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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)

Nirvana

With the Lights Out
Geffen (2004)

Shortly after Kurt Cobain's death in 1994, a local college radio station DJ took it upon himself to air an entire show of Nirvana material, much of which was rare b-sides, covers, and demos that had never graced my ears before. Luckily, I was armed with a tape deck and several blank cassettes, and when it was all said and done I had my own personal collection of Nirvana rarities that covered the band's catalog, including early demos like "Pen Cap Chew," and notorious covers such as "Do You Love Me." Ten and a half years later, Geffen Records has finally graced us with a comprehensive release of rarities only Nirvana fans could dream of, With the Lights Out. While many reviewers will just glace over portions of a release, I felt a thorough investigation of the material on this release would be the only way to write an accurate review. Of course, such an in depth examination takes time. So while it may not be the first review you read of the album, this one will contain more than vague descriptions and witty anecdotes. Disc One: The first disc is comprised of material dating back to before Cobain and … Read more

Johnson, Will

Vultures Await
Misra (2004)

Will Johnson not only fronts the incestuous bands Centro-matic and South San Gabriel, but he also has a solo career … Read more

Make Believe

Make Believe EP
Flameshovel (2004)

Thanks to a friend of mine, Blaine Patrick, lately I've been getting into American Football, Cap'n Jazz and Owen. These … Read more

Helmet

Size Matters
Interscope (2004)

Helmet falls into the category of bands that had the unfortunate luck of spawning a group of bands that were … Read more

Death From Above 1979

You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
Vice (2004)

To those that call this album stoner rock, metal, noise rock, a twisted take on dancepunk, or each of the … Read more

Lair of the Minotaur

Carnage
Southern Lord (2004)

It will take roughly 20-30 seconds of Carnage for you to come to the conclusion that it's no surprise that … Read more

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One from the archives

Vitality!

Introspection
Iron Mind (2006)

1988 has been heralded as the halcyon days of youth-crew hardcore. All the bands were posi and all the bands were...good? Okay let's not push it folks, for every Judge and Gorilla Biscuits there was a Wide Awake or an Up Front opening for them. By today's standards it's hard to believe that Youth of Today was allowed to put out records, let alone Halfmast. Youth-crew in 2006 has transformed itself into a perfected art form. All the bands have the right shoes and the right crucial band shirts. They also know exactly when to execute some mosh or a two-step part. Or they know when to have the best stage bending pile on. It's all been done before and now it's been done right. Sometimes I miss the days … Read more

More album reviews

The Rise

Reclamation Process
Law of Inertia (2004)

Someone call the RIAA because I stole an album. That's right, I downloaded the entire Reclamation Process album using a downloading program that shall rename nameless. So how long before I can expect a knock at my door from men in black? Who cares? Let them knock. Why am I being so bold about illegally downloading music? Perhaps it is … Read more

Multiple Authors

The Blood Brothers

Crimes
V2 (2004)

When it comes to The Blood Brothers, you could call me a fan boy. Everything they've released (minus Rumors Laid Waste which I won't count) keeps progressing, keeping me on my toes. With This Adultery Is Ripe, The Blood Brothers were able to release some of the most energetic music without constraining themselves to a single genre. March On Electric … Read more

Multiple Authors

The Blood Brothers

Crimes
V2 (2004)

The Blood Brothers' second album in little over a year and half finds the Seattle quintet treading some unfamiliar ground, to say the very least. Not to fret, long-time fans of the Brothers of Blood - the trademark frenetic rhythms, angular guitars (which often recall Duane Denison on a bad crack binge), stop-start dynamics, and the dual shrieking voices of … Read more

The Cinema

The Cinema EP
Secret Society (2004)

Every once in a while you find that band that is outside of the realm of music you generally listen to and they just catch your ear. A lot of times this could become a "guilty pleasure," which I believe is a terrible term. There is no reason I should feel guilty for still thinking The All-American Rejects were a … Read more

These Arms Are Snakes

Oxeneers or The Lion Sleeps When Its Antelopes Go Home
Jade Tree (2004)

The anticipation of the release of a new album is always a difficult burden to bear. That burden is only intensified when said album comes from one of your current favorite performing acts. But as the day draws nearer and nearer, questions form in your head of what you will hear versus what you expected, the most important being the … Read more

Frog Eyes

The Folded Palm
Absolutely Kosher (2004)

Make no mistake: Victoria, B.C. based band Frog Eyes aren't the amphibious offshoots of cacophonous rabble-rousers Wolf Eyes. If anything, these 'Eyes' are a whole different breed of animal. On The Folded Palm, the group's first for Absolutely Kosher and third overall, Frog Eyes fuse a unique sound encompassing lush, bittersweet organ melodies, reverb-heavy guitars, the freewheeling antics of a … Read more

Malady

Malady
Level Plane (2004)

This may seem like an overstatement or an overdramatic reaction to the task of reviewing a record, but honestly, reviewing Malady's self-titled record is probably one of the hardest things I will ever do. This band is, to say the least, sensational. Comprised of some of Virginia's finest dirty carefree musicians, Malady cranks out some of the catchiest, yet difficult-to-put-into-words … Read more

Aereogramme

Seclusion
Undergroove (2004)

Aereogramme have released two albums on Matador, been media darlings over in the U.K, and has even gotten Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom) to do the artwork for their new record, Seclusion, yet, this is my first run-in with them. I figured with Aaron Turner doing the artwork, I'd find crushing riffs, vocals that could crumble buildings, and drums … Read more

Say Anything

...is a Real Boy
Doghouse (2004)

Sometimes a simple idea for a record can be injected with such brutal honesty and wit that all simplicity is somehow lost in translation. As far as I know, ...is a Real Boy was intended to be a rock opera of sorts, but somewhere along the lines the idea sort of went awry. Either way, the songs on ...is a … Read more

Panda Bear

Young Prayer
Paw Tracks (2004)

Though Young Prayer is intended to act as a eulogy for Animal Collective member Panda Bear's (a.k.a. Noah Lennox) recently deceased father, it feels more like a bittersweet celebration of his life than a sorrow-filled reflection. Drawing upon modern classical music (Track 3), tribal African chants (Track 5), traditional Jewish hymns (Track 9), as well as the stylistic imprint of … Read more

Engine Down

Engine Down
Lookout! (2004)

One of the most memorable experiences of my time in Chico was seeing Engine Down live. Their music isn't what you'd call "traditionally" heavy - no blast beats or smoldering guitar assaults to be found here - but that isn't to say Engine Down didn't rock hard live. I saw them after Demure came out, which contained some of their … Read more

Q and Not U

Power
Dischord (2004)

Mike Watt famously said that the Minutemen "divided the whole world into two categories: there were flyers and the gig. You're either doing the gig, which is like one hour of your life or everything else to get people to the gig. Interviews were flyers, videos were flyers, even records were flyers. We didn't tour to promote records, we made … Read more

Oceansize

Music for Nurses
Beggars Banquet (2004)

For Oceansize, 2004 has been quite a delightful year. The band saw the re-release of their debut full-length, Effloresce, here in the US as well as a mini-tour that followed. They were able to conquer our fair country despite the geographical distance from their home. And with the most recent release of their new EP, Music for Nurses, they are … Read more

Welcome The Plague Year

Welcome The Plague Year
Turnstile (2004)

The introduction of a review is usually a chance to capture the reader with something funny or even insightful. Considering it's 2:27 AM and I can't go to sleep, all that's on my mind is this Welcome the Plague Year album and how much it's going to suck when I have to get on an airplane in 5.5 hours. There … 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)