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)

Moonraker

The Forest
Bearded Punk Records, Bypolar Records, No Time Records, Tiny Dragon Music (2022)

I expected to like this based on hearing a few Moonraker songs in recent years. But this is definitely my surprise record or “new [to me]” find of the year so far. If you’ve read my other reviews, you know I generally think intro tracks are worthless. But, in this case, I take it back. “Incendium” is the best intro I’ve heard since “Tragedy Ghouls” in terms of setting a mood. It also kind of motivates me to finally watch Better Call Saul, which is neither here nor there. The Forest builds momentum right away and then it delivers with anguished, emotional punk that’s equally inward and outward looking, reflective and sociopolitical. To distill it down, I think they sound somewhat like a mix of Needles//Pins and Dead Bars with a bit of NOFX influence that boosts the energy level from its downer lyrics. And those lyrics are anything but subtle, with desperate cries of “It only hurts when I car / It only hurts because I always care” (“Crickets”) and, later “I cried the whole way home,” which is basically the setup for “In Confidence.” We even get some crickets and rain sounds mixed in to reinforce it. It’s … Read more

Dälek

Precipice
Ipecac (2022)

It is easy to take for granted the excellent state of experimental hip-hop today. With Death Grips freely applying noise … Read more

Cult of Luna

The Long Road North
Metal Blade (2022)

It’s always a joy to learn Cult of Luna will be releasing something new and as the Swedes have proved … Read more

Book Review

Paul Morley

From Manchester with Love: The Life and Opinions of Tony Wilson
Allen & Unwin Publishing (2021)

Tony Wilson was known for many things, e.g. being TV presenter, enfant terrible, entrepreneur, founder of the immensely successful Factory … Read more

Orville Peck

Bronco
Columbia (2022)

After 3 years, fringy-faced Country mystery-man, Orville Peck, is roaring back into the scene with his sophomore album, Bronco. In … Read more

Unsanitary Napkin

All Billionaires Are Bastards
AlwaysNeverFun, Limbless, Slimebag (2022)

My favorite Dutch swear words are “natte krant” (wet newspaper), “zak hooi” (bag of hay) while “pannekoek” (pancake) gets an … Read more

Browse our review archives

Reviews by year

Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.

Reviews by artist name

Choose a letter to view reviews ordered by that letter (band name first).

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

754 reviews

Book Review

43 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

5036 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Daylight

The Difference Between Good and Bad Dreams
Run for Cover (2012)

200 Words Or Less

Daylight is one of those pop punk bands that run in the same vein as Run for Cover label mates Basement and genre heavyweights Title Fight, characterized by upbeat melodies and catchy riffs while retaining a clean sound. The Difference Between Good and Bad Dreams is the band’s latest release and follows their acoustic EP. The four songs come to thirteen minutes. However, this release did not grip me the same way as the band’s first release, Sinking and did not leave me as excited for a full-length as the acoustic release did, though it still keeps me eager for something longer. With a mellower sound, at times the songs leave the listener disinterested and lack the catchy vibe that was so prominent on Sinking. The strongest track is “In … Read more

More album reviews

Cremation Lily

Dreams Drenched In Static
Flenser (2022)

It has been quite a journey for Zen Zsigo and Cremation Lily, a path defined by constant flux. It was back in the early ‘10s, that the initial demos of the project appeared. Back then it was all about textural harshness, with Zsigo pushing the power electronics ethos. The initial chaos would subside, and from there on Cremation Lily explored … Read more

Beex

The Early Years: 1979-1982
Beach Impediment (2021)

The beak is a feature predominantly found in birds but not limited to. A beak could also be located on a turtle or rarely in a band of early fundamental punk rock anthropomorphic specimens. A beak is a functional tool with varying degrees of use depending on the embodiment or representation called into question. Primarily the beak is used for … Read more

Annie Jump Cannon

Flourishing Apart
No Sleep (2022)

Every 15-20 years there’s a revival. This time it’s emo and Annie Jump Cannon may be a modern 2022 band, but this could have come out in 2005 and fit into the scene of that day: both for its strengths and its weaknesses. Emo has always been a flawed genre for me. The melodrama plays well with crescendos and soaring, … Read more

