Columns

Calling PussyCake (2021) a rock ‘n’ roll movie is a bit like calling Friday the 13th a movie about summer camp. It misses the point. PussyCake embodies the spirit of the music. The horror movie—firmly entrenched in the grindhouse tradition—is the story of an all-female rock quartet: the titular PussyCake. And if you can’t guess […]

For a long time, the internet trained people to accept mystery as part of the deal. You clicked, the platform responded, and whatever happened in between stayed hidden. Algorithms decided what you saw. Payment systems delayed things without much explanation. Digital spaces worked, but often in that sealed, corporate way that asked users to trust […]

“When I was a kid, I had honky-tonk music, I had rhythm & blues, I had zydeco, I had all the rock & roll stuff. It was pretty amazing,” Jesse Dayton told me back in 2016. “I think I’m a little bit of all of that.” For singer, songwriter, guitar player, producer, and actor Jesse […]

From the flamboyant flair of classic rock icons to the understated coolness of indie performers, what artists wear helps shape their identity. Today, the modern musician’s wardrobe is evolving beyond pure aesthetics. It’s no longer just about looking the part; it’s about balancing personal expression with practicality. In an era defined by constant movement, long […]

Record Store Day was last Saturday. Somewhere in a queue outside a record shop, a person who has been doing this for twenty years stood next to someone doing it for the first time, and they talked about music. That is not an accident. It is the result of a community that decided, a long […]

Reporting to you live from the Old Caustic Factory, the team is bringing in the night shift to help out with this bustling morning of fresh releases. After giving our team the day off to celebrate Record Store Day (we all hope you checked off everything on your RSD wishlist), we’re back in full force […]

“Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley is one of the more recognizable and beloved songs of its era. The multi-platinum single, with its stirring gospel-tinted vocals and hypnotic production, launched this newly minted duo into a stratosphere only a select few celebrities get to inhabit. From several placements in major motion pictures and TV projects, the song […]

Released a half-century ago in the midst of mainstream dominance by so-called dinosaur rock acts, the Ramones’ eponymous debut (4/23/76) is the definition of a paradigm shift. With no guitar solos to speak of–the break on “I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You” is one note repeated twice–and arrangements further lacking many tuneful vocal harmonies, […]

The Rolling Stones’ latter-day albums were frustratingly erratic long before the misconceived likes of 1997’s Bridges To Babylon. And the hit-and-miss designation applies even to those titles general consensus deems iconic: see 1968’s Beggars Banquet and Sticky Fingers three years later. But, in marked contrast to those records–as well as Let It Bleed released upon […]

Fantasy Gives the Format a Story First Fantasy slots tend to work because they explain themselves quickly. A cave, a dragon, or a treasure map gives the round a clear mood before anything starts moving, so the screen feels less abstract and more like a small adventure. That instant story frame makes symbols, goals, and […]

Emblematic of the “Mercury Poisoning” Graham Parker sang about in 1979, the terribly amateurish front cover art of this inveterate iconoclast’s now half-century-old Howlin’ Wind (released April 2026) certainly belies the punchy professionalism of the music inside. As does the equally ill-advised image adorning Heat Treatment, the second of two equally excellent long players released in the […]

There is a window most touring fans know well. The show ends around 11:30, the bass is still ringing in your ears at 1 a.m., and by 2 a.m., you are wide awake scrolling for something that matches the energy the night just handed you. That window used to belong to after-parties, 24-hour diners, and […]

A truly exceptional poker night is rarely the result of mere chance. While the amateur host focuses exclusively on the cards and the pot, the Strategic Host understands that the game is won or lost within the environment. There is a profound psychological chasm between a chaotic, distracting gathering and a professional-grade experience where every […]

Necessity is the mother of invention, but ambition gave birth to innovation. Located in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, sits a welcoming, artist-run venue that refuses to comply and ventures to the furthest reaches of live music to unearth the next chapter for itself and the medium as a whole. KC’s recordBar, co-founded by […]

Despite the ever-rising temperatures blasting through our open doors and cracked windows, it feels like Christmas time over here at the Old Caustic Factory. While we’ve seen some terrific singles and albums being released, our team has been buzzing about April 18, the long-awaited 2026 edition of Record Store Day. The lovely day when your […]

In 2004, late-nineties indie rock darlings, Modest Mouse, became unlikely fixtures on the Billboard charts. Their Good News For People Who Love Bad News LP produced the now-classic pop-rock anthems “Ocean Breathes Salty” and the genre-defining “Float On,” skyrocketing the Isaac Brock-led outfit to the forefront of popular music and cementing their storied legacy among […]

With Record Store Day approaching this Saturday (4/18/26), this list highlights eighteen recommended archival releases and reissues for Record Store Day in the Jazz and Blues genres. A number of these releases—many curated by Zev Feldman—were recorded at Jazz Showcase by owner Joel Segal. The selections lean heavily toward pianists, with seven featured across the […]

Opening a live music venue is a difficult process, but preserving a legacy is a different beast entirely. The crossroads of these two otherworldly undertakings land in North Hampton, Massachusetts, at the historic Iron Horse, originally opened in 1979. The iconic space has been through more lives than could fit in a book, boasting several […]

Big Money Has Entered the Room Not long ago, cryptocurrency was largely dismissed by the financial establishment. Major banks called it a fad. Pension fund managers refused to touch it. Regulators treated it with open suspicion. That era is over. Today, the firms that manage your retirement savings, university endowments, and national wealth funds are […]

We are reporting to you live from a beautiful day here at the Old Caustic Factory, where Fridays start our work week. Our machines are burning red from all of these fresh releases, but not to fret, our technicians are here to ensure that yet another jam-packed New Music Friday goes off without a hitch. […]