Purves Grundy

Sam, 20, loves the band creed and is a huge capitalist slut

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Pile Grow Up on A Hairshirt of Purpose

Pile Grow Up on A Hairshirt of Purpose

Don’t file A Hairshirt ofPurpose, Pile’s fifth studio album, under easy listening. The Boston rockers have always had a penchant for heavy, industrial-pop guitar riffs and explosive percussion, but this record sees the group slow down and enter more mature territory. Maybe it has something to do with getting older — frontman Rick Maguire is 31, and Pile has existed in some capacity for about 10…

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The World Needs More of (Darwin) Deez

The World Needs More of (Darwin) Deez

Darwin Smith. Photo: Phil Sharp by Samantha Spaccasi The basement of Mahall’s in Lakewood, Ohio is not only a fantastic incubator for incredible local bands (Womantra), but also where someone can see indie’s future stars (Forth Wanderers, Japanese Breakfast) and surprisingly, old favorites. Darwin Smith’s band, Brooklyn-based Darwin Deez (Andrew Hoepfner, drums and Greg Richardson, guitar, keys,…

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First Listen: Ctrl - SZA

First Listen: Ctrl – SZA

It’s been a long time coming for SZA fans, but the songstress’ debut studio album, Ctrl (Top Dawg/RCA), is finally here. There was some speculation as to whether or not SZA would actually release the album after a relatively quiet three years, leading many to wonder if whether she would quit music altogether. The record’s hype led to high expectations from fans, and their patience is richly…

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Top 10 Thursdays - Culture Devourer’s Favorite Summer Album

Top 10 Thursdays – Culture Devourer’s Favorite Summer Album

by Samantha Spaccasi June is here, which means grilling, pools, the beach, and warm weather. While the burgers are frying and you’re *cracking open a cold one with the boys,* you’ll need the perfect summer soundtrack. This June, as a follow up to last year’s “9 Songs” segment, Culture Devourer is rolling out Top 10 Thursdays. We’ve got you covered with the 10 best summer albums as the soundtrack…

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You: makes a coherent, intelligent point in class

Me, an intellectual: says the exact same thing as you but longer and with more buzzwords

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Pay Close Attention: Reflections on The BRITs

Pay Close Attention: Reflections on The BRITs

After watching Skepta’s performance at the BRITs this week, it was further confirmation that the UK’s eminent grime artist is a true musical legend. The North London MC performed his hit, “Shutdown,” to critical acclaim. This year marked a huge development for grime as a genre. Grime has managed to garner few awards throughout its lifespan. Granted, the genre is relatively young, as it has only…

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Review: Lethal Bizzle - Round Here (feat. Giggs & Flowdan)

Review: Lethal Bizzle – Round Here (feat. Giggs & Flowdan)

I’m always excited to hear about new work coming from Lethal B. He’s not one of my most favorite grime artists, and it will be hard to him to top “Pow!,” arguably his most famous track, but “Round Here” proves that Lethal can still go blow for blow with the best of them, and still sound fresh despite all the new talent that’s coming…

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The Battle of Britpop: Who Really Won?

The Battle of Britpop: Who Really Won?

It’s remembered and documented throughout the rise of Tony Blair. It’s the most iconic image of the Britpop era. It’s the magazine cover that encapsulates the rivalry between Blur and Oasis – the image that the New Musical Express termed the “British Heavyweight Championship.” Who could forget Damon Albarn’s (Blur) iconic smirk and Liam Gallagher (Oasis) decked out in dark sunglasses? Oasis’…

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Playlist - Inauguration Musings

Playlist – Inauguration Musings

I wanted to write a roundup review of the week’s new singles, especially considering that many of them were protest songs or tunes geared toward resisting Donald Trump. Anohni and CocoRosie. New Gorillaz. New Arcade Fire with Mavis Staples. Fiona Apple’s “Tiny Hands” anthem. But you’ve heard all about that. Today’s post is going to center women, queer and trans folks, black and brown folks,…

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Culture Devourer Favorites: Waxahatchee - Cerulean Salt

Culture Devourer Favorites: Waxahatchee – Cerulean Salt

  Listening to your favorite albums that you haven’t heard in a while is a lot like visiting a very old friend that you haven’t seen in years. A little awkward at first, but past that, a familiar comfort that wraps around you like a warm blanket. In lieu of Spotlight Thursday, I’ve decided to take a different route this week, focusing on one of my favorite albums of all time. There’s a ton of…

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Fantastic Man: William Onyeabor Remembered

Fantastic Man: William Onyeabor Remembered

William Onyeabor only gave one interview in his entire life. It was a conversation with BBC 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne in 2014. But though he only spoke on the radio one time, his music speaks volumes about his creativity and ingenuity in pioneering a unique and influential style of Nigerian disco-funk that was and still is beloved by many. Onyeabor passed away on January 16th at the age of 70. His…

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Review: Emma Blackman - Underdressed and Overwhelmed

Review: Emma Blackman – Underdressed and Overwhelmed

Underdressed and overwhelmed is a phrase that could describe the majority of many students’ experience at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. It’s also the title of the newest EP from singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emma Blackman, who is a senior at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. Though the New Jersey native has been making music for years, this is only her first EP. But…

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Review: Beach for Tiger - Black Buddha

Review: Beach for Tiger – Black Buddha

The earworm is a pesky creature that infiltrates our brains and makes a home there for days on end. This can be a good thing, if you love the song, or it can be a huge nuisance. Beach for Tiger’s new single, “Black Buddha,” has been stuck in my head for days for all the right reasons. Readers of this site know that Culture Devourer loves the music that’s coming out of the UK right now, and that…

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Review: Sundara Karma - Youth is Only Ever Fun in Retrospect

Review: Sundara Karma – Youth is Only Ever Fun in Retrospect

Youth is only ever fun in retrospect is a phrase that rings true for many of us – but then again, hindsight is always 20/20. The British indie scene has always been a place to look for exciting and cutting edge developments in pop music. I’m not currently enamored with the some of the new faces replacing my beloved Libertines and Maccabees, like The 1975, Blossoms, and Catfish and The Bottlemen,…

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Spotlight Thursday: Diet Cig

Spotlight Thursday: Diet Cig

Punk rock is emotion in its rawest form, expressed through music. Usually, the motion that’s associated with punk is anger – but those who listen to modern punk know that anger-laden tunes are only a small facet of a galactic genre. Diet Cig, a duo from New York City comprised of Alex Luciano (guitar/vocals) and Noah Bowman (drums), describes themselves as “two homies just making tunes and eggs…

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What It Means for Skepta and Stormzy to be Playing Major US Festivals This Year

What It Means for Skepta and Stormzy to be Playing Major US Festivals This Year

Back in June, I wrote a piece on grime’s struggle to gain a foothold in the US. In 2015, the music press predicted that grime would start making waves in the US – that it would be the banner year in which grime finally crossed the pond and stayed put. The press’ reasoning wasn’t unfounded – after all, Kanye stormed the stage with Section Boyz at the Brits. But in 2015, none of those predictions…

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The Artists Worth Seeing at Governors Ball

The Artists Worth Seeing at Governors Ball

Those flocking to New York’s Governors Island this summer are in for disappointment. If you haven’t already seen the lineup, it’s a sorry state of affairs – the disorganized and shambolic list is decorated with a slew of random artists for Governors Ball 2017. There seems to be no coherent theme to the bookings, and very few of the artists listed appear to have new projects coming out this year,…

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