Signals Midwest

Dent
Lauren Records (2022)

Signals Midwest play punk with a lot of words. Words arranged in actual sentences, telling stories instead of using the lyrics for purely rhythmic and singalong purposes. Dent is their fifth album, and it’s the first I’ve personally reviewed even though I’ve followed the band from afar over the years. The lyrics are personal, but consistently positive in tone, which … Read more

GGGOLDDD

This Shame Should Not Be Mine
Artoffact (2022)

GGGOLDDD (formerly known as Gold) have always resisted fitting into a single mold. While their vision has hovered around an alternative and indie rock foundation, they have freely explored adjacent spaces. Electronic components were introduced, metallic elements have been applied and a punk-ish fervor would now and then rear its head. And this has resulted in some excellent works with … Read more

Jalang

Santau
Heavy Machinery Records, Ruin Nation Records (2021)

2020 saw the release of Pontianak, the debut album of Lài. One year later (this review is very late, don’t worry, I am fully aware it’s two years later already) Santau, the debut album by Jalang is released. But is it a debut album if Lài simply changed its name to Jalang? Considering it is the first album under this … Read more

Carthiefschool

Kenjimiyazawa
Transduction Records (2021)

Japanese based Carthiefschool formed in high school in 2016 and over these last 6 years or so have thrived in the Sapporo city underground scene. The 3 piece comprised of Tomoya Murosaki (guitar/vocals), Genki Tsusaka (bass) and Yudai Takasago (drums) have wasted little time recording as hot on the heels of their self titled debut album Carthiefschool released in February … Read more

Ghost

Impera
Loma Vista Recordings (2022)

Swedish theatrical rock outfit Ghost unleashed their fifth studio album entitled Impera at the beginning of March this year and for a little while the rock/metal community was saturated with interviews from Tobias Forge not to mention everyone and their dog were posting reviews of this new album. Sorry to be the one that prolongs this but I'm here to … Read more

Mad Brother Ward

Ugly Life
Ruined Records (2022)

Snarling, savage, sneering rabid dog on a thick chain lunging towards your soft neck in the area of your throbbing jugular. Spittle flies from the mouth of Mad Brother Ward as he foams and drools his venomous proclamation of an Ugly Life/I Just Wanna Die. For fans of Antiseen (Mad Brother Ward is the current guitarist), Confederacy of Scum, and … Read more

Sundown

Keep Moving
Wise Blood Records (2022)

It’s interesting that Sundown calls this record Keep Moving because, in many ways, it feels stuck in 2005. It’s a mix of melodic and chugging hardcore, with dual vocalists and two very different styles to breathe some extra life into it the format. At its best, Keep Moving recalls Avail while, at its worst, I’m brought back to those screamo … Read more

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music

Variants of Vibe
Wicked Cool Records (2022)

Hey Mickey you're so fine, You’re so fine you blow my mind Hey Mickey, Hey Mickey. “Do You remember lying in bed/ With the covers pulled up over your head/Radio Playing so no one can see”-Ramones I do remember getting my first cheap transistor army green radio and picking up on a local AM station that played the oldies/ goldies. … Read more

Swami John Reis

Ride The Wild Night
Swami (2022)

Rock ‘n’ roll is full of clichés. It pretty much has been one about 50 years now. And the many projects of Swami John Reis revel in these roots. Whether we’re talking about Rocket From The Crypt or Hot Snakes or Night Marchers, Reis has an ear for the concepts that are core to the style. But he has a … Read more

Loop

Sonancy
Reactor (2022)

The legends of old return! Loop were one of the visionaries acts of the late ‘80s, alongside other paragons like My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3. Despite their short-lived existence, Loop managed to shake the post-punk and indie rock scenes. Taking on many elements from the new wave lineage, Loop were not content with confinements. Their tools in escaping these … Read more

Book Review

Oasis

Knebworth – Two Nights That Will Live Forever
Cassell Publishing (2021)

Indulging in the seductive lies of nostalgia often means that rough edges are taken from the brittle pages of the good old days, especially when it comes to stories emanating from the realm of rock’n roll and the self-congratulatory celebrations of each generations’ hey-days. However, no matter if you hold Oasis in high esteem or not, it was quite something … Read more

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