Blood Brothers - Crimes (V2)
The Blood Brothers stated right after releasing Burn Piano Island, Burn that the next record would be much more simple due to the fact of playing the songs live. In turn, that meant "this shit is going to be boring." That is exactly where I found Crimes to be. Nothing was groundbreaking or new about it like BPIB was and they somehow managed to make their voices go even higher, which I didn't think was humanly possible. Songs like "Love Rhymes with Hideous Car Wreck" just put the nail in the coffin that this record was not the follow up that everyone would be looking for. Then to outdo themselves even more, they decided a "hip-hop" breakdown at the end of "Teen Heat" would help the record. Well, I've listened to it twice (the second time to write this). No thanks.
The Album Leaf - In a Safe Place (Sub Pop)
Jimmy Lavalle's project, The Album Leaf, put out their Sub Pop debut this year after releasing critically acclaimed record One Day I'll Be on Time on Tiger Style in 2001. For this record, Lavalle travelled all the way to Iceland to record in Sigur Rós famous swimming pool turned recording studio, Mosfellsbaer. He also had the help of three members of Sigur Rós, Pall Jenkins of Black Heart Procession, and an ex-member of Múm. So how could he end up putting out, quite possibly one of the most dissapointing records of his musical career? Well, the fact that he is now singing on some songs doesn't help. Even the vocal contribution of Jonsi on "Over the Pond" was fairly bland. Not a complete bomb, but dissapointing nonetheless.
Piebald - All Ears, All Eyes, All the Time (Side One Dummy)
After putting out some excellent records on Big Wheel Rec and riding the wave of popularity their last record, We Are the Only Friends We Have, had brought them, Piebald signed to Side One Dummy to release their newest effort. What happened in the transition is, they went from exciting and fun to dull and boring. Their newest effort didn't have a single song that would catch you the way "Just a Simple Plan", "American Hearts", "The Stalker", or anything on If It Weren't for Venetian Blinds, It Would Be Curtains for Us All did. Shit, "Haven't Tried" sounded like Billy Joel's name should have been in the writing credits. Hopefully this band will bounce back to top form sometime.
Hot Cross - Fair Trades and Farewells (Level Plane)
Despite what my review on this site says, Cryonics ended up growing on me and became one of my favorite of 2003. This had me so excited for the very quick follow up EP, Fair Trades and Farewells. Except, what happened here is, they took the Cryonics formula to the extreme and ended up making a record that had some terrible singing (such as in "Solanka") and way too much fretboard acrobatics for it's own good. If they laid off on wanking off on the guitar parts and went back to writing more catchier and focused tunes(and told that other guy who sings to shut the fuck up), they'd be back in the forefront of the screamo genre.
Engine Down - Engine Down (Lookout!)
There is quite a pattern going on here when it comes to these dissapointing records. The majority of them saw the band moving up to bigger labels and getting more exposure than ever before. The newest Engine Down record was no exception. With Denali blowing up right before their break-up, there was a trickle down factor to Keeley Davis' full time band, Engine Down. I don't know if that put anymore pressure on them to write the record they did but instead of delivering more of the quality indie rock they were known for, they opted for a more radio-friendly sound. Right off the bat with the first song, "Rogue", Engine Down kicks it off with a chorus that, to me, wouldn't sound too out of place in any of those Linkin Park songs you hear on the radio. The whole record just smelled of an attempt to cash in on the bigger exposure Lookout! was going to bring them. Even Cornbread Compton's drumming seemed to be dummied down a bit, one of the factors I always found to be best about this band. Time will tell if the backlash on this record will send the message to the band to return to their roots.
-Shane
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