There is often a banter between my wife and I about the books that we each decide to read. Usually, I’m picking up these big stuffy, tomes, these 20–40 year old used copies of books that are supposed to be ‘classics’. Massive undertakings where I claim that “I like to…

Back when the Xbox 360(!) was the main console going, I don’t remember the marketplace being a very dominant aspect. When a game would come around that would garner the type of attention that would raise eyebrows, it was something of a big deal. Bastion is one of those games…

Reading this trilogy has been something of an act of endurance. There is little joy to be found, plenty hardships, and myriad characters with strong jaws, cold hearts, and few means. Each of these books shares something at its core and while I don’t struggle to find it while exploring…

What do you feel when I share music with you? Is it a neurological response to immediately feel nervous about how I’m going to follow up with you and see if you checked it out? Do you feel something about yourself, that somehow the song I’ve sent you somehow represents…

10. Vein.fm — This World Is Going to Ruin You White-Knuckled Terror This is an album that cranks up every violent and punishing dial as far as it can go. It covers everything meaningful in gasoline and spits a match onto the pile. It sounds like the record is written…

20. Ethel Cain — Preacher’s Daughter All Bared This is such a sonic record. It sits somewhere in the concentric sound designs of Lana Del Rey, Lingua Ignota and Emma Ruth Rundle, boasting the same exposed-skin-revelations of Grouper. Of course it, too, is her own thing entirely. The instruments on…

30. Soul Blind — Feel It All Around Grunge This record rules. They released a little 3 track EP that boded well, and then dropped this absolute murkfest of grunge and sludge. This one reminds me of the first time I went back and listened to Silverchair after years of…

40. Circa Survive — A Dream About Death EP Ambient Indie Similar to The Mars Volta, as you’ll read later, I’ve always cited Circa Survive as a favorite band, even though realistically I’ve only liked 2 of their records, and the multiple times I’ve seen them live have had me…

50. Frontières — Regret EP Hardcore I typically place a lot of indie records on these lists, but those are mostly ones that I want to listen to while I’m alone and brooding, deeply reckoning with What to Create and How I’ve Lived, etc. A record like this is one…