Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)

The Mars Volta

Noctourniquet
Warner Bros. (2012)

There are few bands as polarizing as The Mars Volta. And while I've found both good and bad in the band's discography, their recent release Noctourniquet unfortunately lies firmly on the weak end of the spectrum.The big issue? The songwriting is absolute aimless tripe. "Empty Vessels Make the Loudest Sound" just kind of plods along without really accomplishing anything, especially with the unnecessarily annoying guitar distortion going on behind the melodic vocals, and "Lapochka" has the tendency to meander too far off the beaten path. Particularly inexcusably, the lead single "The Malkin Jewel" is also incredibly weak, featuring the most annoying combination of discordant playing I've had the displeasure to listen to. The opening track "The Whip Hand" deserves mention as the worst offender of all, however, as it is truly an indecipherable mess of turgidity before you don't spend an hour deconstructing the time signatures. And even if you do that, you're treated to the least enjoyable synth melodies and most aurally painful vocal lines in literally their entire discography.Okay, not all of the songs are that terrible. I found myself subconsciously grooving along to "Zed and Two Naughts", and the melodic "Imago" actually pulls off the counterpoint between … Read more

Rise and Fall

Faith
Deathwish Inc. (2012)

Rise And fall are a hardcore band from Belgium formed in 2002 out of the ashes of bands The Deal … Read more

L'Assassins

7 PM Go!!!
Big Action (2012)

Big Action Records’ latest release, 7pm Go!!! from L’Assassins is definitely in line with their recent catalog. Instead of throwback … Read more

The Sidekicks

Awkward Breeds
Red Scare Industries (2012)

Cleveland, Ohio's The Sidekicks have always had it in them to make a record like this. It’s their most polished, … Read more

Iggy & The Stooges

Raw Power: Live In The Hands Of The Fans
MVD Visual (2011)

I am a monster Stooges fan, particularly from the Raw Power era on to their incendiary demise (not a long … Read more

Pink Floyd

The Wall (Experience Edition)
Capitol (2012)

The last of the three major Pink Floyd albums to be expanded and reissued is their 1979 double-album opus The … Read more

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One from the archives

Rainer Maria

Long Knives Drawn
Polyvinyl (2003)

Rainer Maria? More like Rainer Boring. The lack of rock and only prettiness make this boring. It would be ok if the prettiness was really good, but it's just kind of bland. The female vocals aren't really working for me either. I'm sure she has a good voice, but it adds to the already stale feeling. At the same time it feels somewhat poppy. As you can tell this really isn't my thing at all, but at least it doesn't sound like everything else. Wow, this review is just as boring as the specimen on trial! Read more

More album reviews

Shambles

Self Titled
Independent (2012)

Shambles is a pop-punk band from Boston, with a love for melody, circle pits and post ironic song titles. On the surface, they seem to be a fairly generic pop-punk band and I won’t completely dismiss that but there’s a lot of great aspects to this self-released EP. The best thing about this album is the honestly that really comes … Read more

The Love Below

Every Tongue Shall Caress
A389 (2012)

California's The Love Below seemed to sadly fly under the radar upon the release of their last EP. Said EP "Reproductive Rights" played a speedy yet heavy style of hardcore the record benefited from grungey production and equally grimy lyrics. This trend continued on their split with Homewrecker last year managing to add slight touches of sludge to further accentuate … Read more

Pharaoh Overlord

Lunar Jetman
Sige (2012)

Sweet jesus did this record ever hit my stereo at just the right time because Lunar Jetman is making its third consecutive journey on my turntable as we speak (after listening to it a few times without noticing just how good the album is, maybe due to some preoccupation with something else), and to be perfectly honest, Pharaoh Overlord lays … Read more

Graf Orlock

Los Angeles
Vitriol (2012)

Graf Orlock has never been a band to waste time. Much like any of their other releases there's never a meandering part or ambient build up. Instead it is and always has been no nonsense grind with a touch of hardcore and a tongue puncturing their collective cheeks. Their music remains dead serious but is leavened with a liberal use … Read more

