Alternative Rock with, as Flaxman describes the opening track, “dreamy, warm, shimmering, melancholic hymn / hallucination of a bright life that lies just through the next door” vibes ..read more

Back in February Ultimate Black Panther #1 hit the comic book shelves and I made sure to nab it. I was excited to read this because it was part of Marvel’s Ultimate Comics revamp. If you’ve listened to The Comic Panel for a while you’ll remember that we’ve covered a lot of the original Ultimate Comics such as the Ultimate Fantastic Four, Ultimate Spider-man (my personal favorite), The Ultimates, Ultimate X-men, and, most recently, Ultimate Iron Man. If you haven’t, then what you’ll need to know is that the original Ultimate Comics were an initiative launched in the early 2000’s at Marvel to mo ..read more

Yes folks, today we will be reviewing Flash Gordon! Cue the Queen song. This is a character that I was aware of, yet never took the time to look into his story. So when I saw this issue on Free Comic Book Day back in May, I had to grab hold of the opportunity. To provide a little context to this character, we must know that Flash Gordon was created in 1934 as a comic strip illustrated by Alex Raymond and written by Dan Moore. The strip was released as a Sunday Feature for King Feature Syndicate, who still own the rights to Flash Gordon to this very day. The stories centered around the charact ..read more

Fran Vasilić is a Croatian singer, songwriter, and producer. I found him through either Instagram or Tiktok when he was promoting his song Hypotheticals (which I recommend you listen to). Anyway, I am here to review his first album, Retrovizor, which was released in August 2020. The word “Retrovizor” means “Rear-view mirror” in Croatian. The first song on the album is called “Welcome to the Rearview” which I think is a perfect way to start off the album, since the word “Retrovizor” means “rearview mirror.” Throughout the album, you will find multiple car references that give a visual of what ..read more

In the heart of the Wood Centre at the Univerity of Alaska Fairbanks is the local radio station, 91.5 KSUA FM. For over four decades, KSUA radio has served as a platform for student expression, a training ground for future broadcasters, and a gathering place for Fairbanks’ media community. KSUA hit the airwaves in 1984, experimenting with a commercial radio format, however, financial difficulties forced a temporary shutdown in the early 1990s. In 1993 KSUA re-emerged as a non-profit educational station, fueled by student passion and a commitment to alternative music. Today, it harbors over 35 ..read more

From the time I was a kid, I wanted to be a DJ. The idea of playing music and sharing it out across the airwaves was akin to magic. The first chance I got to try it, as a young teenager, my nerves were off the charts and I couldn't do anything - and we weren't even live. Fast forward to 2017 when I dusted off my old turntable and started listening to the albums I had left. I was blown away by the sound and I was hooked again, diving head-first back into the vinyl community. In spring '23, Doktor Exoskeleton asked if I'd be interested in subbing for him on Metamorphosis sometime. I readily agr ..read more

In the history of cinema, films like “The Lord of the Rings” and “Avatar” are often hailed as classic film series. They not only boast grand and breathtaking visuals but also intricately woven plots that deeply resonate with the audience’s emotions and thoughts. “Dune” series undoubtedly belongs to this category of masterpiece. It inherits the epic fantasy created by the novelist Frank Herbert, and under the direction of the “new godfather of science fiction films,” Denis Villeneuve, it once again demonstrates his profound understanding of visual art. Through exquisite cinematography and bold ..read more

Eliza McLamb. August 2023. Courtesy of Missy McLamb. The spirit of the modern woman is captured, bottled up, and released into Eliza McLamb’s debut album Going Through It. Diving in after it, the soft chirping of birds and gentle guitar strumming beckon the listener into this encapsulation of girlhood and adulthood, pride and shame, and friendship and love in the opening notes of McLamb’s first track, Before. 23-year-old singer-songwriter Eliza McLamb transports listeners through her journey of self-reflection, allowing us to age and grow with her. Going Through It is a kind of musical memo ..read more

The album Desert Farmers is a great album to listen to if you’re into experimental music. The album is from Hannah Marcus and was released in February 12th 2004. Hannah grew up in a very artistic household with a mother painting and her father playing the cello. She moved from the Spanish Harlem to San Fransisco to peruse her song writing career, and there she wrote her first album River of Darkness in 1996. After that she continued to write and produce two more ablums before returning to the west cost for the release of Desert Farmers. The album starts with a song called interlude which I th ..read more

Jean Bertrand of the Pine Leaf Boys and 99 Playboys prepares gumbo in black pots. Photo by Anja Maijala During the final weekend of October, I had the privilege to attend the 17 th annual Blackpot music Festival and Cookoff in Lafayette, Louisiana. Blackpot is an annual gathering focused on Cajun music, cuisine, and culture, but is something much bigger than that. What follows is my account of the two-day festival which contains information about some of the artists that I got to see perform and my overall experience. The bottom line to takeaway if you don’t care for details regarding artists ..read more