Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)

Oranssi Pazuzu

Valonielu
Svart Records/20 Buck Spin (2013)

Oranssi Pazuzu are claiming to be coming from Finland… truth is that a more likely point of origin for this band is outer space. Even their name has an intriguing story behind it, with the band taking the word “Oranssi”, which means orange, as a reference to the first light rays in the big bang, and following with the name “Pazuzu,” coming straight from the Assyrian and Babylonian mythology in which it is the name of the king of the demons of the wind. Even though it might appear to some as a stretch to come up with a name like that, the band sends a clear message as to what their musical identity is. Part psychedelic and space rock (Oranssi) and part extreme and black metal (Pazuzu.)The band has previously released two full-length, their debut album, Muukalainen Puhuu, and their sophomore record,Kosmonument. As excellent as these two albums might have been, it is within Valonielu where Oranssi Pazuzu truly show all of their potential. The band’s vision might be remaining the same, but they explore even further, conjuring sounds beyond the dark corners of space and mind. The music is intoxicating, not letting you go until Valonielu has reached … Read more

Fragarak

Crypts of Dissimulation
Independent (2013)

Indian quintet Fragark have one of the bossest names for a death metal band ever. (Cheat sheet: it comes from … Read more

Medicine

The Buried Life
Captured Tracks (2013)

Give me a few minutes to simply gush about this album (I insist) because while I love the first album … Read more

Medicine

Self, Shot Forth Living
Captured Tracks (2013)

“Sometimes it rains inside my head / All the words run dry…”She sang so sweetly up there on the big … Read more

Arctic Monkeys

AM
Domino (2013)

By the end of their erogenous fifth LP, the Arctic Monkeys have asked three questions: "Do I Wanna Know?", "R … Read more

Hessian

Manégarmr
Southern Lord (2013)

There are at least two bands named Hessian. As such, one of them is supposed to be referred to as … Read more

Browse our review archives

Reviews by year

Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.

Reviews by artist name

Choose a letter to view reviews ordered by that letter (band name first).

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

754 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

5004 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Elvis Costello

North
Deutsche Grammophon (2003)

By now, if you haven't heard or at least heard of Elvis Costello, something is terribly, terribly wrong with you. Emerging as a part of the punk movement in the late 70s, Costello's combination of biting wit, sociopolitical consciousness, and his amazing songwriting has led to him being heralded by many as the best pop songwriter since the Beatles. The man once known as Declan MacManus has been blessing us with his musical offerings for over 25 years now, and has covered too many genres and topics to really count. A mere year ago, Elvis offered us his so-called "rhythm record", reuniting with half of his former backing band, the Attractions, for When I Was Cruel. The album was released to critical acclaim, and to the acclaim of fans who … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Agrimonia

Rites of Separation
Southern Lord (2013)

In this day and age, if you're going to write 11-15 minute songs about death, decay and other moribund topics you need to make damn sure that they're interesting. This is usually achieved with liberal doses of the left hand of doom sprinkled throughout the riffage. On this front, Agrimonia succeeds quite well, and without playing the doom card. At … Read more

Sebastian Plano

Impetus
Denovali (2013)

Sebastian Plano returns two years after his debut album, Arrythmical Part of Hearts. The case of the Argentinian composer is a truly intriguing one. Born into a musical family, Plano became after years of training a multi instrumentalist and a magnificent music composer. Now, with his second album, Impetus, he expands musically even further, where his true genius lies, within … Read more

Mainland

Girls Unknown
Independent (2013)

Sounds can create images. New York City based 4 piece Mainland have this effect on "The Stroll". It concocts an image of bright strobe lights that make you even more bleary eyed in your drunken stupor, as you stomp your heels off the sticky floor in time to the drums as though your life depends on it, before the bridge … Read more

Ulcerate

Vermis
Relapse (2013)

Ulcerate are one of the few bands that can honestly claim to have invented a genre. (Well, a subgenre at any rate.) Blending equal parts atmospheric sludge and technical death metals, the freaky Kiwis sparked a huge following of bands eager to try the same thing. And though they haven't really changed their style much over the years, no one's … Read more

