https://www.verbler.net/blog daily 0.75 2026-01-28 https://www.verbler.net/blog/mrg3acg4ywhnnz704ljk3hxk01tx7p monthly 0.5 2026-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/fb12e61e-4821-4113-8c5a-697da497f0ce/a4195077230_10.jpg BLOG - The Future Will Not Be Like the Past, The Future Will Not Be Like the Present - Hope All Well Lego Indiana Jones The first time I heard this album, shortly after it came out in January of 2024, was an incredibly impactful experience. Dublin’s Lego Indiana Jones have a style that is a fascinating melange of They Might Be Giants-esque geek rock, Car Seat Headrest-adjacent indie rock, and Black Country, New Road-inspired post rock. The album’s unconventional but surprisingly effective musical style–Pierce Comerford’s vulnerable vocals and piano, Thomas Kerr’s noodly bass and guitar, and Tom DePaor’s thrashing, technical drums–is https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/9ab3ba1b-ed50-411b-8c6c-b362faf487b7/R-4373401-1371580705-6820.jpg BLOG - The Future Will Not Be Like the Past, The Future Will Not Be Like the Present - Eisleriana Hannes Zerbe Jazz Orchester Not on Spotify, losers. If anyone actually reads this, I promise to upload this to YouTube or something for your listening pleasure. But anyway, this fascinating experimental jazz record, which I first came across while living in Germany, is just about the most challenging thing out there. Composer Hannes Zerbe uses the structure of the big band to create fascinating explorations that draw inspiration in equal parts from the eponymous Hanns Eisler and Frank Zappa. Even at the album’s most https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/63d0a934-b0d7-4a99-8062-595b33e2709f/d4289ab3af0dc256db00db7ef2dbef4c.354x354x1.jpg BLOG - The Future Will Not Be Like the Past, The Future Will Not Be Like the Present - (It (Is) It) Critical Band 90 Day Men These guys’ music reminds me of the weirder parts of Geese, all done 25 years before it became cool. On their 2000 debut, the 90 Day Men put their all into making unique post-rock sounds, if something as sludgy, crunchy and generally uncomfortable as Critical Band could be classified as such. Whether leaning into mesmerizing grooves on “Dialed In” and “Super Illuminary” or banging around wildly on “Missouri Kids Cuss” and “Hans Lucas,” this band manages https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/d2f1e75e-7d36-4a76-821c-800fb53d54a3/a3485676359_16.jpg BLOG - The Future Will Not Be Like the Past, The Future Will Not Be Like the Present - Emergence (The Process of Coming into Being) Mwenso And The Shakes Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see Michael Mwenso’s veteran jazz fusion ensemble when they came through State College a few years ago, but this live album gives me a good sense of what I would have seen, without making me feel sorry that I missed it. That sounds like an insult, but the truth is the vibrant, soulful https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/8f02b91f-bec4-4259-9369-1ca5ae0880ea/71PBYqFqyDL._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - The Future Will Not Be Like the Past, The Future Will Not Be Like the Present - Double Nickels On The Dime Minutemen This legendary 1984 double album is more challenging in spirit than in body. As the story goes, the Minutemen responded to Hüsker Dü’s behemoth Zen Arcade by expanding their characteristic brevity into a 75-minute record of songs almost entirely under two minutes. Musically, listening to the San Pedro punks jam on unexpectedly groovy and https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/bea56180-873c-4db8-ae9a-9327c55fe40b/dismemberment-plan-emergency.png BLOG - The Future Will Not Be Like the Past, The Future Will Not Be Like the Present - Emergency & I The Dismemberment Plan The Plan’s best-known album is easily their magnum opus. Travis Morrison’s angsty lyrics dig into the unspoken anxieties of post-college adulthood while the rest of the band plays some of the most rhythmically and melodically complex stuff out there. Generally, I tend to lose interest when music gets too “mathy,” but this album blends math rock, emo, and indie rock into something that’s bound to please fans of any of those genres. The band occupies the strange position of being a part of the Dischord/DC post-hardcore/emo scene https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/2f598964-9f6f-4329-ae67-d6f1e97cf231/61Ldm4FBtZL._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - The