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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)

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. Read more

Goes Cube

Another Day Has Passed
The End (2009)

Is it necessary to combine musical styles rather than perfect a specific sound? It seems to me that so many … Read more

Gonzales

Checkmate
Chorus of One (2009)

It shouldn't take a Johnny Cash song to make a record take off. With Checkmate, from Gonzales, that's exactly the … Read more

Converge

Axe to Fall
Epitaph (2009)

As they approach twenty years as a band, taking a look back at what Converge has accomplished throughout their career … Read more

Lewd Acts

Black Eye Blues
Deathwish Inc. (2009)

Lewd Acts finally release their debut full-length in the form of Black Eye Blues. And with their first long-player, the … Read more

The Swellers

Ups and Downsizing
Fueled By Ramen (2009)

The Swellers decision to sign to Fueled By Ramen Records was very confusing to say the least. Many were expecting … Read more

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One from the archives

Deerhoof

Milk Man
Kill Rock Stars (2004)

Deerhoof, never one to rest on their laurels, is back in 2004 with Milk Man. Things seem to be the same as always as the public wonders, "Can Deerhoof really top Apple O'?" The same question was asked this time last year except it was Apple O' being questioned if it could live up to Reveille. The album's "concept" is one that fits the album well. It's a story of an incredibly weird creature that brings kids into his dreamland and keeps them there. Almost a Nightmare On Elm Street feel but, a little cuter. The artwork is equally as disturbing, with what Deerhoof wants you to think this creature to look like and with the music that follows this concept, it makes you think that illustration couldn't be more … Read more

More album reviews

Gnaw

This Face
Conspiracy (2009)

Damn, when reading the former projects of the members of this group, one really starts to understand how insular a music scene can be in how the bands all break off and form new bands with different cross sections of each other. Gnaw contains members from an impressive list including Khanate, Burning Witch, Thorr's Hammer, Atavist, OLD, Yard, and a … Read more

Nightmare of You

Infomaniac
Brookvale/The Bevonshire Label (2009)

With the release of their self-titled debut in 2005 Nightmare of You made it a point to distance themselves from their post-The Movielife buzz and define their sound as something unique. The band's fusion of cool indie rock, Joy Division-inspired new wave, and Morrissey-like musings created quite a clamor with fans expecting output akin to their roots but everyone else … Read more

Necrophobic

Satanic Blasphemies
Regain (2009)

Necrophobic are one of the classics of the legendary old school Swedish death metal scene, along with underground titans such as Entombed, Dismember, and Carnage. They remained slightly less known then the aforementioned compatriots but nonetheless command great respect in underground circles and bring a lot of history with them. If you are at all familiar with and love old … Read more

Every Time I Die

New Junk Aesthetic
Epitaph (2009)

There's always a lot of different opinions surrounding the band Every Time I Die. A lot prefer the more chaotic, unpredictable sound they had in the early days of Hot Damn! and Last Night in Town, while a lot seem to enjoy their more riff-heavy metalcore sound they've developed since Gutter Phenomenon. Their last album, The Big Dirty was arguably … Read more

The Creeps

These Walls
Black Pint (2009)

What much can I really say? This style has been done numerous times. The Creeps play infectious, upbeat punk, born of the Ramones and sculpted by Screeching Weasel. Somewhere in the genre's history, bands like the Groovie Ghoulies shifted the concept from straightforward silliness towards specific niches. The Creeps carry that torch onward. On These Walls The Creeps play their … Read more

Soul Control

Cycles
Bridge Nine (2009)

Cycles marks a couple of firsts for Soul Control. After a slew of releases (an EP, a split 7", a comprehensive CD release also featuring several new songs, and a 7" singles series) the Rhode Island hardcore outfit ventures into the land of a proper full-length album. But that's not the only first for the group as they also have … Read more

Bad Secrets

Bad Secrets
Robotic Empire (2009)

Considering the make up of this musical project, my interest is rather high with several questions bubbling to the surface, mainly concerning what Bad Secrets sounds like. In any event, being made up of Evan Patterson (Young Widows, Breather Resist, Black Cross, and The National Acrobat) and Dan Davis (of Kodan Armada) will certainly turn some heads when Bad Secrets … Read more

Trapped Under Ice

Secrets of the World
Reaper (2009)

Normally it would concern me seeing the amount of hype leveled at a band, let alone one with only three short releases to their name. The demo was released only two years ago; it was energetic and capable but not truly breaking any ground. Then they got signed to Reaper Records and released Stay Cold, a short EP that was … Read more

David Moore

My Lover, My Stranger
Doghouse (2009)

My Lover, My Stranger is the first solo record from David Moore, formerly of Chamberlain and Split Lip. It is difficult to imagine Moore extricating himself completely from a self-imposed anonymity in order to refashion himself as some indie country troubadour, but from the sounds of this, at times, intimate album, he is attempting just such a feat. Considering the … Read more

Jesu

Infinity
Avalanche/Daymare (2009)

Is it strange that Jesu is finally releasing something new after a gap of some time longer than two months (a small exaggeration surely)? Infinity is an interesting direction for Justin Broadrick to go considering the trajectory of recent releases under the Jesu moniker, but his publicly proclaimed predilection for EP's and the opportunity for experimentation that they provide explain … Read more

We are the Living

Encouragement by Assault
Hungry Ghost Collective (2009)

Do not confuse this Louisiana band with the Tennessee band of the same name. Otherwise you will find yourself looking at a very nice flash based website with a band that has some really bad hair. Louisiana's We are the Living seem to have decent do's and play 90's influenced indie hardcore that you wouldn't be surprised to see on … Read more

Wolves in the Throne Room

Black Cascade
Southern Lord (2009)

Taking black metal by storm, or maybe pushing black metal out of the basements and into the conscious of many whom have ignored the genre thus far, Wolves in the Throne Room give the listening world their third full-length album, Black Cascade, as further evidence of their genre label being too constrictive. Wolves in the Throne Room seem to subscribe … Read more

Trigger Effect

Dare to Ride the Heliocraft
Signed by Force (2009)

When first opening this record, I glanced at the cover art, track titles, and album length and made the assumption that this band must sound pretty damn cocky and aggressive. And I was right for the most part. The fact that there are only two songs on the whole record that are over two minutes and considering the first track … Read more

Reaching Hand

Threshold
Chorus of One/Thorp (2008)

We are off to Portugal for this five-piece female-fronted hardcore band. Reaching Hand play mid-tempo to fast chunky hardcore with nasally high pitched vocals. All the photos looks like the audience is having the time of their lives singing along and getting sweaty as the band jumps around on stage. If you liked Comeback Kid or even Have Heart and … Read more

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