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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

How it Ends

Beloved
Thorp (2005)

There's something to be said for bands that get right to the point. Literally within the first ten seconds of "11th and Arch", Philadelphia's How it Ends lets you know exactly who they are and what they're about. And on their second album, Beloved, How it Ends is all about the heavy. Heavy guitars set just how i like my … Read more

27 / Twin Zero

27:00
Undergroove (2005)

When quality is superseded by time constrains, one feels a certain degree of relief. If all goes terribly wrong and what you've written stinks, you can always fall back on the old 'It was a rush job' line. Here's my situation: I received the new split CD by 27 and Twin Zero in the post this morning, and I have … Read more

Time for Living

Demo 2k5
Independent (2005)

Doesn't the Bay Area have enough good hardcore bands? It's like they grow them on trees, or breed them in those large crates on the shipping docks. The truth may never be known, and I'm sure as hell not complaining; it's amazing to see these new bands playing music that strays away from the repetitive shit Trustkill profits off of … Read more

Goldie Lookin' Chain

Safe as Fuck
Atlantic (2005)

2004 was an odd year in the United Kingdom. The word 'chav' became part of everyday life, there was an extremely hot summer (the likes of which we had never seen), and a bizarre group of Welshmen came out of nowhere to become the most talked about group of the year (mainly in the tabloids). Goldie Lookin' Chain's Greatest Hits, … Read more

Darkest Hour

Undoing Ruin
Victory (2005)

Metal is getting to be popular again. Its popularity has fluctuated at times, dipping in and out of the pop culture eye, but usually staying under the radar. With the resurgence of thrash/melodic death metal/"hardcore" hybrids popping up everywhere, there is a sense of excitement (or dread) about new metal releases. So many bands seem to be trying to "one-up" … Read more

The Farewell Reason

Demo
Independent (2005)

I'm going to start this one by saying that, with very few exceptions, I fuckin' hate metalcore. Has a genre ever spawned so many worthless, generic, formulaic, and uninspired bands? It's seriously riding pop-punk's ass right about now. Now, I don't always mind my hardcore with heavy metallic leanings; I can stand All Out War and Embrace Today, who at … Read more

Cave In

Perfect Pitch Black
Hydra Head (2005)

About a year and a half about I was fortunate enough to catch a Cave In performance at which they debuted a handful of new songs, many of which made their way onto this release. When they played these new songs, they were sprinkled about a set-list of recent songs from Jupiter and Antenna as well as old jams from … Read more

Mad Sin

Sweet and Innocent? Loud & Dirty!
Thorp (2005)

First released in 1998 und das Vaterland, Mad Sin's album Sweet and Innocent? Loud & Dirty! finally gets a "proper release" on North American Shores, courtesy of Thorp Records. A band that's been around for nigh on 17 years, these guys could quite possibly be the only band to have been on more labels than they have albums released. How … Read more

Andrew Bird

The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Righteous Babe (2005)

Andrew Bird is an intelligent and elegant Chicago based musician. He molds his work carefully. To give you an idea of how careful he is, he scrapped his latest album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, three times to go as far as traveling in-between studios from Chicago, Los Angeles and his hometown in Northern Illinois until he got it right. … Read more

The Spill Canvas

One Fell Swoop
111 (2005)

The Spill Canvas's debut LP Sunsets and Car Crashes showed us that in high school the members of the band were very, very, sad. With their sophomore follow-up, One Fell Swoop, it looks like the boys are out to prove they're still not over it. Self proclaimed as 'intense and emotionally driven,' The Spill Canvas are the type of band … Read more

Send More Paramedics / Zombie Apocalypse

Tales Told by Dead Men
Hellbent (2005)

So you know the story; you wait all your life for a band to sing about zombies and the living dead tearing at your flesh and then two come along at the same time! However, unlike the number 33 bus to Castlefield this is not just a small annoyance that makes you grumble all the way to work. Having the … Read more

Cipher

Children of God's Fire
Uprising (2005)

One of the best jokes ever created was "rap metal." A suburban fusion between nu-metal (i.e. Korn) with a frontman that yelled out words in a "rap" fashion. The result was a golden age of LOL. Remember Limp Bizkit? If you didn't prior to clicking this review, you sure do now. Backwards hats, shaved eyebrows....or maybe I'm just thinking of … Read more

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