Review / 200 Words Or Less
Trashcan Sinatras
In the Music

Lo-Five (2009) Sean K.

Trashcan Sinatras – In the Music cover artwork
Trashcan Sinatras – In the Music — Lo-Five, 2009

The new record by this Scotland group features a finely polished veneer that glides smoothly through your ears from start to finish. The solid interplay of guitars between John Douglas and Paul Livingston continues to take each song to dizzying heights. Coupled with the sincere vocals of Frank Reader and the solid back-beat provided by Stephen Douglas, you are guaranteed a masterful sound. But the songwriting also is on par with the musicianship, no easy feat. "Easy on the Eye" has such memorable lines as, "I'm always losing sleep / She reads between the sheets." "Oranges and Apples" is a moving tribute to former Pink Floyd leader Syd Barrett, "Emily and the English Rose / Shining at the UFO / Hand in hand with your Eskimo / Oranges they fell for you." Great record, great band, and worthy addition to their already extraordinary back catalog. Seek this out without delay.

8.0 / 10Sean K. • October 22, 2009

Trashcan Sinatras – In the Music cover artwork
Trashcan Sinatras – In the Music — Lo-Five, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Citric Dummies

Split With Turnstile
Feel It Records (2025)

Citric Dummies might be the band I saw live the most often in 2025, yet I put off a thorough review of their latest LP until the calendar turned to 2026. Anyway, Split With Turnstile, besides having a great title, continues the band's garage-punk sound that draws from a deep array of influences from eggpunk to '80s hardcore while mostly … Read more

Pageant Mum

Finis Amoris Est
Red Tape Music (2026)

Breakup records usually announce themselves with a band. There is betrayal, shouting, and doors slamming shut. Finis Amoris Est, the new EP from UK post-hardcore outfit Pageant Mum, takes a different route. It’s a record about what happens after the blowup, when the noise dies down and you’re left alone with the quieter, harder questions. Across these four tracks, the … Read more

Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders

After The Dolls
Heavy Medication Records (2026)

Pat Todd is a roots rock and roll incarnate — a relentless road dog, grinding it out night after night with his hot-as-buckshot band, The Rankoutsiders. His shows are raw, electric, and lived-in, a testament to decades on the road. With a career spanning over forty years, Todd has earned a reputation as one of the hardest-working men in the … Read more