Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Mekons

Natural
Touch & Go (2007)

Some critics may think that their age gives them more credit and validates every opinion they have. I am on the lower end of the age spectrum when it comes to critics, but that doesn't mean I have no clue what I'm talking about when it comes to music. Hey, I'm not a worldly expert but I think I can hold my own. The point of this is that I am reviewing Natural, the latest effort from Mekons, a group who has stood the test of time, forming nearly thirty years ago. I've never heard this group at all, which some would think makes me unqualified to approve or reject that many years of hard work. Regardless, I'm in over my head by now, so I digress. The opening track, "Dark Dark Dark," begins with a soft mish-mash of instruments including some strange percussion and maybe a violin. The melody remains the same throughout the song but it's rather harsh and boring. An accordion dabbles in and out between lyrics. The next song, "Dickie Chalkie Nobby," claims to be the single from the album, so I stay optimistic. It begins with a somewhat basic drumbeat and the vocalist comes in … Read more

One Starving Day

Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun
Planaria (2007)

Hailing from Italy, One Starving Day are a four-piece band that, at times, sounds more like ten or fifteen people … Read more

Municipal Waste

The Art of Partying
Earache (2007)

Municipal Waste likes to party. How do I know this? Well, there's the album title. Couple that with songs like … Read more

Breakfast

Six Packs Classic
625 Thrashcore (2007)

Westerners tend to love Japanese pop culture almost as much as Japanese kids love western (read: American) pop culture - … Read more

Under Pressure

Come Clean
Escape Artist (2007)

Winnipeg's Under Pressure is a dirty 80's sounding hardcore band with a dude singing like he's trying to hold in … Read more

The Swede

And the Swede
Shoddy Merchandise (2006)

God bless Matthew William Kohnle. Kohnle is The Swede. While I'm not sure if the name is a reference to … Read more

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One from the archives

An Albatross

We are the Lazer Viking
Ace Fu (2003)

Popcorn! Popcorn! The repeated statement of popcorn was one thing that was sorely missed from this album. This was due to the fact that they keyboards for An Albatross sound like the organ that is used at baseball games in the olden days. Then all of a sudden, BAM! The pitcher pegs the hitter in the side. The man with the baseball bat rushes the pitcher! This scuffle and quote unquote anarchy that ensues, is the sound that is AN ALBATROSS! But you must also consider the third basemen, dressed in Viking attire, who begins to run in place with his hands thrown up towards the great blue sky. At times it's hard to take this band seriously, not that their sound sounds very serious, because band members used to … Read more

More album reviews

Foo Fighters

The Colour and the Shape (Reissue)
RCA (2007)

The Colour and the Shape was the Foo Fighters second full-length release, though it was the first album in which Grohl enlisted a full band to back him in the writing and recording of the album. Grohl gathered an ensemble of musicians to surround him for what would become the band's breakthrough album: bassist Nate Mendel of Sunny Day Real … Read more

Year of No Light

Nord
Crucial Blast (2007)

As our global society is brought closer and closer as a result of the Internet and other lightning fast communicative technologies, the influx and exposure of foreign bands and musicians continues to increase in frequency at an unprecedented rate; one label that has fully embraced this global mixing is Crucial Blast who bring the United States the domestic release of … Read more

Happy Mondays

Uncle Dysfunktional
Sanctuary (2007)

This review is dedicated to Anthony H. Wilson. Fuck Keith and Mick, Fuck the Toxic Twins of Aerosmith, and fuck Britney Spears. The greatest rock and roll survivor of all time is one Shaun William Ryder. Here is a man that hasn't made a penny since he was sued by his former managers, a man that helped introduce ecstasy into … Read more

Stalaggh

Projekt Misanthropia
Autopsy Kitchen (2007)

When John Zorn released his Kristallnacht album, it contained one track of sheer horror, anger, and sorrow all rolled into one. Entitled "Never Again," Zorn did his utmost to convey his interpretation of the "Night of Broken Glass." The track is essentially just that: over eleven minutes of the unbearable sound of glass shattering. Zorn even went so far, though … Read more

