Kevin Alexander
LightNews LightNews
banner
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Kevin Alexander
@kevinalexander.bsky.social
920 followers 650 following 2.3K posts
Indie music reporter | Mixtape maker | Playlist dealer. | EIC of The Riff on Medium.com | I write the On Repeat Records newsletter.
#music #avgeek

Hot takes on cool records:

https://thekevinalexander.substack.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Kevin Alexander @kevinalexander.bsky.social · Nov 19
Hello new friends! 👋

As an intro, here is my newsletter On Repeat Records.

Looking for a place to share the music you love w/like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.

Please consider subscribing (free/paid). Give me 2 weeks; I'll give you a new favorite song.

thekevinalexander.substack.com
On Repeat Records | Kevin Alexander | Substack
A music newsletter & community for people tired of algorithms. Record reviews, interviews, and more. Click to read On Repeat Records, by Kevin Alexander, a Substack publication with thousands of subsc...
thekevinalexander.substack.com
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Liquid Gold is a *ride*
November 12, 2025 at 7:22 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
I’m in my Skinny Puppy era:

open.qobuz.com/track/154870...
Open Qobuz
open.qobuz.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
francescahongwi.bsky.social
This week, I introduced legislation that would cap energy bills at 2% of household income.

This bill is going to lower energy payments for hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites and ensure that no one ever has their power or heat shut off simply because they cannot afford it.
2% -- proposing a 2% cap for energy bills relative to household income.
November 12, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
audacityofdespair.bsky.social
Is Schumer still the minority leader? Is Durbin still the whip? Is Cortes-Masto still a vice chair? Good Democrats -- rank and file, those committed to restoring party --must tell Act Blue and every candidate with hands out for the coming midterms -- that there's no cash coming without new leaders.
November 11, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
rosyoverdrive.com
New blog post! Wrote about new records from The Maple State, Ivy Boy, Hyperviolets @bornlosersrecords.bsky.social, and Xay Cole:
Pressing Concerns: The Maple State, Ivy Boy, Hyperviolets, Xay Cole
For the Tuesday Pressing Concerns, we have four albums that have come out in the past month or so: new LPs from The Maple State, Ivy Boy, Hyperviolets, and Xay Cole. If you missed yesterday’s…
rosyoverdrive.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 3:26 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Vote New Order!
bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social The Best Album of 1989 @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social · 2d
Only 7 more votes to tie for the most total votes in a 1989 match!
bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social The Best Album of 1989 @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social · 2d
The Best Album of 1989 Round 4 Match #116
#5 Nine Inch Nails, PRETTY HATE MACHINE
vs.
#12 New Order, TECHNIQUE

