The Ackleys
Forget Forget, Derive Derive
House of Love (2006)
It has to be considered near unforgivable to include the words "They're certainly not the first to write songsââ¬Â¦ and they probably won't be the last - but infectious, rock-solid indie pop will never go out of style" in a press sheet when one's aim is to try and sell a band, not make prospective listeners sigh with disappointment before they've even heard a note. Really. Come on now. This is simple stuff here. Sadly, what you're expecting is just what you get: solid indie pop, poorly produced indie pop at that. It would be misleading to say that the EP Forget Forget, Derive Derive bursts into life, when the term "staggers uncertainly" would be far more accurate. "Andy, Our Loss" is far from horrible - in fact, I'd describe it as above passable. But that's the problem - when the songs on this hit the mark, that mark is merely the point at which a song becomes okay rather than bad. The next two tracks can be aptly summarized in the phrase "lumpen and stodgy," while things lift once more with "Blank Mind Between The Traffic Lights," which almost crosses the boundary into the realm of catchy, entertaining pop-rock. … Read more
Fall Out Boy
Infinity on High
Island (2007)
In the punk scene alone, the collected amount of shit that has been talked about Fall Out Boy could probably … Read more
The Handshake Murders
Usurper
Goodfellow (2007)
I feel like right now is an interesting juncture in "hardcore." With its popularity and accessibility, there are a lot … Read more
The Miracle
Not Just Words
Still Life (2006)
It's quite amazing how widespread hardcore music has become these days. Despites its relatively young age compared to other genres, … Read more
