Author: Ian Ostaszewski (Ian Ostaszewski)

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...

In a 2012 interview with Pitchfork Media, garage rocker Ty Segall expressed worry about the current state of the music world: “All these kids who are growing up on Skrillex and all this digital music — what are they gonna think when they hear rock ’n’ roll?” DIY thoroughbreds and dubstep skeptics everywhere rejoiced, for...

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...

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,...