Backline

07/11/2018

From the archives: Keep it in mind as we prepare for Trench ||-//

(photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images) Dear Skeleton Clique, We are slipping. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun use their many talents to send a message of hope and community to those who feel hopeless and alone…

01/22/2018

"Self-destruction is either the height of insanity or the beginning of healing depending on how you do it."

I tossed the Backline keys to my extremely good friend Mark Forrester for an honestly incredible review of Typhoon's new album Offerings because he's way smarter than I am. For the love of all things good in this world...

Enjoy.

I’m handing the Backline keys over to my extremely good friend Mark Forrester because Typhoon’s new album Offerings is just. that. incredible. By that I mean it’s so good that it’s going to take so…

10/31/2017

STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING THIS IS A CODE RED.

GO TO THIS ALBUM ON SPOTIFY (DESKTOP): https://open.spotify.com/album/1puplOrvmUGoq2VxsB0ENJ

CLICK PLAY.

SCRUB THROUGH THE SONG BY CLICKING/DRAGGING ALONG THE TIMELINE.

WELCOME TO THE UPSIDE-DOWN.

Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein · album · 2016 · 36 songs

10/27/2017

"The first time I watched it, my mouth hung open the whole six minutes in a tight circle as if I was on the verge of saying “What the actual hell am I seeing right now?”"

New Discoveries! Give it up for The Academic, Judah & the Lion, and Tyson Motsenbocker!

I was dragging my feet around the Pittsburgh airport on my way back from a weekend at Half Hills Music Festival in Steubenville, OH. My plane had been delayed over an hour, which meant that I& #8217…

10/26/2017

All right y’all two things:

1) I’m busy.
2) I miss this.

I’d love to keep this site alive as best as I can given my current responsibilities, which include but are not limited to: holding down a full-time job, driving to and from that job, taking care of my wife, taking care of our son, being present to my family away, playing with cameras and computers, reading books, playing video games (this one is crucial), watching The Office (even more crucial), playing Yahtzee (cannot express how crucial) watching hockey, praying, general socializing, eating, and if I’m really lucky, sleeping.

Oh and watching the hell out of Stranger Things Season 2 starting tomorrow.

When I’m not doing those things, I’d like to be doing this thing. The Master List and Discovery List were embarrassingly outdated, so I’ve revamped them both as best as I could. Check it out!

-Mark

Below is a relatively-up-to-date list of artists releasing anticipatedly (it’s a word) awesome albums this year (some are unconfirmed, and I try to update as often as I can). Album titles & rel…

09/14/2017

"All of this is to express just how significant it is that I chose to stop listening to them in 2013."

Thank you.

SPOILERS AHEAD In 2004, my parents took me and my brother Sean across Lake Champlain to Burlington, VT to see Carbon Leaf play at Higher Ground again. I was about fourteen and Sean was about sixtee…

11/16/2016

Hey there, Skeleton Clique. I made us some sick-as-frick cover photos just in time for Cliquemas. Feel free to download & share!

Stay alive, friends |-/

09/09/2016

The Gentle Hits' self-titled, debut album hits your ear-faces November 18th via Porch Party Records. Get yourself as excited as I am, if you somehow can humanly possibly manage.



https://backlinemusic.wordpress.com/2016/09/09/the-gentle-hits/

Sad little factoid first: Here’s something you might not know about your beloved hero, “The Author” (me). Dear and the Headlights’ sophomore album “Drunk like Bible Times” is his (my) favorite albu…

04/04/2016

As I said before, I was fortunate enough to catch Lucius in concert last week at the Royale in Boston. Here's a shiny new review of the show. Enjoy!



https://backlinemusic.wordpress.com/2016/04/04/live-review-lucius-the-royale-boston-ma-3-29-16/

(photo: Arthur Po***ck | Boston Herald) If the last time you saw Lucius in concert was during the Wildewoman era, drop every single comparatively pointless thing you’re doing and buy a ticket…

04/01/2016

I set up automatic replies for messaging the page here! Send me a message and check it out. I super promise this has nothing to do with April Fool’s Day. Just terrible, terrible timing.

04/01/2016

I had the absolute pleasure of catching Pure Bathing Culture's mesmerizing opening set for Lucius at the Royale in Boston on Tuesday. Review for Lucius' set is coming soon!


https://backlinemusic.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/live-review-pure-bathing-culture-the-royale-boston-ma-3-29-16/

(photo: Jeff Ryan) The first time I saw Lucius was in Cleveland. They were opening for and upstaging a veteran indie/alternative band, which is way more of a nod to Lucius’ set than it is a slam ag…