Swamp Thing
In Shame
6131 (2009)
Rob Gordon's first lines uttered in High Fidelity are What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music? Aw poor Rob thinking his life is a mess because he runs a cool record store and got to bang Catherine Zeta Jones and Lisa Bonet while being sappy over top five lists of Marvin Gaye songs. Imagine if our lovelorn anti-hero listened to hardcore/punk instead of radio pop songs. Rob wouldn't be making mixtapes and screaming outside chick's windows during a downpour. No he'd be as miserable as the rest of us thirty-something mooks listening to bands with members that are at least a decade younger than ourselves. And I never gave it to a Cosby kid either. Miss Jones...on the other hand, well I don't like to kiss and tell. Gee, Rob, that Cosby Sweater isn't going to score any points … Read more
The Mars Volta
Octahedron
Warner Bros. (2009)
Throughout their eight-year tenure as a band, The Mars Volta has never been timid about doing whatever they please. The … Read more
The Red Baron
My First Love
Blood & Ink (2009)
Christian hardcore isn't exactly my thing but I was willing to give The Red Baron's debut album, My First Love, … Read more
Everyone Everywhere
A Lot of Weird People Standing Around
Evil Weevil (2009)
Everyone Everywhere is a relatively new group from Philadelphia that loves to wear their influences plainly on their sleeve. Sounding … Read more
The Stills
Oceans Will Rise
Arts & Crafts (2008)
The third record finds this Canadian five-piece returning to the smooth atmospheric rock of their debut. But with more songwriting … Read more
