Lollipop Magazine

The Breeders – All Nerve – Review

December 6, 2018

Kim and Kelley Deal make difficult music. This is tough sledding at first – like much good and great music – but it’s interesting and at times, very good.

Dean Ween Group – The Deaner Album – Review

November 7, 2016

Mickey Melchiondo’s new offering, The Deaner Album, with his band the Dean Ween Group, sounds like, surprise, a Ween record.

Pixies – Head Carrier – Review

September 26, 2016

The Pixies 2.0’s second tilt, Head Carrier, picks up where the first one, Indie Cindy, left off; and like its predecessor, it’s a bit uneven.

Violent Femmes – We Can Do Anything – Review

May 13, 2016

Whatever Gordon Gano’s been doing to preserve that awful tenor of his should be patented. On last year’s EP, Happy New Year, he’s never sounded better.

Violent Femmes – Happy New Year – Review

May 6, 2015

The Violent Femmes return with EP Happy New Year, their first collection of new songs since the very underappreciated Freak Magnet, released in 2000.

Local H – Hey Killer – Review

April 10, 2015

Hey, Killer is the most consistent Local H record since 2002’s Here Comes the Zoo and the band’s best since at least 2004’s Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles?

Since I’ve already reviewed two-thirds of full-length Indie Cindy through EP-1 and EP-2, I don’t feel the need to rehash those songs. The new ones are not even as good as the high points of those two EPs.

Pixies – EP-2 – Review

January 24, 2014

The Pixies went a whole four months before releasing EP-2 on their site in early January. And I want to say it’s an improvement over EP-1, but it’s not. Let’s see why.

J. Roddy Walston – Essential Tremors – Review

January 14, 2014

When you nick and splice as well as J. Roddy Walston & The Business do – thereby making it your own – well, than that’s an art form in itself.

Pixies – EP-1 – Review

October 11, 2013

It’s a tough thing for a band that hasn’t put out new material in more than 20 years (aside from two singles) to come back like gangbusters.

The Strokes – Comedown Machine – Review

June 14, 2013

Comedown Machine is a welcome-back to the right side of the street after two majorly disappointing albums.

Starflyer 59 – IAMACEO – Review

March 8, 2013

On IAMACEO, Jason Martin reflects on the travails of both life and faith, two subjects he’s always pontificating on, especially after the death of his father.

Local H – Hallelujah! I’m A Bum – Review

October 26, 2012

Hallelujah! I’m A Bum is a 17-song concept record about the sad state the U.S. finds itself in today, with an emphasis on the point of view of the worst-off among us.

RevoltRevolt – Latah Nights – Review

October 5, 2012

Somewhere between fuzzy garage rock and the guitar wah-wah of Dinosaur Jr., RevoltRevolt are tour mates of fellow Boise, Idaho, indie stalwarts Built to Spill.

Jack White – Blunderbuss – Review

July 27, 2012

I hate to use the term “watered-down White Stripes,” which I’m sure someone out there has used to describe Blunderbuss, but I’m almost forced to.

Grand Duchy – Let the People Speak – Review

July 20, 2012

Though a commendable effort at creating an alternative universe, this is still more of a hodgepodge of interesting moments at the expense of real songs.

Scott Lucas & the Married Men – Blood Half Moon – Review

July 13, 2012

Lucas’s meaty guitar is more prominent among the big band bombast. The sheer volume of Blood Half Moon separates it from the Married Men debut.

Intended Play 2012 – Review

May 25, 2012

In January, Matador released Intended Play 2012, a sampler LP of new and classic songs from various artists for the outrageous sum of $1.98.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Aufheben – Review

April 27, 2012

The Brian Jonestown Massacre have been around for quite awhile now, releasing neo-psychedelic records and building an underground following.

Mr. Gnome – Madness in Miniature – Review

January 20, 2012

Mr. Gnome make art, with dense layers of sonic mayhem that’s as difficult to classify as anything you’ll likely hear. But that’s what makes them special.

The Nocturnes – Aokigahara – Review

January 20, 2012

The Nocturnes are led by Emma Ruth Rundle of the Red Sparowes. Where the Red Sparowes play instrumental post-rock, the Nocturnes purvey slowcore.

No Regrets – Ace Frehley – Review

December 23, 2011

Wanna rock all night, and party every day? Ace Frehley, he of the Spaceman makeup and Cherry Sunburst Les Paul did, and now he tells his life story.

It’s So Easy – and other lies – Review

November 18, 2011

Duff McKagan is one hell of a nice guy. And he’s also one lucky son of a bitch. These are the two main things you take away from It’s So Easy (and other lies).

Jonny Lives! – Revolution For Free – Review

November 11, 2011

Jonny Lives! swims in the Fountains of Wayne in the country of Weezer on planet Cheap Trick. They play power pop, and on some numbers, they really succeed.

Garrett Pierce – Everybody Breaks – Review

November 4, 2011

If Nick Drake was around, he’d probably be a Garrett Pierce fan. On Everybody Breaks, Pierce sings about weighty psychological issues amid acoustic guitar.

Scott Deckman