Bad Braids
Arrow And Orb
Music Ruins Lives (2011)
Intimate little records and intimate settings will stick with people for a while if they are struck in such a way where the performance just hits them the right way when and where they need it to mark the moment as memorable; quiet whispers and frantic yelps may spark the memory later or some ghost sound that speaks the necessary … Read more
Bad Mask
Strange Phrases
Independent (2011)
Bad Mask are a fairly new band hailing from New Jersey. The band deals in semi technical Metal. While not being as technical as some bands they tend to carry the torch of early Dillinger Escape Plan. Meaning that they go through more than a few time changes within their songs. There is a heavy focus on dissonant riffing and … Read more
Bad Sports
Kings Of The Weekend
Dirtnap (2011)
Bad Sports made a smart sequencing decision by opening Kings of the Weekend with “Off Switch.” The punk burner has a lot of garage noise and it rips past in just 1:47. Why is it a smart opener, you ask? Well, from the brick wall band photo to the band’s posture to numerous tracks on the record, this Denton, TX … Read more
Balance and Composure
Separation
No Sleep (2011)
Separation is not a complicated album nor is it very diverse, yet Balance & Composure have managed to create a record that truly sets them apart from their peers. While that in itself is quite an accomplishment, what is astonishing is the fact that this is the bands debut full length. Though the name Balance & Composure may not stir … Read more
Bandname
Breakfast
Soft City Records (2011)
Flippant is a word that popped up on the of Bandname's press sheet. Take their moniker into account and add the heavy slackerism that permeates everything they touch on their debut full-length, Breakfast, and that seems an appropriate description. The Philadelphia three-piece play pop punk that's run through an organ grinder with 90s alternarock, distortion-heavy garage and, more or less, … Read more
Bangers
Small Pleasures
Kiss of Death (2011)
Small Pleasures is the first proper full-length from Cornwall, England trio Bangers. To shortcut straight to the point, it’s fitting that this record is released in the US on Kiss of Death, as it fits in well with artists such as New Bruises and Mayflower. They bring straight forward, mid-tempo punk to the forefront, with a focus on melodic gang … Read more
Banner Pilot
Heart Beats Pacific
Fat Wreck Chords (2011)
I’ll be honest. I was kind of hoping somebody else would review this record. I like Banner Pilot. A lot. The reason I didn’t want to do this myself has more to do with the fact that I’ve reviewed their past couple releases and I’m not sure I can bring much new insight to the table. Nate Gangelhoff and Nick … Read more
Banquets
Top Button, Bottom Shelf
Black Numbers (2011)
New Jersey might get a lot of crap for being such an unlovable state, but Banquets is keeping the Jersey music scene fresh and alive with their debut album Top Button, Bottom Shelf. It’s pretty easy to get lost and washed away in the midst of melodic pop-punk bands, but Banquets sits on the shores by proving themselves to be … Read more
Battles
Gloss Drop
Warp (2011)
Okay, I'm going to be honest about my credentials here. For as long as Battles have been on my radar, and despite the amount of praise I have heard thrown at them, I still have not listened to Mirrored. It surprises me even today that I haven't gotten around to listening to an album nearly everyone (yes, even Pitchfork) describes … Read more
Bayonet
Self Titled
Mightier Than Sword (2011)
Bayonet is a Jersey super group or sorts. taking members from such bands as Senses Fail, The Banner among others. In any situation like this it is hard to tell if the project is really a band in itself or merely something spat out for fun. One can hardly assume what this will sound like as each members prior (or … Read more
Beastie Boys
Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
Capitol (2011)
As is common place whenever the Beastie Boys release an album, there is cause for celebration—usually the popular music of the time has grown stagnant, and, on average, it’s been at least three years since the last Beasties’ release. This time jubilation is even more warranted, as this record almost didn’t see the light of day. Scheduled to be released … Read more
Ben Harper
Give Till It's Gone
Virgin (2011)
This is Ben Harper’s 10th studio album; his last contractual obligation for Virgin and it comes after his split with his wife actress Laura Dern. All of these events lead to a compilation of emotional songs that bring out a different Ben Harper than most of his other albums. Joining him on this one are his mates from the Relentless … Read more
Between the Buried and Me
The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues
Metal Blade (2011)
It's hard to describe the nature of Between the Buried and Me's new project, The Parallax. It is kind of like a double album, except not quite. It's divided into two releases, an EP and a future full-length album, that together tell a story about...well, honestly, I'm not quite certain. It's written pretty obtusely. But that certainly won't stop me … Read more
Beware Of Safety
Leaves/Scars
The Mylene Sheath (2011)
Beware Of Safety are a Post-Rock band. Sounds simple and plain enough. As they do reside in a genre known for aping their forefathers in a near religious way does little for any band that chooses this route. Many of these bands rely on what the first 3 Mogwai albums taught them. Start calm, build with some heavy parts, climax … Read more
Big Black Delta
BBDLP1
Coming Home (2011)
How the hell do you take a genre as overworked as pop music and make it interesting? If your name happens to be Jonathan Bates, then you do this “by purposefully doing everything slightly wrong.” The result is his debut album, Big Black Delta's BBDLP1.This stems mainly from Bates's insistence on mixing styles in ways that don't always make sense. … Read more
Big China & Little Trouble
Lo-Panning
Magic Bullet (2011)
Have you ever seen the schlock masterpiece that is Big Trouble In Little China with its crazy martial arts story about an immortal Chinese Ghost sorcerer searching for green eyed girls and a muscle bound Kurt Russell trying to save his green eyed girl from that crazy Lo Pan (portrayed by the estimable James Hong who also played the role … Read more
Björk
Biophilia
Nonesuch (2011)
I have immense respect for Björk. She combines all of the showmanship and bombast of pop artists like Lady Gaga with the complex and intricate composition skills of electronic artists like Aphex Twin. She's one of the few pop artists that continue to push their own creativity with every release, and it is more than clear on her eighth studio … Read more
Blackfield
Welcome To My DNA
Kscope (2011)
Steven Wilson is a man of many talents--and more than three dozen of them are just different ways of making music. Though he's known mostly for his more complex work, his progressive conquests all take a side seat for a moment as he again sits down with Aviv Geffen on the third album from his pop rock project Blackfield, titled … Read more