forms.gle/aUNP2DdimdRR...
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
nikostratis.com
once we’re through Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald day, we’re allowed to move onto the final Holiday Season of the year - (listening to A Long December by The Counting Crows)
November 11, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
cyrthogg.bsky.social
National League Manager of the Year is awarded tomorrow, and it probably goes to the man coaching the team from Wisconsin.
November 11, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
aldorado.bsky.social
Tough matchup. This NIN album holds a special place in the corner of my mind but Technique is my fav New Order album. It's one I reach for often. I listen to it every couple of weeks. Far more than Pretty Hate Machine. Vote Technique.
November 10, 2025 at 7:13 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Let's gooooo!
November 11, 2025 at 10:28 AM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
New Order hive rise up!
November 11, 2025 at 12:32 AM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
A few words on one of man’s crowning achievements:
bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social The Best Album of 1989 @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social · 2d
We have one Designated Cheerleader today, it’s from @kevinalexander.bsky.social and it’s for TECHNIQUE! It’s also in two parts. Take it away, Kevin! (1/2)
There's not much point in burying the lede here; this lookback won't come close to being objective. If you've been with us for more than a few weeks, you know my love for this band and are keenly aware that On Repeat Records could devolve into a New Order fan page at any moment. That said, this record is a massive achievement for the band at a time when not much else was going right for them- certainly not internally, anyway. To put something out amidst so much strife and financial pressure alone would be worth noting. That it is some of the best work they've ever produced makes it all the more remarkable. Most people will remember March 24th, 1989, as the date the Exxon Valdez ran aground. I remember walking to the closest shopping mall to get tickets to see New Order. That was the closest Ticketmaster outlet, and I was probably halfway down the street before my mom had even finished giving me permission. With the benefit of hindsight - and now being a parent myself - I now know what a huge leap of faith this must've been for her. We lived in the suburbs, and she was giving the green light to an (almost) 14 yr. old to ride the bus across the metro area to see a band she heard nonstop but didn't know. I suppose on some level you just know when to let your kids leap. The band was on the road supporting their 5th studio album, Technique, and it came out when I was in junior high. The record was one of the bright spots in an otherwise blah era for me. If Low Life is a show at an intimate venue, Technique is a sweaty rave filled with strobe lights and ecstasy. Indeed, the record was partly recorded in Ibiza with the band off their rockers. Technique is firmly rooted in the sounds surrounding them in their new environs. They choose the sunny locale at Hook's insistence after a run of recordings made in "dark and horrible" London studios. The band decamped for Ibiza, hoping the change in scenery (and menu of drugs) would have the same positive effect that New York had had for them years earlier. It worked...sort of... After four months, the band only had 'Fine Time' and a couple of other tracks recorded to show for their time on the island. Declaring their holiday over, their label called them back to the UK, where they finished the record at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. We had expected to hear a lot of acid house music when we got to Ibiza because that had taken off in Manchester two to three months before we left, but we didn't - we were hearing something called Balearic Beat, " Bernard said. We were actually disappointed at first because we were really into acid house, and what we heard, this Balearic Beat, was this crazy mash-up of styles and really commercial-sounding but there was also some really good stuff. By the end of our time there we were really influenced by it. Their time in the sun may seem unproductive on the surface, but it had left an indelible mark on the group's sound. Fine Time is an aeid house Balearic Beat classic. Round and Round is pop perfection and saw decent airtime on MTV.
November 10, 2025 at 6:35 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Vote Technique!
bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social The Best Album of 1989 @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social · 2d
We have one Designated Cheerleader today, it’s from @kevinalexander.bsky.social and it’s for TECHNIQUE! It’s also in two parts. Take it away, Kevin! (1/2)
There's not much point in burying the lede here; this lookback won't come close to being objective. If you've been with us for more than a few weeks, you know my love for this band and are keenly aware that On Repeat Records could devolve into a New Order fan page at any moment. That said, this record is a massive achievement for the band at a time when not much else was going right for them- certainly not internally, anyway. To put something out amidst so much strife and financial pressure alone would be worth noting. That it is some of the best work they've ever produced makes it all the more remarkable. Most people will remember March 24th, 1989, as the date the Exxon Valdez ran aground. I remember walking to the closest shopping mall to get tickets to see New Order. That was the closest Ticketmaster outlet, and I was probably halfway down the street before my mom had even finished giving me permission. With the benefit of hindsight - and now being a parent myself - I now know what a huge leap of faith this must've been for her. We lived in the suburbs, and she was giving the green light to an (almost) 14 yr. old to ride the bus across the metro area to see a band she heard nonstop but didn't know. I suppose on some level you just know when to let your kids leap. The band was on the road supporting their 5th studio album, Technique, and it came out when I was in junior high. The record was one of the bright spots in an otherwise blah era for me. If Low Life is a show at an intimate venue, Technique is a sweaty rave filled with strobe lights and ecstasy. Indeed, the record was partly recorded in Ibiza with the band off their rockers. Technique is firmly rooted in the sounds surrounding them in their new environs. They choose the sunny locale at Hook's insistence after a run of recordings made in "dark and horrible" London studios. The band decamped for Ibiza, hoping the change in scenery (and menu of drugs) would have the same positive effect that New York had had for them years earlier. It worked...sort of... After four months, the band only had 'Fine Time' and a couple of other tracks recorded to show for their time on the island. Declaring their holiday over, their label called them back to the UK, where they finished the record at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. We had expected to hear a lot of acid house music when we got to Ibiza because that had taken off in Manchester two to three months before we left, but we didn't - we were hearing something called Balearic Beat, " Bernard said. We were actually disappointed at first because we were really into acid house, and what we heard, this Balearic Beat, was this crazy mash-up of styles and really commercial-sounding but there was also some really good stuff. By the end of our time there we were really influenced by it. Their time in the sun may seem unproductive on the surface, but it had left an indelible mark on the group's sound. Fine Time is an aeid house Balearic Beat classic. Round and Round is pop perfection and saw decent airtime on MTV.
November 10, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
markey.senate.gov
No health care, no deal.
November 10, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
ihavethatonvinyl.com
gonna tell my kids this was vampire weekend
big boi, jack white, andre 3000
November 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
This show never misses:
nstop.com Jen Matson (DJ nstop) @nstop.com · 5d
This and last week's show now up on Mixcloud! Two hours of Cycles Per Second, with the freshest underground jangle, drone, fuzz and roar from 🇩🇪🇫🇮🇫🇷🇬🇧🇪🇸🇦🇺🇨🇦🇵🇱🇳🇿🇳🇱🇺🇸

www.mixcloud.com/nstop/cycles...