Future Will Not Be Like the Past, The Future Will Not Be Like the Present - Uchu Nippon Setagaya Fishmans The stunning final work of Japanese dub/psych/dream pop legends Fishmans has the dubious honor of being the first non-English language album I’ve ever written about in this blog. Throughout the record, the band presents a unified vision of their sound, harnessing together their earlier experiments on Kuchu Camp and the 35-minute song Long Season. Some of the tracks, like “Pokka Pokka” and “Weather Report,” explore dreamy, https://www.verbler.net/blog/e7d4nkoiafnmckekpmptqc6xzfu1sg monthly 0.5 2026-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/5a15b395-1fef-43eb-abc0-ccb5c977d7eb/manny%27s.jpg BLOG - Uncanny Valley #1: Ethel Meserve, Static Brian at Manny’s Hello, and welcome to my new Uncanny Valley series of posts, in which I provide my thoughts on live performances in State College and around! To kick things off, it is my honor to write about a show I saw last week and have been anticipating for over a month: local midwest emo legends Ethel Meserve’s first hometown show in more than twenty-five years, supported by contemporary Philly emo band Static Brian. https://www.verbler.net/blog/im-getting-killed-by-a-pretty-good-life monthly 0.5 2026-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/8707e350-90ee-4f28-948a-915c62d8d1b0/Car_Seat_Headrest_-_The_Scholars_album_artwork.png BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - The Scholars Car Seat Headrest Will Toledo's veteran Car Seat Headrest project seems to reinvent itself with each new album: morphing from spacey slacker rock to driving, anxious power pop to tender, broken indie rock to head-scratching amalgamations of everything in between. Their newest, most ambitious album to date swells in terms of both size and scope: CSH is writing a modern indie rock opera while also coming into its own as a band rather than a vehicle for Toledo’s songwriting. Across nine tracks, he tells a story, joined for the first https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/89b67251-dc66-47ef-8358-61ec5a1b53c2/a0744100055_10.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Getting Killed Geese New York art-rockers Geese have moved into the spotlight considerably since the release of 2023’s sagacious, psychedelic 3D Country, most notably due to frontman Cameron Winter’s solo debut. The band’s third album sees them working to find a happy medium between their own music and Winter’s, leading to a sound both more involved and sparse than any other Geese project. The sounds on this record are truly unlike any other, paying equal respects to the classic art https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/135b2e29-01b1-4f8b-a1ab-2332b506715a/a1787135590_10.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Ekoya Jupiter & Okwess Graceland fans beware: this is the real stuff. On their fourth album, veteran Congolese showman Jupiter Bokondji and his band Okwess International power through 36 minutes of searing, futuristic Afro-rock that draws inspiration from the classic Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and William Onyeabor, Congo and Latin American traditions, contemporary dance music and beyond. While the album’s lyrics deal with difficult topics, most notably a loss of cultural identity resulting from the impacts of globalization and https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/e7c703e1-35be-4a30-a4cf-98c4a8bdaeec/a3634782911_10.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Only Frozen Sky Anyway Jonathan Richman Nearly forty years after departing the Modern Lovers and beginning his solo career, Jonathan Richman is still going as strong as ever. His material released since signing to tiny Cleveland indie label Blue Arrow Records has taken a uniquely personal and spiritual bent, which continues on this collection of twelve songs. Veteran drummer Tommy Larkins is along for the ride, as well as a cast of supporting musicians including former Modern Lover and Talking Head https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/a2f7433b-1ab8-476c-90a8-2920c0a4ebb8/71DpUJy3u%2BL._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Pain To Power Maruja The full-length debut from the UK jazz-rockers deserves recognition as one of the best politically motivated works of the decade so far. Wailing