A Storm of Light

Nations To Flames
Southern Lord (2013)

A band reinventing itself is not an uncommon occurrence, but a successful reinvention is, and the more drastic the shift, the less likely it is to succeed. There are some notable success stories, but let's face it, not every band can have the graceful chance of being, say, Anathema. One of the most recent bands to take the chance and … Read more

Psychic Teens

COME
SRA (2013)

So, the three regular adults that make up Psychic Teens has found time in their adult lives to hash out another album of quirky skronking post punk that is somewhat coerced through a heavy (emphasis on the heavy) dose of disaffected charm and maybe some early nineties alternative rock (this is a purposefully broad stroke because there are many little … Read more

The Octopus Project

Fever Forms
Peek-A-Boo Records (2013)

When did the Octopus Project add vocals? Well, it’s not exactly a lead singer—think more along the lines of Black Moth Super Rainbow (with whom they released a collaborative record in 2006)—it’s mostly loops, reverb, and effects, but it really changes the dynamic of the four-piece group from Austin, TX.Dubbing themselves “experimental pop,” Fever Forms is their fifth full-length and … Read more

Orchestre de Trenos

Critique of Musical Reason
Independent (2013)

Let's talk about cajones for a minute.Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, aside from being a formidable, densely written, obtuse tome, is one of the most important books in the history of philosophy. But the reason philosophy students still struggle through semester-long courses in order to scratch the surface of this nigh-impregnable monolith isn't for the blind satisfaction of having … Read more

The Wild

Dreams Are Maps
Asian Man (2013)

Maybe Defiance, Ohio are the height I hold the folk-punk genre to, maybe it’s just that they’re the first such band to really click with me. Regardless, on listening to The Wild’s second full-length, Dreams Are Maps, I find myself making several comparisons. Given the context that’s a good thing. Given the band’s overall sound, well, there are also some … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Haiku Salut

Tricolore
How Does It Feel to Be Loved? (2013)

To say Haiku Salut are an odd ensemble would fall several metres short of the mark, judging by their 2013 release Tricolore.Their music has influences from all over the map, unifying elements of indie, post-rock, electronic music, and even baroque pop. Their compositions, largely instrumental, rarely conform to expectations, with each piece taking more twists and turns than can be … Read more

Video/DVD Review

Various Artists

SpokAnarchy!
MVD Visual (2013)

SpokAnarchy! is a feature-length documentary about the punk rock and new wave movement that took place in Spokane, WA during the ‘80s. Even if you're unfamiliar with the bands or have never even heard of Spokane for that matter, it’s an engaging story told by a seemingly unending source of the scene’s survivors. Many of the characters in the movie … Read more

The Blind Shake

Key to a False Door
Castle Face Records (2013)

It’s no secret to long-time site readers that I’m a fan of The Blind Shake. The Minneapolis trio has released a run of albums now, both on their own and with psychedelic luminary Michael Yonkers. All the while, their distinct sound continues to evolve. Starting as, to coin a term, a power-crunch band, it’s moved more heavily into distortion and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

One Hundred Year Ocean

Where Were You While We Were Getting High?
Broken World Media (2013)

Where Were You While We Were Getting High?, the latest release from the seven-member Connecticut indie-emo band One Hundred Year Ocean, is a four-track collection of massive, breathtaking sonic concoctions.The EP starts with the slow, slightly depressing “Hospital Town”. “Soco Amaretto Bud Light Lime” immediately follows with a faster tempo and brighter feel. “Apples” preserves the happy vibe with upbeat … Read more

Aidan Baker & Leah Buckareff

Breathing Heavy Breathing
Thisquietarmyrecords / Broken Spine Productions (2012)

If the droning sounds were not an indication, then certainly the overall sonic motif is definitely all Aidan Baker, at least his solo piece on this split record with his partner Leah Buckeroff; and while Baker is certainly known for his moody reverb drenched droning that offers sweet sounds and hidden melodies, “Heavy Breathing” actually contains quite a bit of … Read more

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)