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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)

A Perfect Circle

Thirteenth Step
Virgin (2003)

And so, our alt-rock heroes in a Perfect Circle return for the second installment, to see if the dreaded sophmore slump can be overcome. The band's first record was one of the last hopes of the dying breed of aggressive guitar-driven radio rock that was received to a fair amount of hoopla, understandably due to a handful of incredible tracks on the first half of the record, one of which was the anthemic radio staple "Judith." Where the band fell apart on that first record was on the second half, when they attempted to be atmospheric and set a mood, which is what they focus on here. On this record, the band plays in such a predictable and radio-friendly manner that any effect is far gone, instead swallowed up by a band stripping away and ignoring the visceral elements of their sound and replacing them with processing and effects loops, a group of songs so insultingly pedestrian you'd expect them to be played as the music over credits on an A&E documentary. The record starts with the weakest cut on it, the Tool soundalike "The Package," with Maynard James Keenan singing pretentious, meaningless lyrics over high-end plucking on the guitars … Read more

The Distillers

Coral Fang
Warner Bros. (2003)

I hate the Distillers a lot less than I'd like to proclaim.....or do I? I'll admit, on each of the … Read more

Himsa

Courting Tragedy and Disaster
Prosthetic (2003)

When I first downloabought the new Himsa record, I can't lie, I had really low expectations for it. I'm not … Read more

Multiple Authors

Thursday

War All the Time
Island (2003)

Thursday is an odd band. They released their first record, Waiting, to complete apathy. Then, Full Collapse arrived, and suddenly … Read more

Multiple Authors

Thursday

War All the Time
Island (2003)

Of all these "emo" bands around right now, Thursday is the one that continually disappoints me. I see in Thursday … Read more

The Dismemberment Plan

A People's History of...
Desoto (2003)

First off, the Dismemberment Plan gets props just for the fact that this record came out. Consistently innovative while they … Read more

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One from the archives

Ghost in the House

Ghost in the House
Edgetone (2007)

Sometimes one needs a good reminder not to let expectations run amok in order to avoid disappointment. In general I always try to get positively surprised rather than the other way around, but you can't always be at the top of your game. Sometime you let yourself hope of something good only to be let down. This may sound more serious than the situation would suggest but Ghost in the House's self-titled recording is one of those reminders. I knew nothing of this band but the description of the music let me expect more than I eventually got. Instrumental music is something I generally hold in high esteem as a lot of great bands manage to convey the best emotions usually let their instruments do all the talking. Unfortunately, instead … Read more

More album reviews

The Postal Service

Give Up
Sub Pop (2003)

Ben Gibbard has butterfingers lately. No, I'm not accusing him of having an affection towards a particular candy bar, I'm refering to his ability to maintain musical quality. The newest Death Cab album is being met with mixed responses from critics, unlike their previous efforts which gathered an admirable amount of critical acclaim. Not only can that be said looking … Read more

Hella

Bitches Ain't Shit But Good People
Suicide Squeeze (2003)

Hella is less a band that be thought of in terms of "good" and "bad" as they are a band that you either like, or you don't. Their sound is either captivating and enthralling to you, or you think it's just a load of disjointed, self-indulgant noise by two guys who're showcasing their chops. In reality, the truth is actually … Read more

Multiple Authors

The Rapture

Echoes
Universal (2003)

The Insound Tour Support Vol. No. 1 packed a few wallops of fantastic music that drew my attention; one of these wallops is known as The Rapture. I felt a great need to go out and get "Echoes", the song, on a Rapture album so I could really experience what they are for myself. Well, that time is now, and … Read more

Multiple Authors

The Rapture

Echoes
Universal (2003)

Something needs to be said about the infiltration of this dance rhetoric in the punk scene. I'm guessing some part of it came from Emma Goldman's ubiquitous, "If I can't dance to it, its not my revolution." This sentence, thought the scenesters, why not make it a call to arms (and legs) for all punk kids to "get down"? To … Read more

The Fire Theft

The Fire Theft
Rykodisc (2003)

Sunny Day Real Estate was a great band. No one contends with this or argues with this. They fell into that elite category of bands that not only managed to shape one particular sound, but an entire genre of music. Their greatness is further embellished and heightened by the fact that they released a terrible record which doesn't detract from … Read more

Rise Against

Revolutions Per Minute
Fat Wreck Chords (2003)

Hmm.. I'm sure this band have a large enough fanbase, I really am. I bet there's a ton of kids that love Rise Against (should that be xRxAx maybe?) and will refuse to hear anything bad about their music. However, as an outsider, I'm afraid I'm going to upset hardcore fans. I listened to this record a lot. I did … Read more

Hella

Total Bugs Bunny On Wild Bass
Narnack (2003)

There are two sides to Hella: the side that plays around with the imagination through the use of conventional instruments and the side that plays around with the imagination through the use of electronics. Although I prefer the former, the latter is pretty good and that's definitely what their new album, Total Bugs Bunny on Wild Bass, is. More specifically, … Read more

My Morning Jacket

It Still Moves
RCA (2003)

My Morning Jacket pulled it off. They have officially won me over. Recently signed to RCA, they released their third full length to surprisingly, a lot of press coverage. After giving this a couple run throughs, I can clearly see why. Starting the record off with a twangy trill from a guitar and vocals with more reverb than you can … Read more

Into the Moat

Means By Which the Ends Are Justified
Lovelost (2003)

After hearing The Dillinger Escape Plan's Calculating Infinity, I had no idea that this style of weird timing technical metal influenced chaos could become a trend, mostly due to the fact that creating this music requires a lot of talent. It took a few years, but to my surprise, this sound has begun to rise from a few bands, such … Read more

Multiple Authors

Stylex

Auto Focus
Action Driver (2003)

I'm not really sure why Stylex are as unknown as they are. I mean, they do this neo-new-wave (or whatever you call it) thing better than most of the bands that white belted scensters are drooling over (ahem... Hint Hint) these days. If you mention them to anyone from outside the Toledo/BG area, they just blankly stare, or pretend to … Read more

Multiple Authors

Stylex

Auto Focus
Action Driver (2003)

Stylex is going through an identity crisis. After their EP False Start, I was ready for more of the same, great, new-wave dynamite explosion recorded on the compact disc medium. The first song, "Out of Focus," holds a lot in common with that EP. It's loud, chaotic, and moves along at a brisk pace. Unfortunately the rest of the CD … Read more

As I Lay Dying

Frail Words Collapse
Metal Blade (2003)

Combining the hardness of nu metal and the catchiness of pop punk, metalcore has been created. Similar to the way ska died, and everybody moved to the pop punk, perhaps this is the new installment in music that will make kids feel "underground" without having to go any further than the local Hot Topic. Walk no further than a Tower … Read more

Elvis Costello

North
Deutsche Grammophon (2003)

By now, if you haven't heard or at least heard of Elvis Costello, something is terribly, terribly wrong with you. Emerging as a part of the punk movement in the late 70s, Costello's combination of biting wit, sociopolitical consciousness, and his amazing songwriting has led to him being heralded by many as the best pop songwriter since the Beatles. The … Read more

Please Inform the Captain, This Is A Hijack

Please Inform the Captain This Is A Hijack
Empire (2003)

Hardcore is a genre that is known to be stifled in it's own mediocrity. Creativity is frowned upon, in fact, in the hardcore scene it seems as if everything is backwards. Mediocre, stagnant bands are often regarded as the best in the genre, and creative bands that take risks are usually scorned. With that in mind, it's great to see … 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)