saxes and noisy post-hardcore-influenced instrumentals underscore Harry Wilkinson’s intense lyrical craft, which he uses to dig into themes of class struggle and conflict overseas. The uniqueness of the music on this album must be underscored–it’s equally likely to satisfy fans of Fugazi, Rage Against the Machine and John Coltrane. Maruja’s message can’t be ignored, though. Throughout https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/80c54fe3-0d2e-4dc8-bb45-893edd434159/Mac_Miller_-_Balloonerism.png BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Balloonerism Mac Miller In the past ten years, fewer passings have saddened the music community as much as that of Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller, who rose to fame and acclaim in the 2010s. January saw the first official release of his second posthumous project, which was first recorded in 2014. It’s undeniably his darkest release, with airy, psychedelic beats that underscore the addiction and mental health struggles that were present during Mac’s career. The conceptual scope of this album is not to be denied, either. It https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/1e4fe504-c7d9-49c9-a96b-fbdfb9bea8d8/Forever_Howlong_cover.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Forever Howlong Black Country, New Road Rather than try to surpass the aforementioned Ants From Up There, BC,NR made a wise decision by taking their music in an entirely new direction altogether. Their first studio album since vocalist Isaac Wood’s departure from the band due to mental health concerns sees the band heading in a more chamber pop-oriented direction, balancing Joanna Newsom-esque folk overtones with a heft inspired by classic indie rock bands like Arcade Fire. Singing and https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/800b137f-d822-4340-9353-9570351029a2/shallowater-gods-gonna-give-you-a-million-dollars.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - God’s Gonna Give You a Million Dollars Shallowater While many bands in the past few years have pioneered a sound known as “dirtgaze” or “bootgaze” that mixes country rock with elements of shoegaze and slowcore, few have hit the nail on the head with the precision of Houston’s Shallowater. On their second album, the band moves slowly and sweetly through sonic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/b2be423f-6b77-4965-8b91-376ea5108388/a2062883954_10.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Gnarcissists Gnarcissists The debut effort of these ascendent New York garage punks quickly became one of my most anticipated albums of this year as soon as it was announced. After listening, I can confirm that it does not disappoint. My favorite tracks from the band’s EPs, such as “Fentanyl” and “Counter-Strike,” have all received newer, heavier, crunchier versions. They’re not afraid to get weird, either–an extended jam at the end of “Celebrity” would be off-putting to the average Ramones fan, but I’m absolutely there for it. Hopefully this album becomes a favorite of Gen Z punks–-it’s humorous, energetic and raw as hell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/8d8c32f6-4380-47da-996b-36c86c441b83/a1829431769_16.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Forward First Day Back The band’s name says it all–it’s “real emo’s” first day back. The Santa Cruz quintet’s music is raw and emotional, with a sonic palette nearer to Cap’n Jazz or Endive than Mom Jeans or Hot Mulligan. While the music is indebted to its 90’s midwest emo predecessors, it feels really fresh in a lot of ways, such as the addition of expansive instrumental passages and the expressive sounds of harmonica and violin on multiple tracks, such as “Lines.” The band’s sound balances perfectly between original and traditional elements, and I’m excited to see where they take it next. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/974ff511-2220-4f7c-8457-3b1fbd0aa188/Hyperyouth_cover.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Hyperyouth Joey Valence & Brae The third album from the most dynamic duo of the twenties is their most impressive effort to date. After achieving worldwide fame, the group is taking a victory lap of sorts, moving from dancing on the streets of State College to hitting the club. The record’s style reflects this, adopting a more club-adjacent sound that pairs nicely with the 90’s style boom bap beats that JVB have always loved. Both rappers have also developed as lyricists, writing bars that frequently made me crack up as well as showcasing their almost https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/ebc515ce-9cc7-4adf-a5c0-3b4faabe3301/a3097805623_16.