I don’t know what to make of this fucking zine. What I can tell you is that it is NYC-based (hence the 212 references, as those said digits represent the city’s area code) Universe City has the standard CD and zine reviews, band and eclectic people interviews, and, well, all kinds of other shit because it is a monster of a publication at two hundred plus pages. And I can tell you that they do possess that aesthetic of DIY: that feeling of kinship like they are people you could meet in an elevator or in the kitchen at a party and immediately warm up to. But Jesus Christ, the layout fucking eats some serious ass. I mean, I know it is a theme issue and all but that old school computer font that looks like your first LCD watch drove me batty and the wacky piecemealed design was downright distracting. It’s as if the crew at Razorcake HQ punk’ed me and sent a zine from ’91. I mean, who still has an AOL email account?  Flabbergasted I am (well, I’ll settle for stoned but either way: what the fuck?). – Greg Barbera (Gabe Walter, PO Box 668 NY, NY 10116)