An extremely welcome surprise in 2011 was Reports From The Threshold Of Death, a throbbing, gauzy dream-rock record from Boston’s Junius (read here). One shitty major magazine described Reports as the intersection of Neurosis and The Smiths, but a sharper listen reveals Deftones-sized hooks and melancholic majesty more akin to Loveless by My Bloody Valentine and Cave-In epics like “Seafrost” and “Paranormal.” I love! U love!

Junius embarks on a busy US tour next month (with O’Brother, dates below), and then heads to Europe in April, so fans have not long to wait for a consciousness-muddying headline set. But in the meantime, Click to read more…

Maybe your betrothed decided to leave you behind this Valentine’s Day and run off to Europe or Egypt or wherever on their own adventure sans YOU ……..maybe you’re lying next to yr esweetie right now locked in loving embrace/fellatio……..maybe you have no significant other and you’re sitting by yourself concocting a heartattack pizza on the Domino’s website……… Whatever the case may be in this crazy mixed-up world of ours, rest assured your naughty Uncle Kip has selected a few tunes to get the blood flowing in the right direction:

BLACK MOUNTAIN — “Don’t Run Our Hearts Around” from Black Mountain (2005)………a stonery reminder to take care of those vulnerable hearts you love to toy with

MY BLOODY VALENTINE — “Only Shallow” from Loveless (1991)…………seminal shoegazers encourage only the shallowest of romantic encounters

LAMB OF GOD — “Beating on Death’s Door” from Sacrament (2006)…………….the proof is in the banana pudding lyrics (“Be careful what you wish for….you whore….She’s all yours now, so deal with it”) — Randy done had his girlfriend stoled? I have always been struck by the unexpected raw emotion in this song and continue hoping that LoG will someday once again open up like this.

Have a METAL St. Valentine’s Day, wherever you are…

-KW

In 2008, Canadian dronemeisters Nadja released 14 singles, splits, EPs, DVDs and full-length albums. Some were live; some were reworked versions of earlier albums; some were proper studio recordings. Traditionally, the covers album is a stopgap measure. Not so for this duo of guitarist/programmer/vocalist Aidan Baker and bassist Leah Buckareff. As one of the only types of projects that they haven’t already completed, Nadja’s permafried covers album When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV represents a necessity.

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