At All Costs
Direction
Anti-H (2006)
There's an awkward goofiness to the Start Today album, or any of the first fifteen Revelation releases, that will always make them powerfully classic. None of the bands at the time really knew what they were doing both musically and culturally. These were just a bunch of bored kids, mostly in middle and high school, who felt alienated by their … Read more
At Our Heels
Misanthropy & Godlessness
Creator-Destructor (2010)
At Our Heels is a young band coming out with a strong EP last year but never getting as much recognition as that EP probably deserved. They are certainly not a hype band or even getting any real talk outside of a few vague mentions. Strangely, this does more good than bad for them. What has resulted in this case … Read more
At Risk
At Risk
Bloody Knuckles (2005)
This past summer, while vacationing in California, I decided to do the drive down the Pacific Coast Highway. I drove along the winding road that hugs the Pacific coastline as I made my way towards my Los Angeles destination. On the way, I came to the city of Santa Cruz. I was stoked at the thought of being in the … Read more
Atavist
II: Ruined
Profound Lore (2008)
Minimalistic drone/doom is a hit-or-miss kind of genre. When you are relying on only one or two riffs to carry an entire song, the results can be either bone-chilling or yawn-inducing. With their second full-length, Atavist, hailing from Manchester, England, has once again proven it can achieve the former. Atavist's brand of tortured, bowel-loosening doom is not for the faint … Read more
Atlas Losing Grip
Currents
Creator-Destructor (2015)
I first discovered Atlas Losing Grip after the release of their 2009 EP, Watching the Horizon, and became an instant fan. 2009 seemed to be a dark time for technical melodic skatepunk and Watching the Horizon was basically a glimmer of hope in the blackness. It didn’t hurt that the singer, Rodrigo, was a founding member ofSatanic Surfers, one of … Read more
Atlas Sound
Parallax
4AD (2011)
Bradford Cox is in many ways like a ghost. There’s his whispery vocal style, like that of a specter, haunting and evanescent. And the glaring image of himself on the cover of his side project, Atlas Sound’s, second release, Logos. Or for instance his entire musical catalogue; a seamless spawn of translucent albums that are distinct, yet share vivid familiarity. … Read more
Atmosphere
Seven's Travels
Epitaph (2003)
"Atmosphere finally made a good record, yeah right, that shit almost sounds convincing...." Almost. Actually, not at all. Sometimes underground hip hop boggles my mind. I'll admit, there are lots of great artists that remain 'underground' or at least avoid regular MTV video rotation and major success. Not to say that either being hugely successful or "staying true to the … Read more
Atmosphere
So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously
Rhymesayers (2023)
Atmosphere has always felt like rapper Slug pouring his soul into the mic. It feels authentic and refreshing to hear his humble self-reflection. But after a few albums, it also kind of feels like overload. There’s such a thing as too much emotion and strife. That’s not a knock on Atmosphere’s art, but Atmosphere took a break from each other. … Read more
Atmosphere
The Family Sign
Rhymesayers (2011)
Atmosphere’s MC, Slug has made a career, literally, out of exploiting and exercising his own personal demons as well as of those around him. He has an uncanny knack for telling a deeply personal story—sometimes his, sometimes someone else’s—all while moving the crowd. In short, he’s the heart-on-his-sleeve guy who rocks the party. Though, as Slug gets older, there’s a … Read more
Atmosphere
When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Rhymesayers (2008)
While When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold brings Ant and Slug closer to full-blown mainstream success, it's an album that's not really about either of them. Rather, it's about those that possibly buy their albums, those that struggle to make it through the day, no real future in sight given their conditions. While Ant brings to … Read more
Atoms For Peace
Amok
XL Recordings (2013)
Every so often an unusual group of veteran musicians gather to form what was coined in the late ‘60s as a supergroup. There have been exceptional creative ventures, from the early Crosby, Stills & Nash, to the more recent Them Crooked Vultures and various Jack White endeavors, while others were better left to inebriated jam sessions at rock star house … Read more
Atreyu
The Curse
Victory (2004)
The first time I ever heard Atreyu, I started laughing. Everything about them was laughable to me; from the name of the record Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses to the overly typical "singing into screaming into mosh" formula they followed, to the already played out "fashioncore" image they displayed. However, after my laughter subsided, I also said to myself, "this … Read more
Attack in Black
Marriage
Dine Alone (2007)
There's no way around this but to say it straight: I heard the first track from Attack in Black's Marriage, "Come What May," and without hesitation, went to buy the album. I couldn't tell you the last time a song did that to me. Maybe it was the way the guitars swelled and stopped at just the right moment, underscoring … Read more
Attention
!Attention!
Tour Van Records (2016)
Do you like long song titles that are loosely related to the subject matter, along with gruff vocal singalong punk? If so, !Attention! is right at home. I haven’t seen the band but it’s easy to picture them playing a Durty Nelly’s set at The Fest as drunkos spill half their PBR cans on the floor after hitting them on … Read more
Attic Salt
Get Wise
Jump Start (2020)
A big part of why I do this is to discover new music. Attic Salt are a new band to me, and I decided to pick up Get Wise after checking out the first couple singles.The band, based in Springfield, IL, play peppy pop-punk. While that subgenre seems to have a surprising amount of different meanings, this is the crisp, … Read more
Attica! Attica!
Dead Skin / Dried Blood
Red Leader (2007)
If Disney were ever to make an animated movie that involved the protagonist turning Congress into an alcoholic shitshow, then taking his magic carpet over to Guantanamo Bay and seeing America's secret war on terror, and then completing his own personal heroic journey back in New York, Aaron Scott would provide the soundtrack, as well as most of the story. … Read more
Attica! Attica!
Napalm & Nitrogen
Black Numbers (2011)
Before your red flag goes up, we are not talking about the "crab-core" group, Attack Attack. Don't worry; I was wary of the same thing. No, Attica! Attica! is the complete opposite. It's the moniker undertaken by De La Hoya and Marathon vocalist, Aaron Scott, for his solo folk-punk project. In September of 2009, he released his second full length, … Read more
Attitude
We All Go Down Together
1917 (2006)
Any band that has a song called "Gets **** Started" and has not one or two, but three pictures of their guitar player doing posi-jumps you just know I'm going to automatically fall in love with even before I listen to the CD. Luckily I didn't go and make myself look like an ass by gushing over Attitude before I … Read more
