Recent reviews

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)

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 Jordan Billie and Johnny Whitney are still intact. Only this time around, the group's attack is more akin to an uncomfortable body massage than a violent molestation via a pack of rabid Chihuahuas. Crimes highlights include the molar-shaking stomp of opener "Feed Me To The Forest" and the hideous pop of "Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck," which finds Whitney examining the antics of a hospitalized playa-playa. As he sings the song's irresistibly off-kilter hook ("Love" x15) Whitney, though sounding more and more like a coked-up transvestite as the track progresses, truly becomes the character he's equally romanticizing and decrying. "Peacock Skeleton With Crooked Feathers," in what could be decoded as an angry screed against celebrities, crooked politicians, and just about everyone in between, moves along on an infectious Rhodes riff and a retarded, Latin-tinged shuffle as Whitney and Billie … 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 … 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 … 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, … 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 … 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 … Read more

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One from the archives

The Duke Spirit

Cuts Across the Land
Polydor (2005)

There are two kinds of reviews for The Duke Spirit's Cuts Across the Land - enthusiastic endorsements that focus on Liela Moss and her throaty, sensual vocals, or accounts of the sheer unadulterated indifference this most recent effort from the London-based group provokes. Unless, of course, you're that guy on Amazon.com who refuses to hedge his bets, and just plain hates the album. So what's the deal? Released in May on Loog Records and only recently trickling into North America, Cuts Across the Land is the first full length offering from The Duke Spirit. Critical darlings of the London scene, their small-bar gigs and EP's have generated favorable responses almost since the band's formation in the summer of 2002. Obviously working their way through their favorite albums by the Stones, … Read more

More album reviews

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

Moving Units

Dangerous Dreams
Palm Pictures (2004)

Moving Units played at last year's Sunset Junction Street Fair, which had an impressive line-up of indie pop and rock bands, including Guided by Voices, Rilo Kiley, and Earlimart. I groaned when I first heard Moving Units' debut Dangerous Dreams, because I anticipated an indie pop or rock band instead of a dance punk band; dance punk, or whatever you … Read more

Taking Back Sunday

Where You Want to Be
Victory (2004)

When I started my own zine as a sophomore in highschool (I am now a freshman in college), Victory would send me all their releases to review. Honestly, I stopped reviewing Victory releases because I was tired of making fun of every record I had to review. Although 96% of Victory releases are awful, sometimes, between Freya, Snowdogs, Atreyu, Catch … Read more

Isis

Panopticon
Ipecac (2004)

Despite what the calendar may tell you, Christmas has arrived early this year, though much earlier than expected. To my doorstep came a US Postal Service delivery man bearing a package with my name and the Hydrahead logo on it, instantaneously I knew exactly what dwelt inside. I politely thanked Santa, who apparently goes by the name of Tom these … Read more

Wolf Eyes

Burned Mind
Sub Pop (2004)

Listening to Wolf Eyes is not what I'd call a traditionally pleasurable experience. Unless you consider having your face ravaged by a two-by-four while masturbating to an execution an enjoyable experience or, to a lesser extent, tonguing a blister you got from drinking hot soup, I'd advise you to skip over this review and check out what Zed has to … Read more

Old Man Gloom

Christmas
Tortuga Recordings (2004)

After an extensive delay, the rabid and hopeful fans sporting various Hydrahead affiliated t-shirts can finally rest. Old Man Gloom's Christmas brings an end to a three year drought since the simultaneous release of full-lengths Seminar II: The Holy Rites of Primitivism and Seminar III: Zozobra back in 2001. The delay is excusable due to the busy schedules of the … Read more

Earlimart

Treble & Tremble
Palm Pictures (2004)

What does coping with the death of Elliott Smith sound like? It sounds poignant and pretty; in essence, it sounds like Smith's spirit is living vicariously through Aaron Espinoza. Music is a catharsis for many artists and the finest music is produced when songwriting is used to expel intense emotions. On Earlimart's fourth full-length album, Espinoza deals with tragedy and … Read more

Multiple Authors

Interpol

Antics
Matador (2004)

Turn on the Bright Lights is a great debut album. The guitars are compelling when paired with Paul Banks's jarring vocals, letting bizarre lyrics like "subway is a porno" slide. The bass lines are far from boring and the drumming is precise and deliberate. All this talent was fused into a euphoric experience that was warmly received by the press. … Read more

Multiple Authors

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 … Read more

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