Fog Lake in 2013 and have been a fan of Aaron Powell’s work ever since. His latest digital release dragonchaser is a thoughtful collection of songs that should receive much more attention. 

“rattlesnake” is the third track from dragonchaser and although not for everyone, it’s a wonderful example of his ability to calmly drag you into that hazy minimalist placidity. The lyrics are touching, and the wind chime-y guitars swirl as you sink into the deep end.

When people talk of Def Jam Recordings, they mention LL Cool J, The Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Kanye West, and Logic. They speak of one the most influential Rap and Hip-Hop labels in history. But back in 1986, Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons signed a hard-working metal band from Huntington Park, California. This band would go on to release two certified “gold” albums for Def Jam before moving on to Rubin’s Def American and American Recordings. They would also become one of the founders of thrash metal, as well as one of the most controversial bands for their use of Satanism and anti-religious imagery.

"Sex. Murder. Art." is the second track off their 1994 album Divine Intervention, and a prime example of this imagery. It’s a song written from the perspective of a serial killer, and laced with extremely disturbing lyrics. It is, however, a technical masterpiece, and while their thrash metal peers softened (sorry Metallica), Slayer was looking to play faster and harder. It was also the first album to feature Paul Bostaph, who masterfully replaced the legendary Dave Lombardo on drums.
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For over thirty-six years, with little compromise, Slayer has continued to record and release profound and unyielding thrash metal. They have endured several lineup changes and attacks from the PMRC, tip-toeing the line between elicit social commentary, creativity, and controversy.