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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)

Sigur Rós

Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
EMI/XL Recordings (2008)

The consistently elusive Sigur Rós returns to bless our ears with more soft-spoken Icelandic genius. Is that too much? Perhaps, but this is coming off of their double-disc collection of b-sides Hvarf-Heim released barely a year ago, not to mention the extensive touring they have done in between. I first heard Sigur Rós being played in between sets of a high school production of "The Chocolate War," soon after the release of ( ). I was intrigued by the beautifully sparse melodies and fleeting vocals spoken in a foreign tongue, and they've been a long-time favorite since then. However, I have to admit, I've been a little bit behind the ball in the past few years. Sigur Rós has always walked a fine line between popular obscurity and super-stardom in my mind. They never graced the covers of all the major music magazines, but gained almost universal international praise, in addition to playing epically long sets at large, sold-out stadiums across the globe. Their tracks have been featured in various American films throughout the past decade, making the sound almost more prominent than the name. Sigur Rós is often noted for their use of Vonlenska, a nonsense language reminiscent of … Read more

Liturgy

Immortal Life
Unfun (2008)

Describing a band, group, or musical project as transcendental is a dangerously brash decision Without getting into the actual philosophical … Read more

Hank Williams III

Damn Right, Rebel Proud
Curb (2008)

We have Taylor Swift and then we have Hank III. The former is the public face of country music today. … Read more

M83

Saturdays=Youth
Mute (2008)

The French are good at many things. Food. Art. Aquatic nuclear shenanigans. But despite being one of the cultural centers … Read more

Eagles of Death Metal

Heart On
Downtown (2008)

Josh Homme wants it to be clear: Eagles of Death Metal is not a side project. Though he rakes in … Read more

The Quit

Minus Tide
Tindrum (2008)

Starting an indie album with a song called "Manchester" is a little bit like putting the word "Metaphor" in the … Read more

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One from the archives

Changing Face

Our Last Chance
Escapist (2006)

Changing Face's debut EP, Our Last Chance demonstrates a side of hardcore that is most commonly looked down upon. The side of hardcore that has been left in the frying pan for far too long, and flipped one too many times by tough guys in camo-gear. However, Changing Face keeps these seven songs nice and short, and put in more ingredients than your ordinary break down. Our Last Chance is as raw as hardcore gets, and if you don't like this band now you better bite your lip because Changing Face aren't going to stand down anytime soon. They're few hardcore records that come out with enough passion and intensity that catch my attention right off the bat and make me want to thrash it up, but Our Last Chance … Read more

More album reviews

Sunn 0)))

Dømkirke
Southern Lord (2008)

Dømkirke is a live Sunn 0))) album recorded at Bergen Cathedral of Bergen, Norway as part of the Borealis Festival 2007. The twelfth-century cathedral was a perfect setting for the March 2007 performance that also featured Attlia Csihar on vocals, Steve Moore on pipe organ, and Lasse Marhaug on electronics. The double album was a vinyl-only release with absolutely stunning … Read more

Git Some

Cosmic Rock
1-2-3-4 Go! (2008)

Git Some is a band which has been around a bit and actually predates the participation of two of its members (Chuck French and Neil Keener) in the much vaunted group, Planes Mistaken for Stars (even though many will consider this a new band featuring ex-members of said well known group for which they would be wrong). Git Some is … Read more

Intronaut

Prehistoricisms
Century Media (2008)

Every so often you just want a metal album that is that, a metal album. Well here we have just that with the latest full-length from Intronaut. Prehistoricisms is a heavy metal album that is not a concept album, but an album based upon the theme of evolution. I can dig that, especially when the music is - at its … Read more

Gnaw Their Tongues

An Epiphanic Vomiting of Blood
Crucial Blast (2008)

