I still do not understand why more cities don’t support independent publishers and magazines like SLUG. For those that are not familiar with the magazine, it is a free, Salt Lake City (and increasingly Ogden)-based coverage of events, skating (and snowboarding), music, art, and media. Beyond that, they have a hell of a strong design staff, intelligently tying together the local advertisements with well-written material. As usual, “Dear Dickheads” starts out the magazine with a solid dose of vitriol, while Jessica Davis’ coverage of local acts Fictionist and Bramble showcases the vibrancy of the SLC.
“Bust Till Dusk” keeps things cranking, as four pages of skateboarding coverage goes by incredibly fast, aided by sharp and intense pictures of each rider. Heck Fork Grief’s piece on Meditrina makes me want to board the next flight out to the restaurant, while individual pieces on a number of crafty people at the Salty Streets Flea Market shows that not everyone has been brainwashed by Wal-Mart and Target. Throw in a few reviews of movies, DVDs, video games, music, and the like, and readers have least as much material to go through as any issue of Maximumrocknroll or AP.
Rating: 7.4/10
Slug #260 / Free / 1:15 / http://www.slugmag.com
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
Contact: editor@neufutur.com