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)

Drawing Voices

Drawing Voices
Double H Noise/Hydra Head (2007)

Drawing Voices is easily one the most experimental and groundbreaking projects that I have come across in all my years of listening to and reviewing music. Mastermind Craig Dongoski with help of Aaron Turner of Isis/House of Low Culture has taken the art of drawing and writing and transformed it into an auditory experience. The two as Drawing Voices have taken various sounds of writings and drawings and experimented with them through a variety of electronic effects and processings (in addition to adding outside instrumentation) to form the most bizarre record I've heard since Mike Patton's Adult Themes for Voice. Drawing Voices begins with "Being Born Broken," a track that sounds more like a spaceship powering up than it does like anything else. Fortunately this track is brief and quickly passes. The samplings of drawings are a slightly more noticeable on "Mask," though they are accompanied by a variety of different sounds. There are soft snyth/keys that almost sound like angelic bells humming. As well, there are swirling noises, which could be drawings that have been processed through some kind of sampler. "Scattered Shavings" is a lot like the preceding track - hints of the drawing and sketching sounds, but … Read more

Stars of the Lid

And Their Refinement of the Decline
Kranky (2007)

When it comes to currently running ambient acts, they do not get any more prolific than Stars of the Lid. … Read more

Jesu

Sundown/Sunrise
Aurora Borealis (2007)

Justin Broadrick and company has been extremely busy. Sundown/ Sunrise is a two-song 12" EP that Aurora Borealis is releasing. … Read more

El-P

I'll Sleep When You're Dead
Definitive Jux (2007)

Nas' latest release makes the claim that hip-hop is dead. If he paid attention to the underground, he'd know the … Read more

Defiance, Ohio / Environmental Youth Crunch

Split
Dead Tank (2007)

This split basically had to happen. Environmental Youth Crunch loves the environment. Defiance, Ohio loves friendship and family. Both bands … Read more

Novembers Doom

The Novella Reservoir
The End (2007)

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Novembers Doom were first brought to my attention by a disgruntled Opeth fan, who, unimpressed with … Read more

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One from the archives

Ampere

Like Shadows
No Idea Records (2011)

Ampere is an emotional hardcore band out of Amherst, Massachusetts known for incredibly chaotic live shows done in short bursts, sometimes lasting less than 15 minutes. A DIY ethos and vegan politics course through the veins of this bands’ lyrics and image. Arriving shortly after the “Level Plane” era of bands like Saetia andNeil Perry, Ampere continued the path tread by those before them releasing album after album of unrelenting emotional destruction.This album starts off like a jolt to the heart. Frantic and relentless drum and bass lines with forceful guitar tones and the shrieking usually reserved for murder victims pound this album deep inside your ears. This album is incredibly flowing, yet that also means that it’s a little hard to tell where one song ends and another begins. … Read more

More album reviews

Aughra / Mosh Patrol

Is There Anyone Else Outside
Magic Bullet (2007)

Is There Anyone Else Outside is the split effort between Aughra and Mosh Patrol. Aughra is the ambient/electronic solo-project of Brent Eyestone (member of Forensics, Corn on Macabre, and Waifle) while Mosh Patrol is a similar solo project from Chris King (member of This Will Destroy You). The Aughra material on Is There Anyone Else Outside is very chilled out … Read more

Shadows Fall

Threads of Life
Atlantic (2007)

I have five different CD players, three in my home and two more in cars. The copy of Threads of Life that I received to review wouldn't play in any of them due to its copy protection technology. I could have chosen to download this from the Internet and then just reviewed it without anyone being the wiser, but I … Read more

Talk is Poison

Condensed Humanity: The Prank EPs
Prank (2007)

At last. A fairly short-lived, late '90s hardcore band, Talk is Poison seemed to stick in the heads of connoisseurs after disbanding, leaving behind a small but dedicated cadre of fans. They produced three records - two EPs and a split with Deathreat - and after many laments about this material going out of print, it's nice to see all … Read more

