Recent reviews

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)

Air

Pocket Symphony
Astralwerks (2007)

You know those bands that everyone talks about but you never get the chance to check them out? This is one of those cases. I never knew anyone who listened to Air on any regular basis, and bands that have extremely simple names never really seem to stick in my mind. Plus, when I hear the word electronica, it doesn't exactly send me running to the nearest Tower Records (yes, they're all gone, but I like to keep the spirit alive). But, luckily for me, I'm an adventurous listener, and I decided to check out Air's newest effort, Pocket Symphony. For those who don't know, Air is a French duo usually dubbed as electronica, and they don't stray too far on their latest effort. You might recognize Air songs from their 1998 soundtrack to The Virgin Suicides or one of their tracks placed in various commercials and TV shows over the years. This is their first release since their 2004 spastically-reviewed album, Talkie Walkie. The opening track, "Space Maker," begins with a lone echoing percussion beat, setting the tone perfectly. Slowly, an acoustic guitar, a piano, and a bass line come in and work together to really just bring a … Read more

Alkaline Trio

Remains
Vagrant (2007)

I haven't met anyone in my life that is affiliated with hardcore or punk that doesn't like at least a … Read more

Saves the Day

Under the Boards
Vagrant (2007)

Part two in the trilogy of concept (small C) albums, Under the Boards sees Saves the Day back on a … Read more

Tombs

Tombs
Black Box Recordings (2007)

Tombs is the latest project from Mike Hill (former member of the criminally underrated bands Anodyne and Versoma). Tombs seemingly … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Spank Rock and Benny Blanco

Bangers & Cash
Downtown (2007)

The latest effort from Baltimore club/DJ/rapping outfit Spank Rock brings more to the table than one might think. The opening … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Terror

Rhythm Amongst the Chaos
Reaper (2007)

I love Terror. I don't care about what anyone has to say about this band being simple-minded or playing hardcore … Read more

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One from the archives

Creature Feature

The Greatest Show Unearthed
Sumerian (2007)

When reviewing an album, it can be difficult to summarize thoughts and feeling elicited from the music you're listening to, to organize these thoughts and feelings in written prose succinctly, honestly, and, above all, professionally. Using these guidelines as my template, I can say with all sincerity, fuck me running, this group is terrible. Creature Feature is the "brain"child of two dudes who, I would bet my bottom dollar still live in their parents' basement. What they attempt to create is, according to their bio, "a band that forces you remember why you used to sleep with the lights on, a band that becomes the perfect merger of music and film." Sweet Jesus, what a crock of shit. What they in fact, deliver is music that's not scary, fun, or … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Provoke / Tempo 38

Split
Independent (2007)

This is going to be the last split CD I ever review for Scene Point Blank. Okay, this is going to be the last split CD I ever review of two unknown bands that I review for this site. Sorry, split CDs are becoming the bane of my existence as I try and think of something to say about two … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Kill Conrad

32 Short Films About Nothing in Particular
Independent (2007)

Boston's Kill Conrad sound like just about any other punk band on No Idea that doesn't want to be or is Hot Water Music. I am reminded of the sing-along bouncy pop-punk intensity that Against Me! once had. Actually, Kill Conrad remind of Atom's (you know from Atom and His Package) punk band Fracture with their off-key vocals and the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Get Back Up

Weathering the Storm
Organized Crime (2007)

Buffalo, NY's Get Back Up unfortunately sounds like every other new school hardcore band out there playing in local venues across the United States and probably Canada. They sound like a mixture of the heavy handed emotionally drone of Modern Life is War and the crunchy 90's hardcore metallic speed inspired Have Heart. I enjoy what I'm hearing as the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Countime

Broken, Blinded, Betrayed
No Joke (2007)

Just about everything about this release offended me, from the cover photo a bloodied tricycle to one of the members flashing a gang sign in the band photo and Rick ta White saying, "No One! Fuck all you bitches and sorry ass motherfuckers out there!" in the thank-you list. If you haven't guessed, Countime is yet another run of the … Read more

The Catalyst

Marianas Trench
The Perpetual Motion Machine (2007)

When The Catalyst made a stop in D.C. over the summer, Mass Movement of the Moth's drummer perfectly described the band: "Welcome to Headbanging 101 with your instructor's, The Catalyst." The Catalyst then proceeded to break necks, and more than likely got drunk doing it. Rewind a few hours before, a front porch full of D.C. straight edge vegan punks, … Read more

End of a Season / Many Men Have Tried

Split
Refoundation (2007)

I've always enjoyed sampling international hardcore or punk. Sometimes it's nice to have a reality check. It seems like sometimes we're under the impression that hardcore is an expressively American creation or tradition, and though the genre certainly manifested itself in the states, predominantly, often times international bands have perfected it. I'd never heard of either of these bands before … Read more

Pet Genius

Pet Genius
Hydra Head (2007)

Stephen Brodsky is a shape-shifter. Throughout his musical career, the oftentimes-enigmatic frontman has been the main songwriting force behind numerous projects of all realms of music. He's tackled everything from metal and hardcore to acoustic and indie with Cave In, Kid Kilowatt, New Idea Society, The Octave Museum, and even his own solo recordings. Pet Genius is the latest project … Read more

Woods

At Rear House
Shrimper (2007)

It may seem a bit unproductive to review an album that came out in the early stages of this year, but that's part of what makes Woods the band they are: silently create an album that is noteworthy, but flies below any conventional form of radar. Just as their debut How to Survive In + In the Woods was filled … Read more

Radiohead

In Rainbows
Independent (2007)

What Radiohead have done with the release of In Rainbows will be talked about for years to come. At best, and only time will tell, it will be looked at as changing the industry as we know it, giving the consumer more power than ever before. At worst, it will be known as a failed experiment, but still remembered with … Read more

Jena Berlin

Quo Vadimus
Jump Start (2007)

Quo Vadimus is the sophomore effort from Philadelphia's Jena Berlin. Unfortunately, odds are that most of you reading this are unfamiliar with the group despite releasing an extremely promising debut in 2005. This, in my opinion, makes the title of the album all the more fitting. "Quo vadimus" is Latin for "Where are we going?" On the surface this phrase … Read more

The Great Deceiver

Life is Wasted on the Living
Deathwish Inc. (2007)

The Great Deceiver is the long running project of Tomas Lindberg, also of Disfear and formerly of At the Gates, The Crown, and others, and Kristian Wahlin of Necrolord. There is a great deal of parallels to Lindberg's past work in At the Gates, with a bit of commonality in the guitar sound but with a bit more simplicity and … Read more

The Polyphonic Spree

The Fragile Army
TVT (2007)

Calling The Polyphonic Spree a Flaming Lips knockoff would be lazy and unfair to the Spree's aesthetic, but the similarities are so blatant. Not using The Lips as a point of reference seems just as criminal. So what roads to both these bands walk? To begin, Spree vocalist Tim DeLaughter sings in a manner much like Wayne Coyne. It's the … Read more

Today is the Day

Axis of Eden
SuperNova (2007)

I don't think I have ever felt as polarized about a record as I feel about Axis of Eden. I think a large part of the reason is that I really want to like it, but I just can't overcome its overbearing flaws. Today is the Day is almost inarguably one of metal's most revered and tenured metal acts (and … Read more

Jovian Oblivion

Frontier of Darkness
Independent (2007)

Due to this self-produced album's near industry standard professionalism, you'd never know by only listening to it and paying no mind to the liner notes that Jovian Oblivion is mainly just one guy with a few helpers pitching in here and there. Brent Matney is the mad scientist behind this project; he wrote, arranged, performed and mastered these fifteen songs … Read more

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