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Fun’s Over KEG Much more fun than the title suggests, the debut effort from London post-punk band KEG follows in the footsteps of many of its Windmill Scene predecessors, most notably Squid, whose expansive, experimental, horn-driven sound remains a significant influence throughout the album. However, where Squid’s lyrics convey a sense of apprehension and anxiety, the overall mood of Fun’s Over is much more positive. While the album goes through the ups and downs of an emotional roller coaster more than once, it comes out on top in the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/ba7ba6e7-bd4b-4788-8612-5dc8ef304616/New_Threats_from_the_Soul.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - New Threats From The Soul Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band If MJ Lenderman is this generation’s Jason Molina, then Ryan Davis is probably David Berman: his lyrical craft relies more on dark humor and thought-provoking metaphors than simple, plaintive invocations. Both strategies are very effective, though, leading Lenderman and Davis to go on the road together last year. The fruits of touring both as a headliner and an opening act, both https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/5c29e469-cae9-4670-854c-be099661869d/l9joud0p6u24a_600.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - Soft Spot Honningbarna Says a lot about this year that the one album that resonated with me the most was written in a language I cannot begin to understand. The seventh album by these Norwegian punks has many of the most insanely heavy and rhythmic performances of 2025, even considering the fact that we got new albums from Snooper and The Armed this year. While the album’s sound is incredibly abrasive, most notably on tracks like “Schäfer” and “Hvilke splinter” that borrow an industrial, Viagra Boys-esque synth punk tone and dial it up to eleven, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/36a494f1-9572-4356-8f58-01c0550f5ef0/No_One_Was_Driving_the_Car.jpg BLOG - I’m Getting Killed By A Pretty Good Life - No One Was Driving The Car La Dispute Incredible, gripping comeback album from Michigan post-hardcore band La Dispute. Vocalist and songwriter Jordan Dreyer further develops his unsettling, poetic lyrical chops over fourteen (!) tracks that are carried by disturbing, stream-of-consciousness musings on the end times we all live in rather than crunchy, hard-hitting instrumentals (though the album has its fair share https://www.verbler.net/blog/155b63f2u1zno2nnj3q06a9qq2rmcu monthly 0.5 2026-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/59be642e-2682-4304-b36a-00b86a3f4117/600x600bf-60.jpg BLOG - You Really Think This World Is Yours? - Ghost Tropic Songs: Ohia Kicking things off here with this gorgeous, moody 2000 record from Jason Molina’s venerable indie folk project Songs: Ohia. While some of his other albums under this name focus more on the rock-forward sounds of slowcore or alt-country, Ghost Tropic has a very stripped-down sound, awash in bassy, detuned electric guitars, exotic-sounding percussion and spooky field recordings. Lyrically, this album is also one of Molina’s darkest, touching on themes of depression and isolation in impactful ways. While https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/f1de9d3d-7fc1-48d6-b9f6-fd32961fc92e/81mlEp4lW-L._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - You Really Think This World Is Yours? - Spiderland Slint Louisville post-hardcore legends Slint also have a definite vibe on their incredible 1991 LP, and that vibe is: making you want to crawl into a hole. While there are plenty of noisy, somewhat metal-adjacent freakouts that one would expect from an album with this description, Spiderland succeeds at creating a soundscape that perfectly illustrates musically the concept of horror: tense, muted guitars aided by Brian McMahan’s deadpan, whispery delivery on all but one track. While the musical style of the album is frequently compared to post-rock, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/a2929f7c-a2bc-4345-a175-b369460bcfcf/a1161661195_10.jpg BLOG - You Really