Recent reviews

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

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

The Necks

Bleed
Northern Spy (2024)

Any record The Necks release is a pathway to a deeply meditative experience. From the vastness of Open to the cinematic introspection of Vertigo and the constant build-up of Unfold, this act rarely (if at all) disappoints. Their latest offering, Bleed, sees them return to their most delicate strand of minimalism, patiently weaving their compositions in an attempt to uncover something beautiful and profound within. From one standpoint Bleed feels like an exploration of space. How the 40-minute long track opens up with the subtle piano notes echoing in solitude is stunning. The trio is seemingly placed in a dark hall, unaware of their surroundings and attempting to map out its architecture through the instruments. The piano acts almost like a sonar, bouncing across the walls of this near-endless space, cartographing all its imperfections and nuances. Yet, there are many halls in Bleed, and The Necks take their time to explore all. In the second half of the record, they descend to a type of underwater domain where the playing becomes more active. In this frantic manner, the result is intriguing, taking on an almost distorted form through the lower frequency applications. The less is more methodology works wonders once … Read more

Massive Nightmares

Massive Nightmares
Independent (2024)

Right from the start, this EP sounds familiar. I can’t quite place the band I’m thinking of, but Massive Nightmares … Read more

Aluk Todolo

Lux
NoEvDia (2024)

Aluk Todolo's experimentalism always felt boundless, not shackled to a particular sound or genre. Since their inception back in 2004, … Read more

Chimes Of Bayonets

Replicator
Peterwalkee Records (2024)

New York based three piece, Chimes Of Bayonets, released their first album, Replicator, in February of this year after a … Read more

Night Jobs

Shop Dog EP
Independent (2024)

Can a band sound too personal? Too local? These are my burning questions as I break down the latest EP … Read more

The Dopamines

80/20
Rad Girlfriend Records (2024)

On the brand new 80/20, The Dopamines break into a whoa-oh! about six seconds in, then their trademark shouted vocal … Read more

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One from the archives

Green Day

21st Century Breakdown
Reprise (2009)

Multiple Authors

Green Day are at a point in their careers where they can basically do anything. Almost all of their fans from the Gilman Street days are gone and they seem to appeal to a completely different crowd now. That's not to say that the "true punks" don't still enjoy then, but the band's audience has definitely expanded over the years and it reached a new height after American Idiot, an album that managed to spawn numerous successful hits and rejuvenate the band's popularity. Ever since Warning the band's sound has taken an interesting turn and it exploded with the rock opera, American Idiot. That album set the bar very high for them and it's apparent that the band that once made Dookie is now gone. They've distanced themselves from the … Read more

More album reviews

The MES

Evil Echo and Deaf Mind-
Independent (2024)

Divine intervention from Finland weaving this ripsnorter straight up the nasal cavity producing flashing lights and heightened endorphin production ……. oh, the downside -repetition is essential for pure unadulterated drops of artificial sweetener-sucralose to take full effect (sure beats saccharin). So, some old geezer like myself is under no illusion that he knows all about music but this ain't my … Read more

Various Artists

Middle-Aged Queers / The Raging Nathans - DCxPC Live Volume 20
DCxPC Live, Wave Mage Records (2024)

Beginning with the layout of their album covers and continuing with the live recording theme, DCxPC Live releases are inspired by V.M.L. Records from the mid-1990s. Like that label, it’s about the energy and what it’s like to be in person at a show. While of course everybody wants a nice sounding record, the goal is more about mood than … Read more

Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin

Records
Rock On Records (2024)

Rob Moss was a member of one of my favourite D.C early hardcore bands, Government Issue as well as Artificial Peace. While Rob officially joined Government Issue in 1983 and played on their US tour, one could say he was a GI since the band began. Rob not only sang backup vocals on the Legless Bull E.P., he made that … Read more

Vicious Dreams

Turn Off My Brain
Brassneck Records, Dirt Cult, GC Records, Swamp Cabbage Records (2024)

