Racebannon
Acid or Blood
Southern (2008)
My first thought when I look at Racebannon's Myspace profile is that their vocalist, Mike Anderson, has a bit of the curly-haired Ween look to him. That thought is quickly replaced as I scroll down at the four long-hairs, with dark symbols on their foreheads and doused with blood. The lasting impression is that Racebannon are some theatrical dudes who are into tough-guyism and carnage. The album artwork for Acid or Blood (not to mention the title) further this concept with a Clockwork Orangeneedle-into-the eyeball close-up. Throw in the pentagram logo and you've got yourself some pretty clearly crafted imagery. Furthermore, the first song on the record is called "Translucent Lifeforce." Of course, with a more in depth search you'll find a handful of photographs of a smiling band that looks rather non-threatening. For the record, Acid or Blood's second track is called "Sister Fucker." The Bloomington, Indiana band has a sound that would fall somewhere under the general heavy metal umbrella, with an inclination toward the Bungle chord school of warped and spastic. First impressions made me think of the likes of Tub Ring, Nuclear Rabbit, or Nil8 but less eclectic than those bands. A more accurate description would … Read more
The Cool Kids
The Bake Sale
C.A.K.E. (2008)
When hip-hop exploded in the 1980's it was characterized by flashy outfits, breakdancing, and of course, ghetto blasters. The music … Read more
Deerhunter
Microcastle
Kranky (2008)
Dear 1992, Wow. It's really been a long time. I bet you're kind of surprised I'm writing to you at … Read more
Alkaline Trio
Agony & Irony
Epic (2008)
Dear Matt Skiba, I recently picked up your band's latest release in the cut out bin at my favorite used … Read more
