...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
So Divided
Interscope (2006)
In 2005, Texan art-rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead released World's Apart to critical acclaim and commercial failure. The unfortunate victims of a leak that saw the album seep onto the Internet months before its heavily delayed release date. At the time, Conrad Keely openly admitted that he'd considered to just packing it all in. … Read more
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Worlds Apart
Interscope (2005)
Vocalist Conrad Keely poses a question on the album's title track; "What's the future of Rock-n-Roll?" A rhetorical question? Perhaps, but he chooses to answers anyway, even if it is sarcastically: "Does it matter?" To answer his question, yes, it does. For if the future is filled with annoying indie/pop acts like Franz Ferdinand and the revival of washed up … Read more
AFI
Crash Love
Interscope (2009)
Album number eight from the band now renowned for their genre-shifting and reinvention. Three years in the making, three producers in the studio, and twelve tracks long (given the band's penchant for Lost-esque symbolism, there's probably some deep significance to these numbers). What new style will be unveiled with Crash Love? Nothing too thrilling, is the answer. Opener "Torch Song" … Read more
AFI
Decemberunderground
Interscope (2006)
The precursor to Decemberunderground was that it was a change from what AFI have offered before. Of course, all that is to be expected. The AFI paradigm has some inbuilt concept that they must always change and evolve. Antecedents of more electronic elements, with VNV Nation's Ronan Harris drafted in to help, even more epics and some threat or other … Read more
AFI
Decemberunderground
Interscope (2006)
For AFI, the name of the game has always been about evolution. About "out-doing" themselves one time after another. I can't say that they haven't, because each record has had it's own significant changes, some more noticeable than others, but they still retain part of their roots. Decemberunderground retains the (usually) well-placed aggression and excellent pop sensibilities that were present … Read more
AFI
Decemberunderground
Interscope (2006)
AFI managed to write over 100 songs for this album. That's an amazing feat for a band, right? But anyone can write a catchy song. If a band has to write a hundred songs and then choose the best ones, think of all the crap that had to be weeded out, or maybe it was quite the contrary. "Reivers Music" … Read more
AFI
Decemberunderground
Interscope (2006)
There are certain phrases that seem to be ever-present in AFI reviews across the music journalism world, suggesting either a lack of originality on the writer's part, or merely a convenient pigeon-hole that the band fall easily into. Either way, let's get some of them out of the way now:goth-punkdark popgloomycatharticThe CureThe MisfitsgothRobert Smithgoth-rock"that girly singer" Okay, now those are … Read more
Beck
Modern Guilt
Interscope (2008)
Beck has been releasing music for going on twenty years now. Since his first release, the multi-talented musician and songwriter has been labeled everything from an underground sensation and an alternative rock phenom to a one-hit-wonder and a mainstream sellout. Throughout the years and the labeling - which has included on more than one occasion the above - Beck has … Read more
Blaqk Audio
CexCells
Interscope (2007)
I wanted to hate this. I really did. Don't mistake me for an elitist music journalist; A.F.I. is the band responsible for this webzine's founding. But A.F.I. or no A.F.I., I was determined not to like this record. Not being a listener of electronic or synth-based music, and being too embarrassed to ask what "EBM" stood for, I was a … Read more
Blaqk Audio
CexCells
Interscope (2007)
As a rock band who have become progressively more electronic throughout their career, A.F.I. might have gone some way to introducing their fan base to the influential artists that have inspired CexCells and may have even converted some of them over to the dark(wave) side. If I was feeling optimistic, I'd say that Blaqk Audio the much anticipated side-project of … Read more
Brand New
The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me
Interscope (2006)
Reviewing albums isn't an especially technical task. Anyone can do it. But, when you are piecing together your thoughts for an album review, there is a lot to be concerned about. Mainly, will the words put down on paper (or in this case, a computer screen) be an adequate representation of the music contained on the album? More times than … Read more
Carina Round
The Disconnection
Interscope (2004)
Carina Round is too late for the Riot Grrrl movement, the only recent explosion of female artists. Although lo-fi indie princess Liz Phair and crazy Courtney Love of the now-defunct Hole were not considered true riot grrrls, they still benefited from the epiphany that females can rock. The movement has been strangled to death now that Liz Phair has gone … Read more
Frank Turner
Tape Deck Heart
Interscope (2013)
Tape Deck Heart is a transition album for Frank Turner. Not only for his music career, but it seems like a transition album for himself too. When asked about the theme of this album, Turner said, “This album is about self-examination, running through your own faults, about change, and about ending. Something like that”.Turner starts with his most adverse yet … Read more
Helmet
Size Matters
Interscope (2004)
Helmet falls into the category of bands that had the unfortunate luck of spawning a group of bands that were nothing more than third-rate rip-offs. This puts them in the company of fellow alternative metal act Faith No More. How unfortunate. I'm sure front man Page Hamilton is spinning in his grave. Or at least he would be, if he … Read more
Keane
Hopes and Fears
Interscope (2004)
My first listen: Let's get some facts straight. Keane is a three piece band. They don't have any guitars, instead there is a piano. They are also deemed as the "next Coldplay." That's quite a misnomer; Coldplay has a guitar, sometimes two, and rock a lot harder than Keane. And Coldplay doesn't even rock hard. They can't be the next … Read more
Keane
Hopes and Fears
Interscope (2004)
Well it's the middle of the summer, the sun is out, the birds are singing, and there is romance in the air. What a perfect time for the release of this year's album to fall in love to. In fact, as you are reading this review I can almost guarantee you that Hopes and Fears is aiding another pair of … Read more
Nine Inch Nails
With Teeth
Interscope (2005)
Pretty Hate Machine, The Downward Spiral, The Fragile - you name any of these titles to a Nine Inch Nails fan and they could probably give you a whole host of reasons why it's their favorite album. Then, of course, they'd inundate you with any number of words to describe front man/founder Trent Reznor: Genius, brilliant, twisted, brilliantly twisted genius … Read more
Nine Inch Nails
Year Zero
Interscope (2007)
The year I was born, Trent Reznor, under his Nine Inch Nails alias, released Pretty Hate Machine, an album which through the iconographic concept of the mix tape circuit launched his career. Fueled by a nihilistic sense of self-realization, and far too much booze, Reznor produced tracks which resonated with audiences for their highly inter personal lyrics and the "industrial" … Read more
