Maps of Norway
Die Off Songbird
Guilt Ridden Pop (2008)
It's refreshing to hear bands showing their influences without becoming a fiftieth-wave hybrid, a la The ePoxies. Maps of Norway obviously love 1980's new-wave. However, they don't set out to make a copy of that, they fuse the sound into their own artistic development, and Guilt Ridden Pop's release Die Off Songbird is the end result. The record starts off with a minimalist intro that segues perfectly into the mid-tempo, dancey "Cage the Lions." Here, singer Rebecca Leigh shows her pipes with a sultry delivery as Jeff Ball holds an almost robotic beat. Map of Norway's approach is subtle and nuanced post-punk/new-wave with strong, danceable beats. It's all tied together with consistent and impressive vocals that convey the band's emotion. The music is minimal and sounds almost sleepy at times, especially with the "Blue" tracks placed throughout the record as quiet, instrumental intermissions. "Cage the Lions" is a nice, dancey pop song, not unlike a subtle Faint but with a vocal delivery that considers itself more as an instrument than as means of conveying words. The band's bass and guitars are consistently pushed into the background, with Leigh and Ball forming the core. The rhythms are very repetitive, which makes … Read more
Ramming Speed
Brainwreck
Teenage Disco Bloodbath (2008)
Boston-based Ramming Speed burst onto the scene with their debut 7" in 2007. The EP followed suit of the crossover/thrash … Read more
Mouthpiece
Can't Kill What's Inside: The Complete Discography
Revelation (2009)
There are many names - bands, labels, zines, promoters, etc. - that instantly come to mind when one brings up … Read more
This Will Destroy You / Lymbyc Systym
Field Studies
Magic Bullet (2009)
Split recordings are almost always unique projects in some aspect or manner; I particularly enjoy them when there is an … Read more
