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Metric

Live It Out
Last Gang (2005)

The attention gained by The Arcade Fire last year has been a blessing and a curse for Canadian indie music. In one respect the scene has been put in the spotlight by the mass media, which have discovered what many insiders have known for years: Canada produces some of the best music in the genre. Unfortunately the amount of hype … Read more

Palehorse

Secrets Within Secrets
Martyr (2005)

You find yourself strapped on a horse, galloping through a rampaged America. You don't know the year; you don't what the fuck happened. Skyscrapers point at empty skies. Civilization has been looted beyond repair. The outlook is bleak at best. For the purposes of this music review, you somehow find an iPod in your back pocket loaded with Palehorse's Secrets … Read more

New Order

Singles
Warner Bros. (2005)

I know what you're thinking because I was thinking it as well. How can a band that has only released eight studio albums have yet another greatest hits? Are they taking the piss or what? Singles is New Order's fifth greatest hits package after Substance, The Best of', The Rest of', the Retro box-set and the US release of International. … Read more

Ctrlaltdelete

Mondegreens
Motivesounds (2005)

I used to hate 'ctrl,' 'alt,' and 'delete.' Used in succession, it only meant one thing - reboot. That's right! Your computer is fucked and there is nothing you can do. Accept defeat and hit those keys. Anything you were working on is lost forever. But now, I'm kind of fond of them. UK post-rock trio Ctrlaltdelete has redefined those … Read more

Earth

Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method
Southern Lord (2005)

Opening with a sound not unlike some kind of spaghetti western death knell, Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method, the comeback album of noise mongers Earth, shocks the old time listeners of the band. Anyone who has heard Earth 2 or Sunn Amps and Smashed Guitars will tell you that. But, the mastermind behind Earth, Dylan Carlson, is known … Read more

Drowningman

Don't Push us When We're Hot
Thorp (2005)

I'll admit, when I first heard of Drowningman back in the day, I had a whole lot of preconceived notions. It was in a magazine, Revolver or Tiger Beat, that featured an interview. After looking at the photo, I was ready to dismiss them as Warped Tour rejects that play the excruciatingly banal bullshit that I'd come to expect from … Read more

HIM

Dark Light
Warner Bros. (2005)

HIM is known as the biggest musical joke of our generation and is bashed frequently by message board elitists everywhere. Are they really that bad? It depends. Listening to HIM's new album, Dark Light, is not a good way to introduce oneself to this Nordic phenomenon. I'd recommend going back to the beginning, eight years ago, when Greatest Love Songs … Read more

Scum

Gospels for the Sick
Tuba (2005)

The moment Shannon Larkin walked out of Amen and into Godhead, or Godsmack, or whatever the fuck awful band with 'God' in their name it was that he walked into, Casey Chaos was turned into that much maligned Dani Filth-esque character. You know the type, right? The ones that float around the music press on a weekly basis, but whom … Read more

Franz Ferdinand

You Could Have it So Much Better
Sony (2005)

No longer is Franz Ferdinand the sole property of Glasgow's skinny tie wearing indie elite. They are now a phenomenon. Actually, scratch that. They are a worldwide fucking phenomenon. This results in two things. Firstly, the anticipation surrounding their sophomore album, You Could Have it So Much Better, is massive. And secondly, I no longer look cool for being able … Read more

Fordirelifesake

A Daydream Disaster
Thorp (2005)

Kids aren't born cool. For the droves of kids that are growing up in small towns watching third rate metalcore at their local VFW Hall, it couldn't be harder to come across cool music, let alone music that is pushing boundaries. Fordirelifesake, although not pushing the boundaries of what the CD label described as 'melodic-metallic-hardcore,' seem to be the kind … Read more

Goldfrapp

Supernature
Mute (2005)

Sitting at a bar in a pub a couple of years back is a lovely looking young lady. The hero of this fictional and highly clich'd story, Fred, strides forth. He has his game face on and is looking for love, or something similar. 'Hi,' he says, not showing the fear, 'My name's Fred. Can I buy you a drink?' … Read more

Of Faith and Fire

Battleborn
Helicopter (2005)

Nevada is one of the last states I think of when it comes to hardcore. This is odd because the state produced one of hardcore's all-time greats in 7 Seconds and is also home to one of my favorite hardcore bands of all-time, Faded Grey. When I think of hardcore my mind tends to think of Southern California or the … Read more

Saltlick

A Face Only a Mother Could Love
Independent (2005)

In recent years country and folk music have had a significant increase in their influence in the genres of indie rock. We have seen albums from Bright Eyes, Sufjan Stevens, and Iron and Wine receive critical acclaim. It's not my right to question why, but it is within reason to ask. So, seriously, why the sudden fascination? Mr. Oberst has … Read more

The Twilight Collective

All in Due Time
Independent (2005)

So lately you've seen a lot of new bands popping up. The first thing you see is 'ex-members of ______ and ______!!!!' HOLY CRAP, you mean this band has members from all of my favorite bands? They're writing songs together? YES!! It seems as though so many of the new bands recently have become sort of incestuous, all sleeping and … Read more

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