Think This World Is Yours? - Atomic Bomb William Onyeabor While few of Afro-funk pioneer William Onyeabor’s albums are widely known, his 1978 classic is definitely worth a listen. His music is perfect for a Halloween party: it’s groovy, chill and endlessly danceable. While certainly not nearly as creepy as most of the other albums on this list, there are a few cuts that are certainly spine-tingling; notably, “Better Change Your Mind,” in which Onyeabor sings about the inferiority of world powers to the divine over eerie keyboards and guitars. While the long track lengths require a good https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/c3d11e13-f89e-4621-9378-45c1fc956de1/The_B-52%27s_cover.jpg BLOG - You Really Think This World Is Yours? - The B52’s The B52’s Fulfilling my obligation for at least one self-titled record per post here with the legendary new wave band’s 1979 debut. Drawing significant inspiration from sci-fi and surf rock of the late 50s and early 60s, the record incorporates past and current influences in a way that defies description, other than really cool. Vocalist Fred Schneider’s off-kilter, shouted deliveries pair perfectly with the performances of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson, especially on tracks like “Rock Lobster” and “Dance This Mess Around.” The album’s https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/e5e927e5-e253-4969-873a-d2ef4f846f4d/R-28952485-1700325797-6321.jpg BLOG - You Really Think This World Is Yours? - Sad But Happy Promiseland While William Onyeabor or the B-52’s are good music for a Halloween party, this album is probably better for the afterparty: most of the guests have left, but this is where the dancing really starts. The 2023 debut of New York techno-punk Johann Rashid aka Promiseland brings the heat over just over 30 minutes of driving, industrial-inflected dance tunes. Despite his singular talent for aggressive performance, he is able to fit a surprising amount of variety within such a short runtime. Tracks like “Take Down the House” and https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/ef810abf-7833-4a08-8ac5-536159f2f8ef/51NrNqL4B3L._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - You Really Think This World Is Yours? - Car Radio Jerome Fred Lane And His Hittite Hot Shots This delightfully insane outsider jazz classic is probably one of the most out of place albums of the 80s, or of all time really. Across 9 tracks, Lane and his band deliver their characteristically unhinged takes on big band swing, rockabilly, Westerns, soulful ballads and just about everything in between. Lane’s vocal performance is highly erratic, lending his Sinatra-esque croon to https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/65e2eaa9-4ce1-45e2-b391-edb21049c4a0/a1990333595_10.jpg BLOG - You Really Think This World Is Yours? - The Natural Bridge Silver Jews While this album doesn’t seem like a conventional Halloween pick, I would argue that it’s a surprisingly fitting conclusion to this list. The incredible second album of memorable 90s alt-country band Silver Jews has some of the strongest, most melancholy songwriting I’ve ever heard. David Berman deadpans about loneliness, heartbreak and Satanic cities with a surprising sense of humor: “What if life is just some https://www.verbler.net/blog/nr58y51smstqvzi436loj8itb3adbi monthly 0.5 2025-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/ab1c98fb-945a-4033-a668-0d9a92049e58/a3024554805_10.jpg BLOG - Uncharacteristically, I Will Retake Some Optimism - Oversleepers International Emperor X My most verbose entry on this list is probably this 2017 album from folk punk/indietronica mastermind Chad Matheny alias Emperor X. Throughout his entire discography, Matheny tackles a surprisingly broad range of subjects and topics, from heartache to holy wars to philosophy to use of technology to the German healthcare system. In spite of his trademark dense songwriting, his cheerfully apprehensive music has the power to make you feel lots of emotions in unexpected ways. However, it’s listenable enough not to get in the way of your AP Stat homework. