The Gentle Furor of GDJYB’s Math-Folk By Khee Hoon Chan • December 13th, 2018 Asian math rock band GDJYB has all the intricate musical structures of regular math rock, but centers soft, politically charged vocals.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – November By Astrid Budgor • November 30th, 2018 Astrid’s on a K-pop kick right now, so you know this month’s metal has to be good if it pulled her away.
Restorative Hardcore By Levi Rubeck • November 23rd, 2018 Hardcore has always struggled with this idea of restoration. As a sound it implodes buildings, razes the ground, acts as a cleansing flame.
The Unstable Sexuality of Joji By Amanda Hudgins • November 19th, 2018 He’s got a dangerous sort of attraction, a wild romanticism that calls out for attention in ways that the standard Asian male stereotype isn’t necessarily ready to handle.
Gwent for One By Levi Rubeck • November 15th, 2018 Believe it or not, Carly Rae Jepsen’s new single sets the tone for Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales.
Exploits Feature The Draw of “Live” By David Shimomura • November 1st, 2018 Despite access to all the content in the world via broadband streaming, live performance will never lose its allure.
Call Dad By Levi Rubeck • November 1st, 2018 Make noise, refuse to settle, share the heat with somebody, check in with your loved ones.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – October By Astrid Budgor • October 29th, 2018 Astrid Budgor may be sick, but so is NECRONOMIDOL’s newest album.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – September 2018 By Astrid Budgor • October 12th, 2018 It’s all love this time around in a month full of new metal favorites.
The Lifelong Labor of a Working Musician By Levi Rubeck • October 4th, 2018 For every post-Nirvana success story, there are cemeteries choked with the tombstones of failed major label alternative and grunge bands.
Exploits Feature “This is America” Parodies By Amanda Hudgins • October 1st, 2018 “This is America” has been made into a dire warning for more than just the United States.
Don’t Feel Bad if You’re Not as Good as Brockhampton By 2 Mello • September 18th, 2018 There are 14 members of Brockhampton and just one of you.
Rookie of the Year Cheap Wine By Matt Marrone • September 14th, 2018 A hootenanny revival becomes a gothic short story after a song about booze and memories best forgotten.
Aretha Franklin and the Price of Excellence By Malindy Hetfeld • September 10th, 2018 I was punished for telling my high school music teacher to take Aretha Franklin’s name out of his undeserving mouth.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – August 2018 By Astrid Budgor • September 4th, 2018 It’s hard to argue against the rise of antifa black metal bands. But then, it’s hard to extricate current stylings from black metal’s past too.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – July 2018 By Astrid Budgor • August 16th, 2018 What can I say, it’s a death metal kind of month.
Mini-Operas in Grind and Glitch By Levi Rubeck • July 26th, 2018 How grindcore taught me to appreciate Tierra Whack.
Daughters Split Open Their Satanic Chrysalis By Levi Rubeck • July 18th, 2018 This country has had no shortage of crusty street preachers, split-lip soothsayers crawling across glass-littered asphalt to cough up a truth few are brave enough to bear.
Ill Considered’s Sublime Echolocation By Levi Rubeck • July 12th, 2018 I watched Lost Highway alone at midnight, on a sweltering Northern California summer evening, and when it was finally over I only really retained two thoughts.
Rookie of the Year Finding the Holy Grail. Again. By Matt Marrone • July 6th, 2018 The folk rock band The Innocence Mission has faded into obscurity, but its small, cult-like following continues to do some crazy things in the name of fandom. Or maybe it’s just me.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – June 2018 By Astrid Budgor • July 5th, 2018 This month in metal sees the awaited return of a few fan favorites and a band named after a freaking Bloodborne item.
Exploits Feature Praying By Amanda Hudgins • July 2nd, 2018 “You had better hope that a higher power is ready to someday forgive you, it says, because I am not.”
The Swamp Sweat of Young Widows By Levi Rubeck • June 20th, 2018 Young Widows tweaked their smoldering incantations from album to album, and DECAYED does more than collect the detritus.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – May 2018 By Astrid Budgor • June 12th, 2018 Astrid hates living in Tampa. These new metal records offer her blistering solace.
Red Hare Refuses to Fade By Levi Rubeck • June 6th, 2018 What can be expected from a community mostly fueled on youthful energy? Life hits with a closed fist, and subsisting against the grain is suspiciously similar to a real job. Except working for yourself has even worse benefits.
More than a Mix Tape Maker By Brock Wilbur • June 1st, 2018 It is a weird delight to be able to interview Liz Lawson, who started her career on shows like Dexter and House and True Blood: shows that I consider outstanding more for their licensed tracks than for their original soundtracks.
Exploits Feature Art vs. Artist By Khee Hoon Chan • June 1st, 2018 There comes a point where death is too good for the artist.
A Feel-Good Composer By Brock Wilbur • May 22nd, 2018 Brock Wilbur chats with composer Joel Corelitz about his work.
The Music of War – An Interview With Composer Wilbert Roget By Brock Wilbur • May 17th, 2018 Brock Wilbur chats with composer Wilbert Roget about his career and the process of scoring Call of Duty: WWII.
Rookie of the Year Four Days With First Aid Kit By Matt Marrone • April 26th, 2018 Through analytics, Matt Marrone discovers a favorite album he didn’t realize he had.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – April 2018 By Astrid Budgor • April 24th, 2018 Spring is here, so Astrid turns to wintry black metal to ward of the Florida sun.
A Conversation with 2 Mello By Brock Wilbur • April 10th, 2018 Unwinnable grabs a few minutes of 2 Mello’s time to discuss tributes, remixes, games, queer noir and finding success in the infinite expanse of modern internet music.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – March 2018 By Astrid Budgor • April 4th, 2018 The latest metal gems unearthed on Bandcamp.
Rest In Power Caleb Scofield By Levi Rubeck • April 4th, 2018 A memorial for Caleb Scofield, bassist of heavy metal crushers Cave In, Old Man Gloom, and Zozobra.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – February 2018 By Astrid Budgor • March 14th, 2018 There are no gatekeepers here at The Usurper. Witness: Necronomidol, the most metal thing you’ll hear this month.
Hot Snakes Carves the Surf By Levi Rubeck • March 7th, 2018 Rick Froberg still hollers in the key of vinegar.
Cascading through the Mud with Coalesce and Meatwound By Levi Rubeck • February 28th, 2018 It was orchestrated chaos that kept even the die-hard karate kids in the pit at bay, which is no small feat.
Hamilton is an Eating Disorder Battle Anthem By Ellen Ricks • February 21st, 2018 It was a rough year. Then again, every year is a rough year when you’re slowly committing suicide.
Best of 2017 Unwinnable Listens to the Best Music of 2017 – Finale By Team Unwinnable • January 30th, 2018 The Can You Hang? Challenge is over. This year’s lesson? Even good music can be a punishment.
The Usurper Noteworthy Metal – January 2018 By Astrid Budgor • January 29th, 2018 Introducing The Usurper, in which Astrid Budgor selects quality metal to tear up your ear holes every month.
