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The Sump Pumps

Revenge of The Sump Pumps
8Bit (2008)

With a name like The Sump Pumps, these guys are not exactly making it easier for you to check out more information on them online, unless you're interested in basement pump systems and the weird origins of this quirky quartet's name. Revenge of The Sump Pumps is nevertheless a good title for an album, especially when it's kick started with … Read more

Narrows

Narrows
Deathwish Inc. (2008)

The first mentions of Narrows are enough to give someone chills, particularly if that individual is a fan of any of the groups from which this outfit sprang. Thinking on the possibilities from the membership roster (former members of Botch, Unbroken, Some Girls, etc as well as a current member of These Arms Are Snakes) alone brings much speculation as … Read more

Astapi

Corruption Concealed Under Deceptive Slogans
Jump Start (2008)

The Republican National Convention is busy throwing its Republican hootenanny only few scant miles from my apartment. If I was more politically minded I should be down with the other protesters waving signs and shouting slogans against/for what we want changed in the White House in the next four years. Or maybe I should grab my handkerchief, tie it across … Read more

No Turning Back

Stronger
Reflections (2008)

For over a decade No Turning Back has been churning out release after release - CD, vinyl, and cassette - of punishing New York flavored hardcore. And while you would think the band's location were the mean streets of NYC, these boys actually call the beauty of The Netherlands home. Don't worry! You're not the first to be fooled. Stronger … Read more

You May Die in the Desert

Bears in the Yukon
The Mylene Sheath (2008)

You May Die in the Desert is a three-piece, self-described as an "uplifting jazzy trio [that] combines chaotic guitar riffs with atmospheric layover techniques." With Bears in the Yukon, the group wastes no time with introductions. Within the opening twenty seconds, the opener's melody is in full swing, showing you they are not the type of instrumental act that needs … Read more

Matinee Club

The Modern
Ninthwave (2008)

Synthpop is a funny thing. Most genres to spring out of the electronic explosion of the 1980's are founded on a firm platform of moving forward. Unlike more traditional rock instrumentation, the equipment available to the electronic musician is constantly evolving into new forms, both hardware and software. And if you don't keep up (or purposefully regress to banging kitchen … Read more

Spitfire

Cult Fiction
Goodfellow (2008)

For some god-awful reason I have a soft spot for what this band does, and the mystifying aspect of it all is that Spitfire are surely not great musicians nor are they particularly gifted songwriters. The one element of this group, particularly their post reunion album (2006's Self Help and this one, Cult Fiction, that attracts my ears is the … Read more

Braindead

No Consequences
Burn Bridges (2008)

Hailing from areas around the city of Philadelphia, Braindead have quickly become one of my favorite current hardcore bands. Formed only a few years ago, the band has already released a demo, a split 7" with Blackbirds, and this, their debut full-length, No Consequences. Over the course of the ten-song twenty-three minute affair Braindead showcases a variety of influences within … Read more

Theo and the Skyscrapers

So Many Ways to Die
Dark Daddy (2007)

It really is a double-edged sword to be visually compelling and a bit theatrical as a musician. If you're not Bowie and it isn't 1972, it's a pretty fine balance to strike with any success. Sometimes the visuals distract and obscure, and that's all there is to it. It seems to me that New York City's Theo and the Skyscrapers … Read more

Have Heart

Songs to Scream at the Sun
Bridge Nine (2008)

From the get-go Have Heart has had a rabid and devoted following. Beginning with their demo in 2003 and What Counts EP a year later, the band's dynamic mixture of youth-crew and metallic hardcore won over fans around the globe. With their debut full-length, The Things We Carry vocalist Pat Flynn and company launched themselves to the forefront of the … Read more

Transistor Transistor

Ruined Lives
Level Plane (2008)

A towering full stack stands alone in a winter-worn forest of New England. Dead branches have routinely fallen in a seasonal battle of survival, but the amplifier remains. The cover of the album is simple, but it sends a message of solidity. Transistor Transistor, four New Hampshirites on Level Plane Records, add to their repertoire with their second full-length, Ruined … Read more

Know the Score

All Guts, Still No Glory
Eulogy (2008)

We don't care about your labels and your fucking trends / We only care about the music and hanging out with our friends / So stand to the side and don't get in our way / Kids like you drop out of hardcore every single day. This quote from "Pep Talk" sums up what Know the Score is about. Playing … Read more

Dartz!

This is My Ship
Deep Elm (2007)

From what I can tell, Dartz! is the U.K.'s shot at Q and Not U. However, their British accents, along with more of a Bloc Party feel, lessen the gap of similarity between the two groups. Some of the guitar work on This Is My Ship, the Teesside trio's debut, also reminds me of a lazy Minus the Bear, using … Read more

Grails

Take Refuge in Clean Living
Important (2008)

Elusive is the best adjective to describe Grails (a now four-piece outfit from Portland, Oregon) and their unique take on instrumental music. And while that might not sound like a good description, it only does so in the most accurate way; there is no other manner to ascribe the long passages of music which are created by a band that … Read more

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