Catching Up With The Chain Gang Of 1974

By Less Lee Moore

Photo © Taylor Boylston

Wayward Fire is the latest album from The Chain Gang of 1974, which is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/musician Kamtin Mohager. It’s an eclectic, intriguing, and downright addictive mix of influences and styles with some of the catchiest songs you’re likely to hear this year. (Read our review here.) I caught up with Kamtin when he was en route from the West to the East coast for the band’s upcoming tour dates with The Naked and Famous.
Continue reading ‘Catching Up With The Chain Gang Of 1974’

thenewno2, EP002

By Paul Casey

Thenewno2‘s EP002 starts well. “Wide Awake” is an addictive opener, showing Dhani Harrison as a convincing front man. EP002‘s combination of meditative rock with electronic concerns works well here, as it does on the Regina Spektor collaboration “Live a Lie.”

Regina Spektor is a divisive talent, and in no short supply of the magic of Quirk. She does well here, proving her ability to go straight-laced and abandon musical jokes for a bit. As a taster of what thenewno2 has in store for the next album, these two songs are encouraging. The other two tracks, less so.

Continue reading ‘thenewno2, EP002‘

Craig Wedren, WAND

By Ben Sullivan

Craig Wedren has patiently, tastefully, and with seeming ease produced one of this year’s strongest albums in WAND, and I’d like to dispense with any scant appeals to critical distance or reportorial objectivity and simply enthuse about it.

In our cultural moment of diminishing attention and mile-long listening queues, WAND‘s 16 songs have me enthralled and inspired (and my last.fm account will testify to this). From the ringing Andrew Bird-isms of “Fall In” to the liminal bedroom contours of “Lady Ghost” and all points in between, I have retraced the album’s swift 48 minutes from their immediate impact—like hearing Wedren’s importunate falsetto for the first time—to the warm blanket of familiarity.
Continue reading ‘Craig Wedren, WAND‘

Buck Owens, Bound For Bakersfield

By Melissa B.

A couple of months ago, I bought a compilation album of old country music artists because the first track listed was by Buck Owens. The song “Rhythm and Booze” was unlike any Buck I’d ever heard: jangling, frenetic, and rock and roll, all slinky and naughty. I was mystified, and not at all sure it was Owens. This was kind of amazing.

Imagine my delight to find “Rhythm and Booze” on the brilliant collection of Buck Owens’ pre-Capitol Records demos Bound For Bakersfield. I can’t lie: I was freakishly excited to hear this CD and I am delighted to report that it has not disappointed. This is an often-surprising collection of songs written and recorded by a 21-year-old Buck Owens, who had not yet found the sound that would make him famous and define the “Bakersfield Sound.” However, there are little flashes here and there of the man and musician that Buck would become later in his recording career.
Continue reading ‘Buck Owens, Bound For Bakersfield‘

Our September/October 2011 Issue Is Out Now!

September/October 2011 Issue – Halloween Horrors IV: The Awakening

Click the image
to read the issue!

Issue 024—Halloween Horrors IV: The Awakening—Interview with author Jemiah Jefferson; Rue Morgue‘s Festival of Fear 2011, including Lance Henriksen, Tom Savini, and My Bloody Valentine 30th anniversary cast & crew reunion; Features: The Music of Silent Hill, Batman: Arkham City–The Album, Bioshock, True Blood Soundtrack Volume 3, Batman: The Animated Series, TV Horror Hosts, Garth Marengi’s Darkplace, Apollo 18, Theatre Of Blood, Halloween Nation: Behind The Scenes of America’s Fright Night; Horror Films of the 1970s, Cujo, Horror In Radio, Are Vampires Still Vicious?

A Horrible Problem To Have

Photo from Machete Massacre

I’ve been a fan of horror for a while—though I wasn’t always willing to admit it—but only in the last five years have I gone into overdrive, perhaps trying to make up for lost time. I understand my motivations and thus, I have accepted my fandom fate, even though other people might think it makes me a bad feminist. Luckily, I have a patient, open-minded spouse and a few horror-loving friends who both tolerate and encourage my obsession.

Continue reading ‘A Horrible Problem To Have’

Mixtape For The Apocalypse: An Interview With Author Jemiah Jefferson

By Lisa Anderson

With electronic books pulling ahead of paper books in popularity, self-publishing is getting easier and easier. One of the pioneers on this new frontier is Dark Horse comics editor and Popshifter contributor Jemiah Jefferson. Jemiah and I met up over IM to discuss her recently self-published novel, Mixtape for the Apocalypse, as well as her previous work.
Continue reading ‘Mixtape For The Apocalypse: An Interview With Author Jemiah Jefferson’

The Killing Floor: What Happened At Rue Morgue Festival Of Fear 2011

By Less Lee Moore

Every August, Rue Morgue hosts its annual horror convention Festival Of Fear as part of FanExpo Canada (which also includes Gaming, Comics, Sci-Fi, and Anime). Every year, I await their list of guests and schedule of events. This year they presented a Near Dark screening with Lance Henriksen (read more here), a Q&A with Tom Savini (read more here), a 30th Anniversary cast and crew reunion for My Bloody Valentine (read more here), and much more, like events and panels with Malcolm McDowell, Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Elvira, and John Waters. There are literally too many things for one person to do. If ever there were a compelling reason to clone myself, it would be for Festival of Fear.

Continue reading ‘The Killing Floor: What Happened At Rue Morgue Festival Of Fear 2011’

A Nocturnal Nomad: Near Dark With Lance Henriksen

By Less Lee Moore

Every year as part of their Festival of Fear, Rue Morgue screens an iconic horror movie accompanied by a special guest. This year, we were treated to a screening of what may be the perfect vampire film, Near Dark, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, with Lance Henriksen (who plays Jesse Hooker) in attendance.

Near Dark is one of those movies that, forgive the cliché, truly improves with age, much like the vampires it portrays. It is even more relevant now than it was when it was originally released in 1987. Back then it was not exactly box office gold, although it has grown in both critical and cult status since.

Continue reading ‘A Nocturnal Nomad: Near Dark With Lance Henriksen’

Nose Putty In My Hair: Time With Tom Savini

By Less Lee Moore

Tom Savini putting finishing touches on
Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)
Photo from Wikipedia

Horror movie fans know the answer to the question: “Who is Tom Savini?” For the rest of you, here’s a quick summation: he’s one of the most well-known and highly respected special effects make-up artists in the movie industry. His filmography of effects work is impressive, including the original Dawn of the Dead, Maniac, Friday the 13th, Creepshow, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Trauma, and many others.

Continue reading ‘Nose Putty In My Hair: Time With Tom Savini’