Attached are three mini-reviews for one of Estonia’s finest mixes of traditional and alternative music: “”Kalkun’s singing is at the heart of things; joyous and lamenting by turns, but always poised and melodious, her poeticism apparent even without translation. A magical creation.” – The Guardian “Gorgeously intimate record. There’s nothing Continue Reading
Alternative
Rocketship – A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness (30th Anniversary Edition)
30 years. I was still working off and on at record shops when this came out, and for an indie record, it has held up remarkably well. This will appeal to fans of Hüsker Dü and The Pixies.
Damon & Naomi – The Sub Pop Years (1995-2002)
Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang have about the best pedigree any indie rock band has ever had, being part of such legendary projects as Galaxie 500 and Luna. Their catalogue under Damon & Naomi is equally impressive, and this Sub Pop compilation gives a nice snapshot of their work during Continue Reading
Albert Kuvezin And Yat-Kha – Re-Covers
Albert Kuvezin’s legendary band Yat-Kha is one of the few in Russia that blends industrial rock and khöömei, the traditional throat-singing technique that has similarities to music in Mongolia proper and even Tibet in a modified form. In this album, the band covers 14 songs, including tracks originally performed by Joy Division, Led Continue Reading
F.P. & The Doubling Riders – Doublings & Silences Vol. I
I discovered this album by F.P. & The Doubling Riders in the 1990s, and I struggled to classify it. While it had an ethereal quality, it shared similarities with bands like Tuxedomoon. I loved the album, but unfortunately, I lost it a few years ago. Thankfully, it has now been Continue Reading
Yumi Zouma – No Love Lost to Kindness
Oh, this one is a treat! Yumi Zouma are from Christchurch, New Zealand, home to many incredible lo-fi indie bands, but this one is a touch different. Think Lush, Siouxsie & The Banshees, and a rawer Blondie rolled up into one band. One of the best surprises of 2026 for Continue Reading
Something to Do on a Sunday – This is Not the Plan
A fine name for a band, given that today is Sunday and I have little to do after liturgy. Something to Do on a Sunday is a post-rock band from Sydney, Australia, and offers a far more mellow and bright sound than others in the genre do. Pleasant listening.
Killing Joke – Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell (Deluxe)
From Killing Joke’s very own Bandcamp site: “16 years on from its deliverance, Killing Joke release the deluxe version of arguably one of their darkest albums to date, ‘Hosannas From The Basements of Hell’. In addition to the 9 bludgeoning tracks featured on the original incarnation of ‘Hosannas…’ the deluxe Continue Reading
M. John Henry – Early Songs, Of Late
Somewhere on the borders of indie rock and folk music sits Scottish singer M. John Henry. From his Bandcamp site: “…founder of the band De Rosa. Between 2006-2016 De Rosa released three critically acclaimed albums on the Chemikal Underground and Rock Action labels. Henry released his first solo LP in 2011, Continue Reading
Mother Mother – Hayloft I (Official Video)
It’s been years since I watched a relatively new music video. As someone old enough to remember when MTV first started (“Video Killed The Radio Star,” indeed…), I used to love the cheesiness of the early videos. Filmmakers, however, caught on to how great a new medium the music video Continue Reading