December 9, 2009

N.A.S.A. The Spirit Of Apollo [4.5/5] N.A.S.A. is the brainchild of Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon, two Los Angeles DJs with some serious connections. On their debut LP, The Spirit Of Apollo, the beatmakers collaborate with artists from all over the musical map-if there’s no one on here you like, you should seriously...

KMFDM Blitz [4/5] While KMFDM have always been lumped into the industrial scene, that label has never really done them justice. The joy of this band is that each of their albums sees them switch styles with an apparent ease and without ever sounding like a patchwork quilt of genres. Blitz, their 16th album,...

IAMX Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction [3.5/5] On 2006’s The Alternative, former Sneaker Pimp Chris Corner insisted, “I want to know how to survive in the nightlife,” but the album’s sultry club beats and sexual confidence suggested he should be the one dispensing advice. Yet for all of his pulsing rhythms and S&M imagery, Corner...

Fischerspooner Entertainment [4/5] “In a modern world/ it’s hard to be heard,” Casey Spooner, one half of electro duo Fischerspooner with Warren Fischer, sings on “In a Modern World.” He’s talking about the evolving relationship between communication and technology, but juxtaposed with his band, the phrase is striking: For more than a decade, Fischerspooner...

The Crystal Method Divided By Night [1.5/5] Addicts, be it meth or techno, age just as horrendously, as former child stars clinging to the same youthful seductions. When the Crystal Method say they don’t like formulas–just before one endures the patchwork museum piece that is Divided By Night–it’s clear the problems of addiction to...

Psyopus Odd Senses [2/5] It takes a virtuosic level of instrumental prowess to make tech-metal compelling. Psyopus possess the skills, but, as the Steve Vais of the world prove, proficiency alone doesn’t necessarily translate into edifying songs. Odd Senses consists of sonic bursts of varying speed haphazardly sewn together. It works in spots, like...

Kylesa Static Tensions [4/5] Following three albums’ worth of crusty metal fused from the spare body parts of the band’s revolving lineup–and after adding a second drummer-Kylesa return with Static Tensions, an album that pushes further into new melodies and refinement. Though some might fear the band have lost their edge, their latest album...