Big D and the Kids Table

Strictly Rude
Side One Dummy (2007)

Ska is dead. Is ska dead? For many of us the answer is yes. I'm sure several of you reading this are doing so simply for nostalgia's sake - a trip down memory lane - having dismissed your love of ska in high school in much the same way you stopped wearing JNCO jeans past middle school. Both, now, are … Read more

Olympia

Emergencies
Equal Vision/Hope Division (2007)

Right now there are too many bands running around using descriptors like "post-hardcore" or "post-rock" that when you get around to hearing the band you are treated to yet another run of the mill rock band like Vanna, Aiden, From First to Last or any other ripe for Warped Tour fodder. I was hearing rumblings of this band called Olympia … Read more

Panda Bear

Person Pitch
Paw Tracks (2007)

Better known as one-fourth of indie darlings Animal Collective, Noah Lennox under the name Panda Bear has recently released his third record upon the world, aptly titled Person Pitch. Gone are the mostly acoustic-based songs found on his last album, Young Prayer. Person Pitch has taken elements of Brian Wilson's years of experimenting in the field of pop to an … Read more

Life in Your Way

Waking Giants
Solid State (2007)

Waking Giants marks Life in Your Way's jump from the farm leagues to the, well, the somewhat bigger indie league. This is their first effort for Solid State, home to many bands that seem to be ultra popular with the kids these days: Underoath, The Chariot, etc. So with the new label comes an increased opportunity for success; opportunity that … Read more

Her Breath on Glass / Championship

Split
Reap What You Sew (2007)

As much as people don't want to admit it, independent music is based on trends just the same as mainstream music. Five or six years ago it was all the rage to listen to screamo, and now look where we are now. Despite being eight years removed from the band and now fronting Hot Cross, Billy Werner will probably never … Read more

Wold

Screech Owl
Profound Lore (2007)

Ever hear of Wold? No? I too am hearing them for the first time. I will say that this is a disturbing record. I understand that being cooped up on the frozen wastes of Saskatchewan probably affects the sound that they produce a great deal. Holy shit this is disturbing. Screech Owl opens with "An Habitation of Dragons and a … Read more

Blacklisted

Peace on Earth, War on Stage
Deathwish Inc. (2007)

All true hardcore has always abided by one rule: keep it short and sweet. With their newest seven inch, Peace on Earth, War on Stage, Philadelphia's Blacklisted dutifully abides. Totaling just about six minutes this record is an all out assault on anyone accusing the band of being just another set of guppies in a sea of thug bands. The … Read more

Das Oath

Das Oath
Three One G (2007)

Das Oath - or The Oath as they are often referred - put out records with shemale pornography in the liner notes, prompting record stores to stock their albums behind the counter like brown paper bag contraband. They've sold dildos with their name on them. They've released four self-titled records in the last seven years. The Oath consists of former … Read more

Skindraft

Demos
Independent (2007)

Skindraft's compilation of previous and new demos oddly titled Demos is a very telling slice of a young, new band finding their way in the world. Hailing from Ireland, these four lads have shown growth since the release of their first demo in 2004. Two and a half years later, they still wear their influences on their sleeve as evidenced … Read more

The Storm

Relentless
Innerstrength (2007)

"I see the hate / It's coming down / Down like the rain." Thus begins the greatest song about rain and hate that has ever been pressed to vinyl. Of course I'm talking about the Judge masterpiece "The Storm" a song so amazing that it got a sequel, "The Storm II". Yes I said, "amazing" and to anyone that knows … Read more

Bright Eyes

Cassadaga
Saddle Creek (2007)

In what's seemingly an attempt to depart from the boy wonder tagline which has chased him his entire career, Conor Oberst takes on a more mature tone with Cassadaga, the latest of his half a dozen plus releases. This album sees Bright Eyes, now consisting of the aforementioned Oberst, Nate Walcott and Mike Mogis, devoid of the introspective, angst ridden, … Read more

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