Author: Ian Ostaszewski (Ian Ostaszewski)

Stephen Malkmus may not be a household name, but he’s arguably one of the most important songwriters of the past 25 years. In a previous life he served as frontman for Pavement, a band whose wry lyrics and economical riffing are often cited as precursors to modern indie rock. In the 15 years since Pavement...

In 2013, Arcade Fire finds itself in a situation where few indie rock artists can honestly say they’ve been. With over 10 years in the business and three excellent records under their belt, they’re still at the top of their game. The band’s 2010 album, “The Suburbs,”  received widespread critical acclaim, fueled a world tour,...

On Sunday night, “Breaking Bad” concluded its fifth and final season. Over the last five years, the show has received critical acclaim and built an extensive fan base. Sunday night’s episode, “Felina,” was quite possibly the most anticipated television finale since “The Sorpanos.” While that drama ended in a way that left some viewers unsatisfied,...

Annie Clark is an enigma. Since she released her debut album as St. Vincent in 2007, the singer/guitarist has always been hard to pin down. Surely every one of her fans has been stumped on at least one occasion by the question, “what genre is she?” (The answer usually involves at least two hyphens.) Besides...

I am not a fan of horror movies. Although I can understand the appeal for those who enjoy the visceral thrill of getting scared, I have never been able to willingly subject myself to the experience. One may ask, then, why I am reviewing an album by a band with the name Slasher Flicks. The...