Review / 200 Words Or Less
The City and Skyway
Everything Looks Worse In Black And White

Self Released (2009) Sean K.

The City and Skyway – Everything Looks Worse In Black And White cover artwork
The City and Skyway – Everything Looks Worse In Black And White — Self Released, 2009

Being an objective reviewer, I will try and ignore the grossly overboard hyperbole contained in their press sheet. But this is fairly serviceable post-emo rock release from the mid-west. The guitars have flashes of hooks here and there throughout this record. The lyrics seem to have a very focused target on doctors, drugs, and the lack of healing in this world. Not sure if one of the band members works in a hospital or not. "Soaked and Numb" does a good job of presenting this worldview for the masses. I noticed that some of the members are really into the Big Guy upstairs too. Not that there is anything wrong with that. My tip is to embrace that and take it to the next level. If you're going to give a shout-out to "The Blessed Trinity" in your liner notes, then maybe it's time to rework your stage style into more of a Stryper type reality. Think it over, it may work wonders!

3.0 / 10Sean K. • September 13, 2010

The City and Skyway – Everything Looks Worse In Black And White cover artwork
The City and Skyway – Everything Looks Worse In Black And White — Self Released, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Speed

All My Angels EP
Flatspot Records, Last Ride Records (2025)

If you haven’t hopped on the SPEED train when they broke through, now is the time. The band formed in Sydney and blew past “local band” status the second the world caught up to what Australia already knew. BIPOC-fronted, community-driven, and fueled by the belief that hardcore is supposed to mean something. They went from DIY shows to global festivals … Read more

Anna von Hausswolf

Iconoclasts
Year0001 (2025)

One of the most distinct voices of the current generation, Anna von Hausswolff's sound is wide and far-reaching. From dark ambient atmospherics and organ music fixation, to noise rock momentum and neo-classical arrangements, her music always balances a primordial ritualism and contemporary applications. It is an ongoing process, one that Anna has been refining over the years. In 2018, the … Read more

Radioactivity

Time Won't Bring Me Down
Dirtnap, Wild Honey Records (2025)

"When I've had enough of modern life, I go back to my analog ways." It's a simple quote, yet it captures so much about Radioactivity. It's been 10 years since the band released Silent Kill, and this time around the Jeff Burke-led group shows clear growth and change, while still capturing the same vibe as the previous two records. In … Read more