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/c6df7eeb-046a-4801-a2e0-cf88ad49ebd7/R-3852260-1347526273-2520.jpg BLOG - Uncharacteristically, I Will Retake Some Optimism - Vacation Bomb the Music Industry! The 2011 final album of Jeff Rosenstock’s legendary pop punk collective is pretty much the musical equivalent of the SpongeBob 20th anniversary birthday special from several years ago: it’s an insane, summery joyride that works as a fitting end to something that was not actually over. While Rosenstock has developed their musical style in many new and interesting ways since beginning their solo career, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/75ed482e-88fc-4338-8109-6ca805d962a5/61OCFWLqeeL._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - Uncharacteristically, I Will Retake Some Optimism - Backatown Trombone Shorty New Orleans jazz-funk prodigy Trombone Shorty’s 2011 debut album is undoubtedly his strongest, balancing catchy, funky grooves, soulful singing and a killer horn section in a way that unabashedly displays the character of his hometown. As a fellow trombonist, I can confirm that Shorty’s style and performance is one of the most dynamic in recent memory. Backatown is an awesome vibe for riding the bus to and from school or hanging with friends: it’s consistent, energetic and enjoyable for anyone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/99e46414-4e65-484c-adcb-9727596b7002/81lrp0fU56L._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - Uncharacteristically, I Will Retake Some Optimism - More Songs About Buildings and Food Talking Heads My oldest entry on this list is the Heads’ acclaimed second album, all the way back from 1978. This music blends the band’s signature guitar-pop approach with elements of funk and art rock, culminating in a blisteringly laid-back cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” on the second half of the album. While less approachable than the most well-known tracks off of 77 or Speaking in Tongues, this album has plenty of variety and rewards listeners over and over again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/686848bd-874f-4b12-a876-d67eaedc5752/71pWflV9gNL._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg BLOG - Uncharacteristically, I Will Retake Some Optimism - No Hands Joey Valence & Brae It wasn’t until quite recently that I realized that this album from hometown heroes JVB was one of my favorites of 2024. The two Penn State grads blend a uniquely forceful rap energy with creative, Beastie Boys-inspired instrumentals and frequently humorous bars. While their music wouldn't be out of place on the streets of New York in the 90’s and 00’s, something about their style harkens back to State College, PA in the 2020s. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/f0c63989-9d0a-43e1-8d7d-5bc7dc6e138a/PinkAlbum.png BLOG - Uncharacteristically, I Will Retake Some Optimism - S/T They Might Be Giants Bizarre, artsy and irresistible, TMBG’s 1986 debut is an album I find myself coming back to pretty often. Probably the strangest entry in a 20+ album discography, the band’s unique artistic vision takes no prisoners. While tracks like “Rabid Child,” Boat of Car” and “Chess Piece Face” are pretty much indecipherable, “Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head,” “Don’t Let’s Start” and “Rhythm Section Want Ad” are neat slices of life pulled directly from the scene where TMBG cut their teeth so to speak. Surprisingly cheery and teenagery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/7cf776ea-3720-4a46-bb3f-cb36fc8e18df/a1566138124_16.jpg BLOG - Uncharacteristically, I Will Retake Some Optimism - There’s Nothing Wrong With Love Built to Spill Last but most certainly not least, Built to Spill’s classic 1994 album is a noisy, heartfelt love letter to adolescence. Frontman and lead guitarist Doug Martsch crafts bittersweet, deeply meaningful tales of love, fulfillment, anxiety and loneliness while absolutely delivering on instrumentals that are both heavy-hitting and enjoyable. While the sound doesn’t reach the same depth and experimental-ness of later Built albums, it’s probably the most deeply felt and personal release in their catalog. This is definitely gonna be the soundtrack to my senior year. https://www.verbler.net/blog/our-generations-depraved-obsession-with-killers monthly 0.5 2025-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/1741317213173-8EBPA7CJ613X6X7ZZQOY/image_2025-03-06_221347989.png BLOG - Our Generation’s Depraved Obsession With Killers and Abusers - A critique on BookTok, the TCC, and TikTok fangirls. Wade Wilson, a 30 year old killer from Florida, was sentenced to the death penalty on August 27 for the brutal murders of two women, Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz. Wilson’s tattooed face features not one, but two swastikas. https://www.verbler.net/blog/welcome-to-verblerdotnet monthly 0.5 2025-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/1733283803372-S1ZVHIVR6UWAD3U7ZZTX/welcome.png BLOG - Welcome to verbler.net! - Welcome to my website!! I’m verbler, and I’m a youtuber, writer, and game dev. and This is just a website/blog where I’m gonna post movie, music, and game reviews, art, news and journalism (which includes articles written by friends), and kinda just anything really. You can find my socials and stuff on the socials page. If you didn’t get that already idk https://www.verbler.net/blog/category/Opinion monthly 0.5 https://www.verbler.net/blog/category/Music monthly 0.5 https://www.verbler.net/blog/category/Review monthly 0.5 https://www.verbler.net/blog/category/Uncanny+Valley monthly 0.5 https://www.verbler.net/toons daily 0.75 2025-01-29 https://www.verbler.net/toons/how-to-draw-verb-face-and-stuff monthly 0.5 2024-12-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/1733284432457-Y7FXYGI03HQ0RJRLBFHG/how2draw.png TOONS - How to Draw: VERB! face and stuff - Part 1 of how to draw this fella This specifically covers the face and expressions, and how you can draw him smiling and allat https://www.verbler.net/movie-reviews daily 0.75 2025-01-08 https://www.verbler.net/movie-reviews/i-saw-the-tv-glow monthly 0.5 2025-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/b3601634-5205-4114-bd1e-56ea38caa74e/image_2025-01-08_132301093.jpg MOVIE REVIEWS - I Saw The TV Glow - ★★★★★(5/5) SPOILER WARNING Watched January 6, 2025 This movie is a different type of horror. It isn’t terrifying and I wasn’t jumpscared at all, but it was able to invoke this overwhelming dread by the end of the movie. It’s a weird mixture of sadness and horror. The idea that this super sweet person was forced to never live as his true self and has lived that way for his ENTIRE life was heartbreaking. The ending, especially, was super sad. When you see him still living that way when he’s in his 40s makes you think about how much time has passed where he has been suffering. It gives you the scariest feeling yet, which is the dread that its too late. The dread that your mental and physical health are deteriorating, you don’t have really anybody to turn to, and there’s nothing you can do in this life. https://www.verbler.net/movie-reviews/alien-romulus monthly 0.5 2025-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/d3a02e7d-1fe4-4bce-b0b8-80eb349272e4/image_2025-01-02_113712769.png MOVIE REVIEWS - ALIEN: Romulus - ★★★★★ (5/5) Watched Aug 17, 2024 This movie is so epic sauce. Best movie in the Alien franchise since Aliens in my opinion. Especially as a lifelong fan of the series, this was so fun to watch. I love how much they actually show the creatures, unlike how they were kinda faceless in Covenant back in like 2017. The acid blood scene is one of my favorites, where they have to avoid it in the air in low gravity. I remember when I saw the offspring for the first time at the end and I was so fuckin scared. I love this movie’s usage of mostly practical effects, and seeing the behind the scenes of that 7 foot tall guy in full makeup and effects was so cool. Anyway, definitely will watch again. I luv this movie https://www.verbler.net/movie-reviews/nosferatu-2024 monthly 0.5 2025-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/a059b255-c9e3-4b3e-8309-6336b2e27f88/image_2024-12-30_222048098.png MOVIE REVIEWS - NOSFERATU (2024) - ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) Watched Dec 17, 2024 I really liked this movie. Definitely one of my top horror movies of the year. It stayed pretty faithful to the 1922 movie, and I like all of the directions they went with it (except giving Orlok a mustache). The cinematography was suuuper good and I also LOVED the sound design. The gulping sound that Orlok would make when sucking someone’s blood was so disgusting and so awesome. The colors also looked really nice. It felt black and white without actually being black and white. It was really cold and blue for most of the movie which looked awesome, and it was warm and orange only in select scenes like when Thomas first enters the castle. I do think that some of the scenes dragged on a bit, which made the movie super long (2h12m runtime! gyart!) but it was still a really nice movie