Gnaw Their Tongues is almost completely indescribable, it is a project that simply needs to be heard to be believe. Forget understanding it as the primitive emotional outbursts that pepper the sounds on their records as these compositions seem to aim at leaving listeners aghast at the emanations of sound. An Epiphanic Vomiting of Blood is the latest recording from … Read more

Conor Oberst

Conor Oberst
Merge (2008)

It's rather interesting that I've found the work of Bright Eyes to be wholly underwhelming since the release of Fevers and Mirrors back in 2000. Sure, there are been standout tracks throughout the years, but as a whole, not one entire album has quite captured the sincerity, the emotion, and the songwriting skills that Conor Oberst displayed on that album. … Read more

Sinaloa

Oceans of Islands
Level Plane (2008)

A seven year old band from Boston, comprised of three members, released their third full-length this year. After writing five songs two years ago for a split with friends Ampere, Sinaloa present Oceans of Islands, their first effort distributed by Level Plane Records. Their previous albums and splits were released on Ebullition, Clean Plate, and Waking Records, labels that boast … Read more

Marillion

Happiness is the Road Volume 2: The Hard Shoulder
Racket (2008)

...and with volume two in the "Happiness is the Road" series, Marillion has the ship back on course. Kicking open the door with "Thunder Fly," The Hard Shoulder will have you feeling bad that you ever doubted the band in the first place. Way back in the early days Marillion struggled to separate themselves from comparisons to Gabriel-era Genesis, which … Read more

Marillion

Happiness is the Road Volume 1: The Essence
Racket (2008)

In their twenty-six-year or so history, Marillion have never released a shitty album. Think of other bands that have been around; can they make the same claim? I think not. Sure, there's been albums that are less memorable, but actually bad? Not a one. Writer's block has never been an issue with a couple of exceptions, the releases are usually … Read more

Cruel Hand

Prying Eyes
Bridge Nine (2008)

I love it when hardcore bands up their game. I understand it's hardcore and bands have made decade-long careers on releasing the same album year after year. Or usually they run out of material and gracefully bail out after an EP and one full-length. However with Prying Eyes Cruel Hand decided to out-do themselves with releasing one of the better … Read more

Red Sparowes

Aphorisms
Sargent House (2008)

When Red Sparowes released At the Soundless Dawn, I began to better appreciate instrumental music. The sound that the band has made for themselves incorporates pedal steel guitar, wandering movements, and entrancing song developments. After recording the band's second full-length Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun guitarist Josh Graham, also of Neurosis, left the band to work on … Read more

The Bronx

III
Island (2008)

The Bronx are a loud rock-n-roll band. Their first album was bruising and hectic, but their second album toned it down a tad with more melody and relaxing tempos. More than one coked-up kid probably complained of the change, slight as it was, and cried sellout. "Where'd all the punk go?" Well kid, now that The Bronx are free from … Read more

Hope and Suicide

Hope and Suicide
SuperNova (2008)

Many recent listeners may not remember (nor heard in the first place) the first couple of releases by Florida's Hope and Suicide (1999's Razorblade Smile and 2003's split with Emmanuel 7) let alone know that members of this band were integral members of the almighty Bloodlet (vocalist Scott Angelacos was also the vocalist of Bloodlet while bassist Tom Crowther was … Read more

Mötley Crüe

Saints of Los Angeles
Eleven Seven (2008)

Sometimes you just want to tear something down, rip it to shreds. To have that attitude when reviewing an album is fucked up, no question. The promo for the new Mötley Crüe album was claimed for such a reason. Preconceived notions are just that - preconceptions. Sometimes they're accurate, sometimes not. Thinking that an album from schlock-meisters Mötley Crüe will … Read more

Perth Express

Harrowed and Wealdstone
Vendetta (2008)

Harrowed and Wealdstone marks the final recordings from German bruisers Perth Express. It's quite a shame that the band decided to call it a day as they had just released their discography in the U.S. last year and followed that up with tours in the States as well as abroad. These nine songs see a continued assault on the ears … Read more

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