Epic Metal, Japanese Noise, Digital Cumbia
Gern Blandsten is closing up shop after 30 years. I can't speak to the label's imprint on the New Jersey indie rock and punk scenes, but GB proved crucial in...
The Drum Fill in "Everlong" Makes Me Cry
Foo Fighters' "Everlong" is a song measured in chills per minute... from the hushed opening and distorted guitar strums;to the moment Dave Grohl first...
Medieval Metal, French Folk, Harp Improv
On a recent trip to rural Virginia, we brought along a cheap kite that'd been buried deep in the recesses of a closet. Having not flown since childhood, I...
Ambient Pop, Finnish Black Metal, Brazilian Free-Jazz
Some professional news: After two years producing it, I'm now the host of the Best Music of the Month podcast from NPR's All Songs Considered! Basically, I...
Ukrainian Blackmetalpunk, Bassoon R&B, Indonesian Hardcore
The situation in Ukraine changes day to day. Like so many, I watch with worry and heartbreak. I don't pretend to write about things I don't know or...
I (Do Not) Long for Eternal Frost and Black Winters
Greatest Blashyrkh wait for me your deepest realms I'll find / With songs that sound eternally for you my call is ever so strong Winter does not agree with...
D&D IRL, Squirrel Power, Old Man Michelangelo
I am, by no means, a comics expert — I barely know the major story arcs of Marvel and DC from the last decade, and, in fact, find most of them tedious! But...
Mexican Psych, Ragged Rock, Boom-Bap Soul
Y'all ever lost a dog? It is exhausting. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Our 12-year-old pup Cocoa Bean slipped out a gate on Saturday, confirmed by a...
Spectral Black Metal, Dance-Punk Revival, Rapturous Free-Jazz
Never thought I'd become a tea cocktail guy, but I have recently taken to putting cereal milk in black tea and, y'all, it's glorious. Cheerios milk in my own...
Japanese Emo, Spanish Street Punk, Blackend Top 40
It's been a minute, but I wanted to say thanks for subscribing to the Viking's Choice newsletter! It's a constant work in progress! And it's going to look a...
Why Do Memories Glow the Way Real Moments Don't? 2021 in Music, Part 2
I have measured my life with bootleg tees purchased online. Didn't read many books, but predictably cried to Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Didn't...
But You Were My Mirrored Sky. 2021 in Music, Part 1
If I could, I would write a 300-album year-end list. Music consumes my every day: from checking my Bandcamp feed in the morning to emails from...
Screamed from Pits and Office Chairs! 2021 in Metal
Metal is life's blood... ... drunk from horns and tallboys, screamed from pits and home office chairs – well, more of the latter than the former these days....
You Can Fingerpick Anything! 2021 in Guitar Music
In the spring of 2021, I had a revelation. Fingerstyle guitar dared itself to transform. To grow beyond its presumed roots and sprout beautiful, perhaps even...
Today, let's make the yuletide weird
"We Three Kings" played on sitar? King Diamond? Amy Grant? Yup, I'm hosting a holiday music marathon dubbed the Viking's Choice Holiday Special from 12-8...
Viking's Choice Guide To Bandcamp Friday (Nov. 2021)
Welcome the last (?) Viking’s Choice Guide to Bandcamp Friday!I absolutely reserve the right to bring back this monthly-ish list of new albums dropping on...
Viking's Choice Guide To Bandcamp Friday (Nov. 2021)
Welcome the last (?) Viking's Choice Guide to Bandcamp Friday! I absolutely reserve the right to bring back this monthly-ish list of new albums dropping on...
Viking's Choice Guide To Bandcamp Friday (Oct. 2021)
Every day is Bandcamp Friday if you toss in a couple extra bucks. I've said this before, but it bears repeating. Anyway, if you're new here, hi! Bandcamp...
Burger Emo, Salty Post-Punk, Power Metal Storytime
I don't believe in guilty pleasures… … but there are some songs that I only share with close friends. Songs that demonstrate certain qualities intrinsic to...
This Beautiful Mess
This is not the actual artwork for Sixpence None the Richer’s This Beautiful Mess. But since the test presses only came in paper sleeves, I let my two-year-...