nonetheless. Sex scenes were awkward too. Overall really cool movie, I wanna watch it again. https://www.verbler.net/movie-reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-3 monthly 0.5 2025-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/edb71610-0d1d-4565-96ea-6890bd5ff9c0/image_2024-12-30_220449999.png MOVIE REVIEWS - Sonic The Hedgehog 3 - ★★★★★ (5/5) SPOILER WARNING Watched Dec 21, 2024 Shadow was aura farming the whole movie dawg Seriously though this movie was so fun to watch, and is a love letter to anyone who is a fan of Sonic Adventure 2. My giddy self was cheesing when Sonic said “Talk about low budget flights! No food or movies? We’re outta here!” or when LIVE AND LEARN STARTED PLAYING. Still doesn’t compare to how excited I was at the first post credit scene (though I missed the second one when I watched it so thank you the internet). When not only METAL SONIC but AMY showed up I was boutta exPLODE! Jim Carrey is a gem and I loved bro in this movie, he flawlessly played 2 completely different characters which was very impressive from a technical standpoint so bravo to the whole crew for that. https://www.verbler.net/movie-reviews/shin-godzilla monthly 0.5 2025-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/099e423b-d3cc-450d-8c1e-c5e9102bb5e5/image_2024-12-05_190555361.png MOVIE REVIEWS - Shin Godzilla (2016) - ★★★★★ (5/5) Watched some time in 2016 idk the date This is my favorite Godzilla movie (veery close with -1.0) and on top of that is one of my favorite movies of all time. Godzilla’s design in this movie is one of my favorite monster designs ever, he’s just so fuckin cool looking. just LOOK AT IT. And the splitting jaw when he does the atomic breath? OOOOOUUGH. SPEAKING of atomic breath, the music ACCOMPANIMENT during that scene (“Who Will Know”) is one of my favorite movie songs. The choral parts combined with the orchestra and the MEANING behind the lyrics when you look into them deeper.. oh great heavens...... Looking into it deeper, and I know everybody who has even heard of this movie has had this mansplained to them before, but Godzilla is a monster, a tragic being. He was unwillingly born into a horribly painful life and is now just waiting and hoping for his misery to end. https://www.verbler.net/game-reviews daily 0.75 2024-12-12 https://www.verbler.net/game-reviews/detroit-become-human monthly 0.5 2025-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/29c23e7a-4e20-4d28-a3a0-7ec484408b66/image_2024-12-11_190507928.png GAME REVIEWS - DETROIT: Become Human - ★★★★★ (5/5) Boy oh boy DETROIT: Become Human (2018), where do I even begin…… This game genuinely had me shook when I finished my first playthrough a couple years back. I was staring at the credits for a WHILE. THIS GAME is not only one of the most beautiful looking games I’ve ever played, but has some of the best storytelling in every aspect. Environmental, direct, indirect, I could go on and on. It’s such a cool plot and concept as well, and I really connected with the characters along the way. If I could have a movie or show adaptation of any game, it would probably be this, https://www.verbler.net/game-reviews/doom-eternal monthly 0.5 2024-12-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/ee64e32b-d8d4-40db-b47a-0a2588cb35a0/image_2024-12-05_193355465.png GAME REVIEWS - DOOM Eternal (2020) - ★★★★★ (5/5) Elephant in the room first, the soundtrack. I LOVE you Mick Gordon. All of his Wolfenstein and DOOM 2016 stuff was already peak, and Eternal’s soundtrack just delivers that tenfold. I think the music is one of the key factors to why the gameplay feels so good. The new mechanics like the meathook and the dash add to the already super fluid combat from 2016, and just make it the most fun FPS I’ve experienced. Also, as a huge doom fan, I love how accurate this game is to DOOM 2 from 1994. The designs literally just look like modeled and upscaled versions of the demons from the old games. https://www.verbler.net/home daily 1.0 2025-03-07 https://www.verbler.net/socials daily 0.75 2024-12-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/74f08b98-21a2-4484-abb9-44f31ccb42e2/socialmedia.png https://www.verbler.net/reviews daily 0.75 2024-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/6748bdf8-4d94-4909-8f5e-d084e9363de3/absolute+cinema.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/674e27ae60471244d67bc444/f102d3b7-7fc6-4026-adae-f5a1e3e70bc2/game+reviews.png