Poppy punk from Florida, Vicious Dreams is a dual vocal trio who recently released Turn Off My Brain. This record follows the tried and true garage to rock to punk evolution of 4/4 songs with catchy choruses. What makes the group stand out is the way the two vocalists split duties and songwriting. It’s very clear when the songwriter changes, … Read more

Stoke Signals

Make Dying Fun
Independent (2024)

Stoke Signals are an emo-punk hybrid. The band bears most of the marks of the midtempo, singalong gruff-vocal punk I enjoy. But with some song structure and lyrical patterns of the far more popular emo-rock style that took off some 20 years ago. And: live by emo, die by emo. It’s a genre that puts the lyrics front and center … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Assistert Sjølmord

Assistert Sjølmord
Static Shock Records (2024)

They say love is a universal language. But this eponymous EP by Norway’s Assistert Sjølmord is downright angry, so maybe they got that one wrong. I don’t know what they are singing about on here at all, though I can discern a few words from the song titles. But this 7” is a 7-song rager. The drums set the tone, … Read more

The Mocks

Do You Want Me Too?
Wap Shoo Wap Records (2024)

Retro music as retro as this is not something I listen to a lot. Nick Waterhouse is the closest comparison I can make that I actually listen to. So why on earth am I reviewing this album, you might wonder? Well, I discovered their label last year. Wap Shoo Wap is a Dutch label specialized in old school punk and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Lucta

Eterna Lotta
Static Shock Records (2024)

Lucta come from Milan, IT and play heavy, fast hardcore that sounds straight out of 1984. It’s aggressive, while also feeling unpredictable and a little bit unstable, like it could break into pure chaos at any moment. There are some metallic flourishes, kicking off with a minute-plus heavy atmospheric instrumental lead in the intro track, “Sacrificio,” but then it shifts … Read more

Geneviève Beaulieu

Augury
Union Finale Records (2024)

There is no doubt that Menace Ruine is a pioneering force in the extreme music space. The Quebec-based duo of Geneviève Beaulieu and S. de la Moth honed their avant-garde sound by encapsulating components of drone, neo-folk, and tinges of black metal. This unique mix resulted in some of the seminal works of the ‘10s, particularly Alight In Ashes and … Read more

Scrunchies

Colossal
Learning Curve Records (2024)

I’ve covered a lot of bands in the Scrunchies family tree in the past, so Colossal is pretty much what I expected. Yet, at the same time, it’s a slight turnaround in style for the band, who released Feral Coast in 2022, which was a punkier sound. Their third LP, on new label Learning Curve, Colossal takes a hard ‘90s … Read more

MakeWar

A Paradoxical Theory of Change
Fat Wreck Chords (2024)

This is the third album from MakeWar and they have their sound pinned down. I mean that, in the best way possible, A Paradoxical Theory Of Change is exactly what you want from the band. I also note it because, as it’s my third time review them, I’m trying not to repeat myself. This album introduces a new drummer, Alejandro … Read more

Shehehe

Namedroppers
Say-10 (2024)

  Shehehe, from Athens, GA, deliver a powerful sound that’s part rip-roarin’ rock ‘n’ roll, and equal part Ramones. It’s as classic as it gets in a way, while still feeling like a unique band that’s doing their own thing. Throw in a dose of DIY grit, and you’ve got their general sound. It’s punk rock from the heart, where you … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Bootlicker

1000 Yd. Stare
Neon Taste Records, Static Shock Records (2024)

This full-length record might fit on a 7”. It’s short and fast, but still definitely a full record with 10 fully-formed tracks of stomping punk rock just over 15 minutes overall. I’ve written about the band before and this record continues their trajectory. I remember a little more barking and aggression last time, but that isn’t to say this record … Read more

Various Artists

DCxPC Live Volume 22
DCxPC Live (2024)

Volume 22 of DCxPC Live, a live album vinyl record label for punk, hardcore, ska and metal bands, features Sticky Steve, Borrowed Sparks, Jacob Danielsen-Moore and Dougie Flesh and the Slashers. This iteration leans heavy into folk punk and psychobilly sensibilities. Think Laura Jane Grace if she was obsessed with Spirit Halloween and B-horror movies. The vinyl itself didn’t seem … Read more

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