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UGK

Underground Kingz
Jive (2007)

It's not easy being a Southern rapper these days. With the airwaves of mainstream radio becoming overcrowded with the "ringtone rap" of such groups as D4L and Dem Franchize Boyz, backpackers and hip-hop purists are quick to point the finger at nearly every rapper south of the Mason-Dixon Line. I guess they forgot about UGK? They've only been in the … Read more

Akimbo

Navigating the Bronze
Alternative Tentacles (2007)

Navigating the Bronze is Akimbo's fifth full-length since their inception in about seven years ago and their first for new label Alternative Tentacles (AT did re-release an album early in '07 as well). This three-piece is a vicious outfit that has garnered a reputation for their busy touring regimen and all around hectic work ethic. At ten songs in roughly … Read more

Fueled by Fire

Spread the Fire
Metal Blade (2007)

Let's not beat around the bush. Despite a valiant effort at bringing thrash back to the masses, Fueled by Fire just aren't the ones to do the job. It's a tall order - there'll always be the diehards (mostly in their late thirties) that will buy pretty much anything remotely thrash related. This album is for them. The albums that … Read more

Anchor

Captivity Songs
Refoundation (2007)

One thing that I love about hardcore bands from the 80's and 90's is that they often included background info on the songs' lyrics. Perhaps this is because the music then seemed to be fueled more by the substance of its words as opposed to how the music sounded - this fact can be argued to death and I have … Read more

A Second from the Surface

The Streets Have Eyes
This Dark Reign (2007)

There's been a lot of words used to describe Minneapolis' A Second from the Surface: metalcore, grindcore, crustcore. All of them are very specific genres, but not one of them is accurate. A Second from the Surface are hardcore, plain and simple. More on the old school side than the "hardcore" that we see nowadays on every Warped Tour. As … Read more

Chiodos

Bone Palace Ballet
Equal Vision (2007)

Before we begin, a short caveat: a little more than six years ago, when first throwing myself into the world of hardcore and post-anything, I was a fan of some terrible music. My CD and t-shirt collection was almost an homage to Trustkill Records. And for a time, I actually thought listening to Coheed and Cambria excessively might change my … Read more

Living Hell

The Lost and the Damned
Revelation (2007)

Revelation Records has made quite the turn-around in the past two years. Besides mainstay Shai Hulud, the once hardcore-proud label has returned to its roots following a divergence in the indie-rock realm - Elliot, Christiansen, Since By Man, etc. The label has recently released several top-quality hardcore albums: Shook Ones, Down to Nothing, and Sinking Ships. Living Hell's debut full-length, … Read more

Empire! Empire! (I was a Lonely Estate)

When the Sea Became a Giant
Independent (2007)

The key word that comes to mind when listening to When the Sea Became a Giant is light. Everything is light. The vocal delivery is a deep reminder of the roots of emo, where a different kind of melancholy built its empire (no pun intended, I lied, yes it was). The guitars let off an air of innocent intensity. The … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Zweizz

The Yawn of a New Age
Vendlus (2007)

I figured I'd be in for some weird and different sounding metal with Zweizz when I first looked at the cover of The Yawn Of A New Age, which is just a black metal-looking logo .in pink. Zweizz, real name Svein Egil Hatlevik, was also a member of Dodheimsgard, a rather off-beat, avant-garde black metal band from Norway, so that … Read more

Iron and Wine

The Shepherd's Dog
Sub Pop (2007)

I should never set expectations when it comes to music. When was the last time an album was exactly as good or as bad or as neutral as you thought it would be prior to its release? It never works out the way you want it to. Take Iron and Wine's latest release, The Shepherd's Dog. Coming off of the … Read more

Pellinore

Memento Mori & Hell Mouth
Strike 3 (2007)

Memento Mori & Hell Mouth is a compilation of this newish Northern Jersey hardcore band called Pellinore. I decided to take this CD on one of my many bus trips around the metropolitan areas the encompass Minneapolis/St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs. This time the trip was to the Mall of America. I hate going to the Mall of America. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Playmaker

Playmaker
Independent (2007)

Throwing their gauntlet down with their multitudes of contemporaries comes Playmaker, a straight up, and authentic, Brit-rock band by way of the greater Toronto Area. While that might seem slightly paradoxical, Chris Barry, the front of the trio, is quick to let you know where his origins lie with his strongly accented vocals seeping infectiously through the speakers from the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Dusty Rhodes and The River Band

First You Live
Side One Dummy (2007)

With an Americana backbone, Dusty Rhodes and The River Band play a type of rock similar to CCR, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and other sixties acts that incorporated a strong folk/country influence into their sound without being gimmicky. Can't place those names? Then imagine Flogging Molly less punk, more rock n' roll, less Irish, earlier 20th century American. Imagine … Read more

Qui

Love's Miracle
Ipecac (2007)

Paul Christensen. Matt Cronk. David Yow. The former two names you have not heard before. The latter name you probably have. The latter name is a legend, in fact. The former two, not so much. David Yow was a member of two legendary bands - Scratch Acid and The Jesus Lizard. Both great bands of the early nineties who, while … Read more

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