Music elitists say that excellent music has not come out since the 70's; that the past thirty odd some years have been regurgitated, diluted crap. Some might admit that there have been some good bands in the past couple of years, but none of those bands are groundbreaking or memorable. And in the end, those bands are just extremely influenced by the luminaries of the past. We all want another Beatles, another Led Zeppelin, and another Bob Dylan. Nostalgia for the past - we all have it, whether you are a full-on elitist, a partial elitist, or an open-minded embracer. Sometimes nostalgia gets the best of us: the Darkness's popularity arose from nostalgia for hair bands and shiny spandex. Britt Daniels and Jim Eno acknowledge music elitists by producing an homage to rock with Spoon's latest release Gimme Fiction. From the get go they are not demure about their inspiration as denoted by their lyric "I got to believe it comes from rock and roll" on their opening track "The Beast and Dragon, Adored." This track, among many on the album, evokes a dark, archaic sensuality that parallels the sound that the Beatles developed towards the end of their career. … Read more
I can't possibly make this a lengthy review. I can't! I've tried to think of creative ways to give my … Read more
I've never really been a fan of "best of..." collections. Too much of the time, they are released mid-career without … Read more
The Frames are five Dubliners, with a handful of releases already. They use a variety of instruments, ranging from piano … Read more
An open letter to Hollow Ground and Organized Crime Records I'm not a detective or a mind-reader. I am neither … Read more
Rare is music that can evoke a time and a place in the mind of the listener. Rarer still is … Read more
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It’s probably impossible not to smile at Masked Intruder’s self-titled debut. Hidden behind a veil of anonymity, the foursome have converged through a myriad of cell bars and prison yards to construct some of the catchiest, colour-coded pop-punk tunes ever written. Between being as violent and delusional as it is hilarious and heartwarming, Masked Intruder successfully pairs the impeccable harmonies of the Beach Boys with the reckless endangerment of the Dopamines. From start to finish, Masked Intruder bounces along at a delightful pace, ducking in and out of tale after tale of broken hearts, insane courtships, and overall loneliness in a world intent in flaunting its romantic conquests. At the risk of sounding stale, Masked Intruder don’t vary much in their delivery, but never fail to actually show up to … Read more
Every so often an album seems to come out of nowhere and totally blindsides you. This is one of those albums. I initially put this on with little knowledge about it other than the fact it was released by Constellation Records (home of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, A Silver Mt Zion, Fly Pan Am etc.) Within a matter of seconds … Read more
The very First time I heard White Stripes I honest to God thought I was hearing a Led Zeppelin bootleg. I walked into a record store and a minute later was telling a clerk "I'll take it". It wasn't Led Zeppelin. "I'll take it anyway". That was their sophomore album De Stijl, the album I still consider as one of … Read more
The first thing I noticed when pulling this CD out of the tray, was that it was one of those full size compact discs that only uses three inches in the middle. The outer ring of the disc was clear plastic. The image screened onto the disc looked pretty menacing with the clear background. I also noticed that the band … Read more
We've all done it - you mention a band unfamiliar to your friend and they'll ask "What does it sound like?" and being lazy North Americans we'll often reply with a barrage of noteworthy names just recognizable enough to wipe the inquisitive look from our hapless chum's face, and just obscure enough to retain "street cred" with the remainder of … Read more
Pretty Hate Machine, The Downward Spiral, The Fragile - you name any of these titles to a Nine Inch Nails fan and they could probably give you a whole host of reasons why it's their favorite album. Then, of course, they'd inundate you with any number of words to describe front man/founder Trent Reznor: Genius, brilliant, twisted, brilliantly twisted genius … Read more
The past year or two have been interesting times for bands that mattered more in the 80's. In 2004, The Cure and Morrissey both released albums that earned them more attention (read: blind praise) than they'd seen in years. Apparently, 2005 marks New Order's turn. The term "washed up" once again comes to mind, but to me it seems like … Read more
Haymaker is one of the worst albums, hardcore or otherwise, I've ever heard. We're talking 'makes-Hatebreed-look-like-Converge' bad here. I honestly cannot fathom a duller, more cliched, and more mentally aggravating record ever coming out of any music scene (with the possible exception of post-rock). It was a harrowing, monstrous disappointment from a band who has managed to put out a … Read more
Remember in high school when big ass dudes would ask you if you knew where the beach was, just so they could flex their muscles and say "that way"? I don't know if that made your underpants moist, but The Note is Bane flexing, and I am currently sitting in a puddle. Has Bane ever done anything bad? Ever disappointed … Read more
There is nothing quite like having to follow up a great record. 2003's Rounds was such an album; engaging, beautiful and charismatic. And for an electronica album, or "IDM" if you must, that was really something. Ironically, it was even released in the same month and on the same very label as Ulrich Schnauss's latest attempt to create the perfect … Read more
Are My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, and perhaps Fugazi cool with you? Do you have an incurable fondness for spacey, fuzzed-out guitar rock? Do you suffer from chronic jock itch or something equally unpleasant? If so, you should indubitably investigate Autolux's Future Perfect pronto. There's no denying that the album is positively derivative, but its eleven nuggets of joy are … Read more
I am glad that i am not a radio personality because my voice is less then stellar from being that guy you see in his car trying to sing along with his CD player. Yes, the album is that good. It's been 3 days and i already have the first half of the album memorized. I don't think we could've … Read more
It's been four years since Gorillaz, the world's first animated group, debuted with Gorillaz, a wacky blend of pop, rock, and hip-hop. A fun, terrific debut guided by one of the best single's to hit MTV in the past half-decade, "Clint Eastwood." I myself am not too overzealous when hearing a great single, but damn, that track sucker-punched me pretty … Read more
Say Goodbye isn't one of your run of the mill, "fast pissed off hardcore bands." These guys give something more that makes them stand out in the style of hardcore they play. This is the third release for Say Goodbye, and I was very excited to hear this record. But I had high expectations for this record since I liked … Read more
Last year Folsom released their debut full-length through Westcoast Worldwide Records, a label that I would describe as a "word of mouth label." The larger hardcore labels are able to promote their releases in prominent music magazines and have their records distributed by larger entertainment chains such as Best Buy, FYE, etc. Westcoast Worldwide, instead, must rely on the closely … Read more
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