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)

Gateway District

Some Days You Get The Thunder
It's Alive (2009)

What would a new band that features members of Banner Pilot, The Soviettes, Off With Their Heads, and Dear Landlord sound like if locked in a broom closet and forced to come up with songs? I'm guessing something like this release. They may be ex-members of some of these bands (I'm too lazy to check) but the influence is still there. "Bad Idea" sounds like early X while "River Trash" mines the Replacements canon for pure gold. "United Crushers" opening guitar riff sounds like the ghost of Bob Stinson even. If any of that is even remotely interesting to you, than this record will not disappoint. The Gateway District know their roots, pull them up, toss some pepper on them, and fry them up for all to enjoy. Good eats! Read more

Sims

False Hopes XIV
Doomtree (2009)

Lights Out Paris was one of my favorite releases of 2005, but as the Doomtree crew only has so much … Read more

Call Me Lightning

When I Am Gone My Blood Will Be Free
Dusty Medical (2010)

Is this the band that released Soft Skeletons? It's been 3 years, and clearly the band has opted to go … Read more

Mayflower

Second Best Sunsets
Kiss of Death (2010)

After a brief intro track (what's the point of intros, anyway?), Mayflower kicks things off with the energetic "I Never … Read more

Rotting Christ

Aealo
Season of Mist (2010)

If you're like me, you've seen the name 'Rotting Christ' thrown around for years, but you never listened to the … Read more

Integrity

The Blackest Curse
Deathwish Inc. (2010)

Finally, after literally years of waiting to hear this new Integrity album and a couple of teaser releases that barely … Read more

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One from the archives

Endless Mike and the Beagle Club

St. Paul
A-F (2016)

Endless Mike and the Beagle Club are from Johnstown, PA (about an hour outside of my second home, Pittsburgh), and their album St. Paul (produced by Anti-Flag's Chris Baker, adding some Pittsburgh history) embodies the DIY PA punk aesthetic that I’ve come to love over the years. Around since 2003, the band is more or less lead-singer Mike Miller’s solo project, but Miller’s friends have flowed in and out of it, making what Miller calls “an indie/punk orchestra.” Indeed, Miller has formed a club that seems like a joy to be a part of. You can hear this a-solo-project-or-a-club? dynamic throughout St. Paul: The album is as eclectic as its cover; some songs are straightforward loud punk songs, others are tinged by folk sensibilities or theatrical strings and horns, and … Read more

More album reviews

Nachtmystium

Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. 2
Century Media (2010)

Blake Judd has had a rough last couple years, missing two of Nachtmystium's biggest breaks as a result of a strange coincidence and outright misinformation. First, getting thrown off of the first annual Scion Fest for supposedly being a National Socialist band (they are not). The second occurred shortly thereafter losing out on a spot in direct support of The … Read more

Starkweather

This Sheltering Night
Deathwish Inc. (2010)

Wow, a new Starkweather album, and so soon after their last one (Croatoan)? Seriously, it is exciting to hear another album from this long running and challenging outfit; and maybe being on a label run by fans of theirs, Starkweather may finally see some recognition for their forward thinking music (hopefully they do not remain a band's band). In any … Read more

Parasitic Skies

The Descent
Seventh Dagger (2010)

Metalcore may be the most loaded term in modern underground music. For most it means you sound like Hatebreed or for the slightly more adventurous Heaven Shall Burn. Either way, you're running the risk of monotony and probably jokes at your expense from those too cool. While I say this, there was a time in the 90's that metalcore was … Read more

Harvestman

In a Dark Tongue
Neurot (2009)

Being a side project of a member of Neurosis always lends an air of cache to such musical project, and Harvestman is one that is certainly intriguing as it could be considered an almost psychedelic (an insane description of music if ever I heard one, although there are worse) outfit, which gives me the impression of Neurosis minus the heaviness. … Read more

The Love Below

Reproductive Rights
A389 (2010)

Do you like your hardcore punk raw sounding so that it comes across in absolutely vicious manner? If so, then The Love Below should surely be moved to the front of the line of bands to check out and their latest EP, Reproductive Rights, is a great place to start. This whole release is pretty classic from the packaging, to … Read more

Nathan Xander

The Fear
Deep Elm (2009)

Every once in awhile you try out an album and it becomes a happy accident. These albums become special to you because you just took a chance and found something special. I was hoping for this when I picked this from the promo pile. I had high hopes as this was compared to Ryan Adams primarily. While this comparison fits … Read more

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Wild Hunt
Dead Oceans (2010)

Kristian Matsson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth, wants to sound like Bob Dylan. Who doesn't? Well, I can name a few bands, but I won't go there. Besides, any comparisons to the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer are a waste of time. The Tallest Man on Earth is his own musician with his own goals, even if it … Read more

Prayers for Atheists

Prayers for Atheists
Strange Famous (2009)

I wasn't sure what to make of this upon getting it. I had seen it compared to hip-hop, Rage Against The Machine, Whole Wheat Bread, and spoken word. The thing is all of these comparisons fit, sometimes all at once really. This EP acts as a historical documentation of sorts. According to the liner notes this was written, lyrically, by … Read more

One Starving Day

Atlas Coelestis
Beta Lactam Ring/Nar Shardaa (2010)

After catching their last LP, Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun, One Starving Day remains on my radar; so, when their latest album, Atlas Coelestis was announced, an anxious period of waiting immediately followed. Even though the band was heavily indebted to bands like Neurosis, One Starving Day still brought a great deal of panache and style to the … Read more

Nails

Unsilent Death
Six Feet Under (2010)

Sheer brute force is the best way to describe this album from Nails (featuring ex-members of Carry On); Unsilent Death (the second release from this outfit) is a short sharp shock of hardcore crunch that smacks you in the face and then asks if you would like another during the course of its ten blasts. Seriously, it has been a … Read more

Actors & Actresses

Arrows
The Mylene Sheath (2009)

There are certain labels as a music fan that I follow wholeheartedly. I could say The Mylene Sheath is one of these labels for me. They have a strong reputation for putting out spacey post-rock with a flair for nice packaging. So I was kind of excited to be able to check out one of the labels most recent signings. … Read more

The Morning After Girls

Alone
Independent (2009)

The Morning After Girls are a band from New York by way of Melbourne. I have to assume their name is more a reference to the haziness that follows a night out, as opposed to the pill bearing a similar name. Musically, they are descendants of the fuzzy psych-rock of bands like Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, … Read more

Invasion

The Master Alchemist
This Is Music (2009)

Now listen carefully, people I'm only going to say this once. You need to listen to this album. Further to that, most people need to own it. I hate to kick off with such a blatant endorsement that has now leached out all sense of suspense from reading this modest review, but frankly this is the most refreshing and urgent … Read more

Kickback

No Surrender
GSR (2009)

Apparently Kickback is from France and is controversial as well as infamous. I'm not trying to doubt these claims but I haven't been able to find any reason why they'd be either of the last two things save for some of their artwork and the music video now streaming on their Myspace page. For a band that is nearing twenty … Read more

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