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

Social Distortion

Born to Kill
Epitaph (2026)

Rating: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸🚬 / 10 (8 Tipped Martini Glasses and a Cigarette) Remember that movie Fantastic Voyage, where a miniaturized submarine gets inserted into a person's bloodstream on a mission to clear a blood clot in the brain? Well, consider yourself in luck: I’m infiltrating your brain with my own fantastic journey with Social Distortion, which goes all the way back … Read more

Big Circle

Big Circle
Independent (2026)

There are plenty of supergroups that exist largely because of the names on the marquee. Big Circle feels different. While Glenn Mercer (The Feelies), Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE), Dave Weckerman (The Feelies), and Dan Francia (Speed the Plough) all bring decades of musical history to the table, this debut EP isn't interested in nostalgia or individual spotlights. Instead, it succeeds … Read more

Nocturnal Prose

Western Interests
Total Agency (2026)

I’ve been reading Cory Doctorow’s latest book “The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI” a scathing review of the current state of artificial intelligence wherein he seeks to pop the AI bubble. In the book’s central metaphor Doctorow identifies the centaur as someone whose work is improved upon by technology vs the reverse centaurs who are competing with and/or … Read more