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Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Interpol

Antics
Matador (2004)

Well Scene Point Blank-ers, I've got some bad news: there will be nothing shocking in this review. The reason for this is that there is nothing surprising about the new Interpol album. I know that's what all the other reviews are saying as well, but I'm going to have to agree with them on this one. I could lie to you and tell you otherwise but I wouldn't want to talk any Turn on the Bright Lights fans out of picking up Antics. On Antics Interpol basically picks up exactly where they left off on the last album. For most bands the old "if it ain't broke don't fix it" method is usually a terrible idea, but for Interpol it may be the key to continued indie dominance. Paul Banks and the crew have constructed ten new songs following the same blueprint: driving guitars, simple pounding drums, and vocals that sound like a dictator shouting orders down to the masses. A couple tracks on Antics, however, do have a genuinely warmer sound. The first twenty seconds of the album are very Legend of Zelda-esque and "Next Exit" proves to be one of the band's mellower tracks. The next song "Evil" … Read more

Architecture in Helsinki

Fingers Crossed
Bar/None (2004)

Architecture in Helsinki are not your everyday indie-pop group. Sure, they are compared to Belle and Sebastian a lot, but … Read more

Isis

Oceanic Remixes Volume III
Robotic Empire (2004)

While this may seem repetitive to say, before you listen to Volume III, it would be in your best interest … Read more

The Thrills

Let's Bottle Bohemia
Virgin (2004)

Foreign territories naturally exude mystery and romance. Dubliners the Thrills found California so intriguing that they wrote their whole debut, … Read more

These Days

Death Sentence
Run for Cover (2004)

Before we begin I'd like to officially admit that I have a problem. I have an obsession with the Nor … Read more

Verse

Rebuild
Rivalry (2004)

As someone who always thought What Feeds the Fire was just "okay," I was hesitant to believe all the hype … Read more

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One from the archives

Perfect Pussy

Say Yes To Love
Captured Tracks (2014)

In 2010, it was Wavves. In 2012, it was Japandroids. Now, the vaginal Syracuse outfit Perfect Pussy is Pitchfork.com's newest punk band crush. Yes, this is the same popular indie music site whose 2013 Reader’s Poll allowed Kanye West’s Yeezus to be the Most Underrated and Most Overrated Album Of The Year, and yes, these are also the writers who gave Andrew W.K.’s I Get Wet both a 0.6/10 and an 8.6/10, but when it comes to discovering fabulous new bands, like Perfect Pussy, Pitchfork knows what’s up.Say Yes To Love (from Captured Tracks Records) is Perfect Pussy’s debut “full-length” (the release contains eight songs, but plays for only 23 minutes). It’s hip garage punk sauced with over-the-top distortion, but sprinkled with a hint of dreaminess.“Driver," Say Yes To Love’s beastly lead single, opens the eight-songer. The call to all moshers “Bells” follows; it … Read more

More album reviews

The Delays

Faded Seaside Glamour
Sanctuary (2004)

Nothing really sets the Delays apart from other mediocre Brit pop rock bands. They are all trapped in limbo between the achievements of Radiohead and Oasis and the sewage of bands like__________and__________(I can't remember any Brit bands that I thought were absolutely horrendous). No matter how ordinary the band may be, they achieve the same lush and atmospheric sound; many … Read more

Multiple Authors

Converge

You Fail Me
Epitaph (2004)

Dear Converge, After giving You Fail Me a listen, the only thing I can even begin to contemplate is: "What the fuck happened here?" I'm truly sorry to say that aside from calculating the distance from where I'm sitting to the Cosi two blocks away (I have a coupon for a free sandwich), this is the only thought that's running … Read more

Multiple Authors

Converge

You Fail Me
Epitaph (2004)

"Is You Fail Me better than Jane Doe?" Don't lie, that's what you're wondering and hoping this review will answer. So I'll do you a favor and answer your question from the get go: 25% yes and 75% no. You Fail Me brings forth twelve great tracks that work on their own but doesn't have the same cohesiveness of Jane … Read more