200 Words Or Less

J Church / Flamingo 50

Split
Los Diaper (2007)

Oh J Church how I love you and your noisy simple pop-punk brilliance. And thank-you for doing a good cover of The Car's "Just What I Need." Flamingo 50, you on the other hand and side, are completely new to me and are apparently from the UK. You remind of a Screeching Weasel mixed with early Discount for a decent … Read more

200 Words Or Less

I Rise / Soul Control

Split
Eightfold Path (2007)

This split 7" features two of the most exciting hardcore bands that have been hitting the fest circuit this Summer. Soul Control sounds like 108 mixed with Quicksand and it's all awesome. "Focus" is one of my favorite songs of 2007. This song just fucking jams in all its noisy post-hardcore brilliance. I Rise also play melodic post hardcore with … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Ergs! / Lemuria

Split
Art of the Underground (2007)

More of The Ergs for you. More pop-punk. More songs about girls and this time a rather decent cover of the 90's rock staple "Hey Jealousy." Lemuria are on the poppy side but a tad inclined to the indie rock thing with male and female vocals. Both bands give that "Aw shucks" feeling when you listen to them and that's … Read more

200 Words Or Less

I Adapt

From Town to Town
Six Feet Under (2007)

When I think of Iceland I don't think of hardcore bands. Actually, I don't think I ever thought about Iceland for anything musically besides Björk and The Sugarcubes. I Adapt sounds nothing like that schizophrenic ageless midget but they do sound like The Hope Conspiracy and other Deathwish Inc. type hardcore bands. It's an emotional outpouring over pounding rhythms and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Attitude

Turn into Stone
1917 (2007)

Turn into Stone is a new three-song platter from the upstate New York hardcore band. "Turn into Stone" has decent Supertouch type intro that busts into a manic throbbing piece of melodic hardcore gristle to gnaw on for a couple of minutes. "Somebody Up There Likes Me" is a rocking little tune with a huge skate rock riff, which seems … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Seasick

Awakenings
Brain Drain (2007)

Seasick play fast pissed off political hardcore with plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested. There are some nice little breakdowns and some Integrity-like guitar solos. It reminds me a little bit of the stuff that Ebullition was hawking in the mid 90's but a lot more fun and catchy. I could see kids that use their dogs … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Barbara

Peger
Heart & Crossbone (2007)

"Peger" is transliterated Hebrew for "corpse" or "carcass," so you know what you're getting into here. But Barbara, a bass/drum duo, compares themselves to everybody from Lightning Bolt to Today is the Day, and I'll confess that the idea of an Israeli Today is the Day had me curious. Peger is a bizarre record, alternating between blizzards of distortion and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Tyvek

Fast Metabolism
Whats Your Rupture? (2007)

I got interested in Fast Metabolism after seeing it billed as "fast, loud and weird" punk rock from Detroit - three adjectives close to my own heart. Oddly enough, Tyvek isn't all that fast, loud, or weird, but they kick up a surprisingly enjoyable and inspired racket nonetheless. Tyvek play a simple, unaffected kind of garage punk, drawing comparisons to … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Reptoids

Park a Tiger
RRRecords (2005)

Chicago's Reptoids, signed to RRRecords, play a female brand of grunge/punk rock. This six-track EP, clocking in at sixteen minutes, shows a fairly wide-ranging sound, taking in early Nirvana, through to a more rock and roll/punk sound reminiscent of 70s acts mixed with grunge vocals. Singer Kay Oh often reminds me of Courtney Love, but musically the band provides a … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Skyscraper Frontier

Moonlit Behavior
Coming Home (2006)

If I told you that Skyscraper Frontier was another band out of L.A. playing an 'eclectic' mixture of songs, you'd probably get that glazed look in your eyes and change the subject. You've heard it all before. But what if I told you that this six-track EP really was eclectic? Beginning with "I Just Need You," we get ambient 80's … Read more

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