www.mixcloud.com/nstop/cycles...
Cover image for the November 5, 2025 edition of Cycles Per Second: two vintage stereo receivers, one tinted orange-red, the other tinted blue, each placed atop an asymmetric green-blue triangle, set on a light blue textured background Playlist for the October 29, 2025 edition of Cycles Per Second: Pálida Tez - Dibujo animado Golden Starlet - DIY (radio session) Puppet Wipes - Holding Ceremony Over His Wife's Corpse The Hobknobs - Dictionary The Bats - A Crutch A Post Speed Week - Subdivision Liiek - Rumors Balk - All the Fun is Over Now Minot - Walls Cómo Vivir en el Campo - Mierda D. McCartney - I Won't Ride That Way, Again Healees - Forest Fire (demo) MONT LOSER - Never Guess EXNOVIOS - HA VENIDO A QUEDARSE mute swan - Hypnosis Tapes GUV - Warmer Than Gold Jenny Hoyston - The Legless Chair Cover image for the October 29, 2025 edition of Cycles Per Second: green-tinted illustration of an acoustic guitar tilted to the left, placed on a warped sea green square inside of a brush-stroke green-blue circle, set on a textured yellow background Playlist for the November 5, 2025 edition of Cycles Per Second: Teini-Pää - Kynsinauhat Sachet - Mr Hedgey Speccy - Stars Nice Breeze - Now What jim's twenty-one - I Want To Hot Chicks - Curve Atol Atol Atol - Blok Prise Rapide - Partir Parking Lot - I Play In A Band Nervous Twitch - Game You're Playing Joel Cusumano - Mary Katharine RETAIL SIMPS - Sedation Everywhere Midnight Mines - The Sudden Art Of Falling Apart floralhall - Track 2 Kiwi jr - Hard Drive, Ontario Hairband - Surfacing
November 9, 2025 at 3:59 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Yesterday I shared some thoughts on gatekeepers and shattered some myths about music discovery.
#music
For The Record- 08. November. 2025
Some thoughts on gatekeepers, Gen X, and the myth of good music.
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:20 AM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Nobody wants this
vacheestfachee.bsky.social La vache est fachée @vacheestfachee.bsky.social · 5d
"Store employees are now required to smile if they are within 10 feet of a shopper.

They also must make eye contact with and wave to or greet the customer.

If they’re within four feet, the employee should ask how the customer’s day is going or if they need help."

🙄 Won't stop the boycott, y'all.
Target is now requiring its employees to smile more
As the holiday season fast approaches, Target is urging its employees to add a little more “jolly” to their work routine.
www.wilx.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:22 AM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
If you see this, post an album cover with a motor vehicle on it
November 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Post you from a different era.
November 8, 2025 at 2:28 AM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 8:23 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
“Trump cancelled your flight”
November 7, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by Kevin Alexander
inmostlight.bsky.social
Finally, an epic showdown between the people that go to a club to dance and the people that go to a club to cry in the corner.

(I'm team cry.)
November 7, 2025 at 4:04 PM
kevinalexander.bsky.social
Goodbye Miss Jackson. I’ll miss you much.
bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social The Best Album of 1989 @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social · 5d
We have one Designated Cheerleader today, it’s from
@kevinalexander.bsky.social , and it’s for DISINTEGRATION! Take it away, Kevin!
I'II save everyone some time: Disintegration is one of my Desert Island Discs. Some Cure fans will swear by a record like 17 Seconds. For others The Head on the Door is a hill they're willing to die on. A chaos agent or two might even throw a vote in for Wild Mood Swings. Me? It's this record, and it's not even close. Last fall, as Sam Colt and I wrapped up or top 100 records of all time, I slotted Disintegration in at #4. Nothing has changed in the ensuing months. I'm resharing that blurb in full below: Do kids these days still go through their "Cure phase?" Growing up, it just seemed like something you were supposed to do, even if you weren't feeling particularly miserable. There was always a bit of irony there. Robert Smith was feeling down when recording this began. He felt pressure to follow up on the success Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me had brought, and he was disillusioned with the band's newfound popularity. He escaped those closing walls by taking a lot of LSD. Disintegration was every bit a group effort, but the result feels like we're on one of Smith's trips. This was Sam's #38 pick, and he wrote that he ".. threw on some headphones and was blown away by how big everything sounded..." I'm not sure when Sam first put this record on, but I can tell you my first impression was almost the same. Even when they wandered a bit, the band's previous records felt (relatively) compact. This was much more sprawling. Languid in parts, haunting in others. It was-and is-a sonic kaleidoscope, "Plainsong" especially. "Fascination Street" feels like the most on-brand track on the album, and even that sounds like new ground. The title track's riff is as good as any the band ever recorded. The shattering of a mind never sounded so catchy. For my part, I described the record as "A masterpiece. Gorgeous, lush music from the elder statesmen of the alternative/goth/whatever world. Reach into the bag and pick whatever superlative you want; they all fit. It was a record so good that one of their best tracks from that era ("2 Late") was relegated to being a B-side. Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me was one of the first CDs I ever bought. Growing up, I had a poster of Head on the Door in my bedroom. But if the house is on fire, this is the record I'm grabbing." In that same issue, I named Marvin Gaye's What's Going On my #36 pick, which, according to Sam, was an act of war. It became the yardstick against which every one of my future picks would be compared. I feel the same way with Sam "only" rating this #38. Gaye was looking to heal a splintered world. Smith was looking to heal his splintered mind. Both wound up delivering the best work of their careers.
November 7, 2025 at 4:31 PM