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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)

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 Murder By Death without the macabre subject matter. The vocals have a whiny, early nineties "alternative" sound to them. Sort of like people trying to sound like Axl Rose but failing miserably. A strong disc nonetheless and worth checking out if you're a fan of folk, zydeco, early country, bluegrass and sounds of nature. 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 … Read more

High on Fire

Death is this Communion
Relapse (2007)

What else can you expect from High on Fire other than an album with a thick, punishing sound that just … Read more

Bitter End

Climate of Fear
Malfunction (2007)

There was a brief period in my life when I lived in Texas. During that time, I attended quite a … Read more

Meneguar

Strangers in Our House
Troubleman Unlimited (2007)

Let's be completely honest, Meneguar is an overrated band. But what's wrong with being overrated? Refused, Converge, Nirvana, even The … Read more

Animal Collective

Strawberry Jam
Domino (2007)

Strawberry Jam is so far the commercially successful album by Animal Collective to date. This album peaked at #72 on … Read more

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One from the archives

Mars Addict

Lamecoaster
Electric Funeral Records (2020)

Mars Addict from São Paulo, Brazil released their debut album Lamecoaster last summer. Summer seems the right time for a record like this. I listened to it a lot on my morning walks the past week. For the first time in months we’ve had sun here. It really feels like spring all of a sudden. And Lamecoaster just added to that feeling, the sun just felt a little bit brighter. Some pop-punk records can do just that.At the same time this record has annoyed me greatly. It annoyed me greatly because a lot of songs remind me of other songs, but with most songs I can’t figure out which song it reminds me of. I know I should know, but every time I think “ah, it’s…” and the reference escapes … Read more

More album reviews

Supreme Commander / Alive at Last

Split
Bishop 19 (2007)

The first six tracks on this split CD are from Supreme Commander whose 7" I reviewed and whole-heartily enjoyed a few months back. Supreme Commander play tuneful melodic quick paced punk that once ruled the roster of Epitaph Records in the mid-90's. If you wish to recall bands like Pennywise, NOFX, and Bad Religion and if you yearn for the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Middle Distance Runner

Middle Distance Runner
Independent (2007)

Dabbling coolly with grit of the 'the' band sound while borrowing ruminants of Brit rock's pop sensibility, Middle Distance Runner offer up something with the potential for a real fan based success. Hinting at better things throughout the six-track effort, the five-piece uses the formulaic idea of songwriting based around guitar/synth hooks layered with a full and strong rhythm section. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Pink Razors

First Degree
Rorschach (2007)

Pink Razors is a pop-punk band from Richmond, Virginia that plays a fast and catchy form of music comparable to Latterman. The band has released a full-length and split with Environmental Youth Crunch, and now this three song seven inch. Each song features fast and snotty vocals and each song clocking in at less than three minutes, and are all … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Midwestern

The Midwestern
Rorschach (2007)

This is what happens when a band has yet to find its style. What we have here is some decent songwriting that comes off as underdeveloped. The track "Molsen Golden" starts as a respectable jam with enough intricacy and tempo changes to call back memories of The Cancer Conspiracy and the forefathers of the style, King Crimson. Halfway through the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Antelope

Reflector
Dischord (2007)

Sometimes simple repetition makes the biggest impact. Sometimes simple repetition makes the biggest impact. SOMETIMES SIMPLE REPETITION MAKES THE BIGGEST IMPACT. Obviously it isn't working for me, but D.C.'s Antelope make something seemingly annoying into a subtle art form. That is, if you're not easily annoyed. Most of the tracks on Reflector accentuate bare bones songwriting. Almost every track is … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Path to Misery

Demo
Independent (2007)

Path to Misery is a musical-collective from Pittsburgh, PA. The group of individuals involved focuses their attention of raising awareness of government actions, social issues, and other forward-thinking ideas through music. Musically, they set things to a soundtrack of abrasive hardcore with dashes of metal, d-beat, and grind thrown in for good measure. Their latest demo is comprised of three … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Wonder Years

Get Stoked on it!
No Sleep (2007)

I love Set Your Goals, but the popularity of the band's amalgamation of pop-punk and melodic hardcore has brought forth a million and a half wannabes. Sure, New Found Glory started it all (though they pretty much stuck to pop-punk), but I'll be damned if I haven't heard ten new clones this week alone. Philadelphia's The Wonder Years are the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Division Day

Beartrap Island
Eenie Meenie (2007)

Division Day are a fairly new band from Los Angeles and they are going to turn some heads with their debut full-length, Beartrap Island. The four-piece band plays a delicate mix of indie and post-rock music. The songs on Beartrap Island fall someplace between the soft indie rock numbers that I would liken to Sunny Day Real Estate, the post-rock … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Honorary Title

Scream and Light Up the Sky
Reprise (2007)

Scream and Light Up the Sky has been a long long time coming. Three years have gone by since their last release. This album also has been in my hands for several months (I think I was mailed a copy like six months prior to its actual release). I liked it but let it slide to the wayside as I … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Motion City Soundtrack

Even if it Kills Me
Epitaph (2007)

If you're like me, the state of Minnesota is automatically associated with one of two things: 1) Mall of America and 2) Fargo. One is awesome because it has rollercoasters in it while the other single-handedly made me scared to ever visit the states of North Dakota and Minnesota for fear of ending up in a wood-chipper. Motion City Soundtrack … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Bulldoze

The Final Beatdown
Trip Machine Laboratories (2007)

The Final Beatdown is a complete discography of New York's kings of beatdown hardcore, thus the title. The release is comprised of a CD, which includes all the band's recorded material and a live set, and a DVD with over an hour of live footage. It's been over ten years since Bulldoze called it quits (they have reformed a number … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Badmouth

Strikes Again
Ghosthunt (2007)

Badmouth is the latest in the seemingly never-ending line of pissed off hardcore bands from Southern California. Strikes Again is their debut effort, which is actually their demo but in refurbished form via Ghosthunt Records. Over the course of these nine songs, Badmouth deliver fast-paced hardcore-punk with serious guitar whaling and bitter as hell lyrics. Musically, they remind me quite … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Failing Myself

Every Day
Rally Point (2007)

A cassette tape release? This is the third one I've received in the mail recently. I don't even know where you get these pressed anymore. Regardless, Every Day is a cool trip down memory lane to a time when Myspace didn't exist and band's relied on word of mouth to promote themselves. Failing Myself is a one-man musical project from … Read more

Wolves in the Throne Room

Two Hunters
Southern Lord (2007)

The terms "stripped-down," "raw," and "black metal" are certainly no strangers to each other. Musically speaking, some of the best known bands and albums feature less-than-lackluster production and songwriting, a standard set by older bands such as Darkthrone and Burzum, even if unintentionally. Visually and characteristically though, most black metal bands are infamous for being over-the-top, what with all the … Read more

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