The Libertines

The Libertines
Sanctuary (2004)

Pete Doherty is so rock n' roll. Every other day the kid is in rehab, and on the other days he's escaping from it. Just look at the cover of this CD; Doherty's fellow band mate looks like he is trying to help him from passing out from a drug overdose. On special occasions, Doherty steals from his band mates' … Read more

Mare

Mare
Hydra Head (2004)

Maybe I am blinded by my love for Hydrahead Records, but it seems to me that as of late the label has been churning out spectacular album after spectacular album at a rapid rate. Whether it's the latest release from regular mainstay Harkonen or the debut release from the young phenoms of Mare, Hydrahead definitely has a knack for finding … Read more

Multiple Authors

Green Day

American Idiot
Warner Bros. (2004)

If you know anything about Green Day, it's no big secret that they're Who fans (see: Sweet Children EP - Track 4 - "My Generation"). On top of that, you should also know that they've been extremely creative lately (see: Warning). Now, put those two together, and you have Green Day's seventh full length release, American Idiot. Not only does … Read more

Multiple Authors

Green Day

American Idiot
Warner Bros. (2004)

Like too many of their musical peers, Green Day, the longtime bay area punk/pop heroes, have thrown down their challenge to the American government with their bluntly titled seventh album. Upon learning the name of this record, I have to admit that I felt a little concerned that everyone's favourite pop-punkers had decided to become 'political' - didn't they learn … Read more

Further Seems Forever

Hide Nothing
Tooth & Nail (2004)

With the release of their third album, Further Seems Forever presents us with...you guessed it, another lead singer. The evolution goes as follows: Chris Carraba, Jason Gleason, and now John Bunch (formerly of Sense Field). Overall, this is a pretty impressive roster but unfortunately for fans, it's difficult to remain faithful to the band when each album has a completely … Read more

Björk

Medúlla
Elektra (2004)

Pop music usually isn't something that offers much variety in terms of groundbreaking artistic expression, innovation, and, when it all comes down to it, quality. In the MTV generation of plastic creativity, few dare to venture into the realm of experimentation for fear of losing that ever-so-valuable celebrity clothing line, and dropping off the Top 40 charts. For every Björk, … Read more

Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez

A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume 1
GSL (2004)

Fans of the bespectacled Omar of At The Drive-In/Mars Volta fame will already have an idea of how this record will sound thanks to Rodriguez-Lopez's creative and original guitar work in both bands. More notably in The Mars Volta (where Rodriguez wrote most of the songs) his passion for synths, drum machines, strange vocals and heavily effect-laden guitars was documented … Read more

Sahara Hotnights

Kiss & Tell
RCA (2004)

Perhaps the name of Sahara Hotnights singer Maria Andersson's boyfriend rings a bell - Howlin' Pelle Alvmquist of the Hives. Or maybe you just know Sahara Hotnights, because you swear you've seen the name somewhere; that would be the press' fault. Sahara Hotnights has been dubbed "the next big thing" by several sources since the garage band explosion. They all … Read more

Head Automatica

Decadence
Warner Bros. (2004)

It was merely a few years ago that I, a young teenage boy, was sitting in my bedroom watching the Howard Stern show on E!. On this particular episode, as on every particular episode, Stern was giving away a pair of saline boobies to whichever lucky girl would humiliate herself the most. I don't remember the particulars, other than that … Read more

Lights Out

Get Out
Youngblood (2005)

When was the last time you were angry? You're on a computer at the moment, so maybe you have a sticky key that really pisses you off. Or maybe your computer speaks to you in a really sarcastic tone, and you...just...can't....take...it...anymore. At any rate, anybody can relate to anger. Hey...you also like music, I bet. Crucial music you say? Well … Read more

Washington Social Club

Catching Looks
Badman (2004)

"Move the flipping* Audi [away from the front of the club]!" shouted one of the members of the Washington Social Club to the audience. They drew quite a crowd -including an Audi - for a headlining show at the Black Cat in Washington DC. I was not intrigued at first impression; I was there to see another local band and … Read more

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