Joyce Manor

Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Asian Man (2012)

My hopes weren’t set high in regards to the second album by Joyce Manor. Even through all the praise and acclaim their self-titled album received, it didn’t separate the fact that the band was super young and just starting out. Their debut reeked of freshness and harkened back to beginnings of bands like Jawbreaker, and Alkaline Trio. So there it … Read more

Revilers

Self Titled
Patac (2012)

Boston punk outfit Revilers have been kicking about on their local scene since 2008, and finally dropped debut album Revilers on Patac Records at the end of March. Containing thirteen no-holds-barred and vitriolic as heck anthems, Revilers builds on the EP's (Isolation, Stand or Fall - both on Patac) the band have released previously and fully realises their stance on … Read more

Special Providence

Soul Alert
Hunnia (2012)

A lot of cool music can come from unexpected places. I’ve never been to Hungary myself, but they must be doing something right over there if they’re producing bands as good as the instrumental, prog-rock powerhouse Special Providence, especially considering their latest album, 2012’s Soul Alert.The most noticeable thing about the music is that nearly everything, especially the main melodies, … Read more

Dirty Three

Toward The Low Sun
Drag City (2012)

The things I like about this album start with the art itself; guitarist Mick Turner's beautiful artwork perfectly captures his music's mood and sound. In fact, it's the best visual summary I can give of Dirty Three's newest album, Toward the Low Sun.Primarily, the album seeks to obtain this extremely casual, laid-back atmosphere, as if just a collection of rough … Read more

Young And In The Way

Amen / I Am Not What I Am
A389 (2012)

Young And In The Way is a band from North Carolina with some influence from second wave black metal as well as the steadily growing holy terror movement. This double LP combines their 4th release, I Am Not What I Am with their 3rd release, Amen. While holding up as a satisfactory release for any fan of the genre, neither … Read more

fun.

Some Nights
Fueled By Ramen (2012)

I'm just gonna say right now that I'm a huge fan of The Format and fun. I could go on and on about how easily I can gush over either band. Aim & Ignite was one of my favorite albums in years. I became overly excited and anxious anticipating Some Nights. I was interested in seeing how a hip-hop influenced … Read more

Tenement

Blind Wink
Cowabunga (2011)

Appleton, WI’s Tenement are a busy beast. The two-plus-piece band (featuring numerous guest musicians) released Napalm Dream in 2011, which I gave a heavy Replacements recommendation on. December 2011 saw the band already unleashing another record, this time the collection Blind Wink, available on varied formats from the likes of Cowabunga (LP), Hang Up (CD), and Dead Broke (cassette). With … Read more

The Hussy

Weed Seizure
Tic Tac Totally (2012)

Just a year ago I was writing about Cement Tomb Mind Control. Here we are in 2012, and the Madison, WI two-piece is already dropping their second full-length,Weed Seizure, on Tic Tac Totally Records. Considering the backbone of The Hussy is to play l-o-u-d garage rock, there isn’t a dramatic shift here in style. The changes are more in nuance.With … Read more

Tyburn Saints

You And I In Heaven
Independent (2012)

It’s truly a pleasure to be listening to new music from Tyburn Saints. Their last full length, 2010’s For the Benefit of Strangers, was a nice throwback to jangly lo-fi artists like The Jesus and Mary Chain and Galaxy 500. With this EP, the band has fully embraced the sonic landscapes of shoegaze and dream-pop, thus giving a more rewarding … Read more

Killington Fall

Keep Your Eyes To The Sea
Independent (2011)

I've reached the point where most post-rock albums start to sound the same. While I won't say I'm completely blasé, unless a band is pulling something out of left field, it's really difficult for a band to stand out. Alas, that is where British rockers Killington Fall find themselves with their 2011 release Keep Your Eyes to the Sea.Don't get … Read more

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)

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