CD Review: Vivian Girls — Share the Joy; Playing Black Cat with Black Lips, April 8

Vivian Girls
Share the Joy
Polyvinyl

By Al Kaufman

Finally, the world gets to find out what it would sound like if Beach Boy Brian Wilson and the late Joey Ramone had three daughters.

For their first two CDs, Vivian Girls showed that they were a pretty good garage-rock band. More passion than talent, the chords were kept simple and the songs came at you so quickly that they were gone before you had time to really analyze them. … Continue Reading

CD Review: Starf***er — Reptilians; Playing The Drunken Unicorn, March 23 and Rock and Roll Hotel, March 30

Starf***er
Reptilians
Polyvinyl Records

By Al Kaufman

Poor Starf***er. They think they have a pretty cool name, release a fun, self-titled first album, then land a song, “Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second,” in a Target commercial. Realizing they have a legitimate shot at success, they decide it might be time to rethink their cool name and call themselves Pyramidd. Then they realize that people know them as Starf***er, and, even though no radio disc jockey will dare speak their name, they decide to keep it. … Continue Reading

CD Review: Asobi Seksu — Fluorescence; Playing The EARL, March 21 and Rock and Roll Hotel, March 25

Asobi Seksu
Fluorescence
Polyvinyl

By Al Kaufman

At first glance, Asobi Seksu seems like one of those holier-than-thou bands. They have drug-inducing cover art, a name that sounds cosmopolitan (but really just means “playful sex” in Japanese), and decided not to even print the track listings on their CD. They also write a lot of moody, richly-layered techno-pop. But, wow, do they do it well. … Continue Reading

CD Review: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin — Let It Sway; Playing Black Cat, September 10

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Let It Sway
Polyvinyl

By Lizzie Burnham

As a bright, impressionable 19-year-old college sophomore, I was introduced to Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (SSLYBY).  However, let me backtrack a little and give you a bit of insight on how and why they came to play at my school.  I attended Earlham College in Richmond, Ind.  Some people scratch their heads at the mere mention of Richmond, Ind., and I assure them it is indeed a small town in seemingly the middle of nowhere.  However, even though Richmond as a whole town is not an ideal place to see music, Earlham managed to pull in some great names.  I’d been seeing these posters around campus advertising for a dual bill of Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Detholz!.  Needless to say, I was intrigued and glad I did not skip the show. … Continue Reading