Review / 200 Words Or Less
The Midwestern
The Midwestern

Rorschach (2007) Scottie

The Midwestern – The Midwestern cover artwork
The Midwestern – The Midwestern — Rorschach, 2007

This is what happens when a band has yet to find its style. What we have here is some decent songwriting that comes off as underdeveloped. The track "Molsen Golden" starts as a respectable jam with enough intricacy and tempo changes to call back memories of The Cancer Conspiracy and the forefathers of the style, King Crimson. Halfway through the track, the song reverts to simple riffing, sounding more like an un-mastered demo waiting for the vocals to be added. This undecided style continues onto another track while the other two songs have sparse vocal parts. It almost seems that the band is trying to use the vocal melody as another instrument. If the disc contained more than four songs, we might have a clearer understanding of what the band's vision is, but based on this EP I'm thinking they may be asking the same question.

6.0 / 10Scottie • November 8, 2007

The Midwestern – The Midwestern cover artwork
The Midwestern – The Midwestern — Rorschach, 2007

Recently-posted album reviews

Various Artists

Pulley/Fire Sale – ‘Split Personality'
Negative Progression Records (2025)

When I saw this split 7” announced, I genuinely got excited. I love both bands. I knew that when you have two powerhouse punk bands coming together to drop a split, nothing could go wrong. While one of the bands, Pulley, is a household name in the punk community, the other is on the rise. I guarantee you know the … Read more

Middle-Aged Queers

Theatre of Shame
Engineer Records, Sell The Heart Records (2025)

Theatre Of Shame is the third LP from Bay Area band Middle-Aged Queers, a band whose moniker definitely gives away the plot. The band celebrates community with party punk songs like "Glizzies Banging" and "Pajama Party," but it also has pointed political commentary about the dangers of a bigoted society. In equal parts, Theatre Of Shame is about celebration and … Read more

Sleep Pod Two

Rehearse Your Future
Mindpower Records (2025)

You can always tell when a band contains seasoned musicians. They give off a different aura through their music and it sounds complete. It just meshes better. The songwriting is well done, the vocal melodies are catchy, and the transitions from verses, choruses, and bridges are complex but accessible. That is the case with this band. Let me introduce you … Read more