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)

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 luckily for you, you are reading a review of Lights Out, California's most crucial band. "I guess there's no reason to tell you to go/Because you were never fucking here" You've continued reading because you either already have heard this album or you haven't. If you already have, respek. If you haven't, you're probably wondering what this sounds like. Get Out fits in that ambiguous genre that is punk/hardcore. There are parts that are fast, no blast beats though, and parts that slow down into a youth crew groove. Unlike Youth Of Today and Gorilla Biscuits though, the vocals are a lot more pissed off. What's nice is that no matter how angry Connor gets, you can still understand what he's saying. It almost reminds me of a more punk version of Dave Weinberg, in terms of the sound. Lyrically, … 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 … Read more

A Day in Black and White/Black Castle

Split
State of Mind (2004)

Splits are ideally awesome, with two bands combining their sounds for one album. Often times though it ends up that … Read more

Joan Of Arc

Joan Of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain
Polyvinyl (2004)

It's strange to think that Tim Kinsella has been at it for about decade now, using his inexplicable charms and … Read more

Set Your Goals

Set Your Goals
Straight On (2004)

Recently, the scene of hardcore-punk has become a stagnant cesspool of monotony. Out of the thousands of bands playing "hardcore" … Read more

Rilo Kiley

More Adventurous
Brute (2004)

It was kind of shocking when Rilo Kiley decided to leave Saddle Creek in pursuit of their own record label, … Read more

Browse our review archives

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

745 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

4797 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

The Mons

Trust No One
Triple Eye Industries (2017)

Trust No One, The Mons’ second album isn’t subtle. But what do you expect of a band using that name? This is aggressive, 1980s-inspired hardcore with a penchant for fast songs and straight shooting ‘tude. The opening ripper “This Is Why” is a declaration statement with a minute-long intro before it rages for a whopping 17 seconds. To pull a lyric from the title track, this record sounds like a psychotic breakdown.With all the straight shooting fury, The Mons are angry, frustrated, and political without being preachy. It’s a tough balance to pull off, considering that “Dead Dick Fan Fic” is about wishing the death of former vice president Dick Cheney. By making the lyrics so forcefully direct, it feels playful despite the message.Take “The Man” as an example:I got … Read more

More album reviews

Cut The Shit

Marked For Life
Gloom (2004)

By the time you read this, Cut The Shit will have already finished their final west coast shows and be on the way to breaking up. Their final show will no doubt be off the hook, but for those of us who won't be able to attend said event, we are blessed with ten and a half minutes of near … Read more

Funeral For a Friend

Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation
Ferret (2004)

Read more

The Good Life

Album of the Year
Saddle Creek (2004)

Tim Kasher manages to juggle two well-respected bands without taking a noticeable break. The strident noise of Cursive may sound much harsher than the soft melodies of The Good Life, but most of the songs are on the same subject of unsuccessful relationships. The Good Life makes that disappointing love theme into a year-long affair on their third full-length album, … Read more

Tree Wave

Cabana
Made Up (2004)

The sound is akin to being smothered by some heavenly, heavily pixilated pillow- warm washes of analog static, compressed layers of computerized bleeps, waves of soft, arpeggiated trills, and a beautiful voice emerging from the dense, intoxicating cloud. Tree Wave are a Dallas-based duo that write fantastic, mind-bending songs with nothing more than some antiquated technology (Commodore 64's, Dot Matrix … Read more

Badly Drawn Boy

One Plus One is One
Astralwerks (2004)

Before writing this review I sat down to go through my usual pre-review writing routine which consists of listening to the CD, reading some lyrics, stealing some ideas from Pitchfork, and checking out the bands website. This preliminary process usually doesn't take very long, but tonight I sat in front of this radiating screen in a state of bewilderment. All … Read more

Folsom

Folsom
West Coast Worldwide (2004)

With the way things are going in the music world these days, it should only be a matter of months before Folsom is the most jocked band in hardcore. The Las Vegas natives combine aggressive music similar to Merauder with ridiculous breakdowns and lyrics that provide a multitude of opportunities for sing-alongs. I was fortunate to see this band open … Read more

Isis

Oceanic Remixes Volume II
Robotic Empire (2004)

As I did with the review of Volume I, I will recommend that those of you who have not heard Isis, in particular the band's last full-length Oceanic, head out to your local independent record store and purchase a copy. Give the album a few listens and then you can come back and read the remainder of this review. And … Read more

The Shore

The Shore
Maverick (2004)

Could it be that my computer has a secret quality music detector and it was trying to warn me? My computer isn't that advanced, in fact, most of the time it is just dysfunctional. It is sufficient enough to play a CD, however, this time it refused to play The Shore's self-titled debut album. The CD drive made an awful … Read more

Parts & Labor/Tyondai Braxton

Rise Rise Rise
Narnack (2004)

Brooklyn strikes again with this 2-for-1 bargain from noise rock provocateurs Parts & Labor and loop-based composer Tyondai Braxton. Rise Rise Rise may only be the second major release from each of the two parties involved, but surprisingly enough, it manages to exhibit more progress than a second - not to mention split - release would normally demonstrate. Parts & … Read more

The Colour

The Colour is Out and About
Monarchy (2004)

"The Colour" are out and about - I guess. Yeah, okay. Center singer dude here sounds kind of like Robert Smith, guy from that one band, and sometimes sounds like...like notimportantenoughformetoknowhisnameleadsingerofHOTHOTHEAT (who are pretty much over at this point). The Cure is kind of 'in' again so yeah, who knows if this band will rise to fame or not with … Read more

The Veils

The Runaway Found
Sanctuary (2004)

Finn Andrews, the vocalist and guitarist of the Veils, once posed alone in front of a cemetery. The building behind the cemetery was grey, old, and had shingles flaking off the roof. The grass was an unsightly shade between jaundice yellow and moss green. There was a tree looming above the scene was bare and angular. Andrews fit right in … Read more

Camera Obscura

Underachievers Please Try Harder
Merge (2004)

With the state of pop music looking more and more depressing with every year, it is always nice to hear a band whose influences reach a bit deeper than the latest craze. In the case of Glasgow, Scotland's Camera Obscura (not to be confused with the San Diego band of same name), cues are taken as much from the British … Read more

Ween

Live In Chicago
Sanctuary (2004)

Note:If you need to really know how I feel about Ween as a band, please refer to my review on of their CD Quebec, on this very website. My other review contained a small bit on a time when I experienced Ween live. I have seen them again since, and considering this is a live DVD/CD package, I find it … Read more

Terror

One with the Underdogs
Trustkill (2004)

Terror might be the only band that could have had a successful career in music without playing a single show. The band's demo made its way online via their website and created a tidal wave of positive reviews that praised the band as the "saviors of hardcore." After the release of the demo, the band's first set of shows included … Read more

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