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

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

[The] Caseworker

Letters From The Coast
Hidden Shoal (2011)

Dream pop as a genre seems to have made a slight comeback in recent years. While this may be due to many factors more bands are embracing the harmonies of The Cocteau Twins and Chapterhouse. This seems to be a good thing as many of these bands bring other little things into their music as well (Atlas Sound, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, A Sunny Day In Glasgow, etc.). So while the genre seemed forgotten as of merely five years ago it has been quietly resurrected in a way. [The] Caseworker fit into this reanimation of sorts. The band having been kicking around well before most of the bands that would be called their peers have. Since 2003 the band have been quietly releasing beautifully disarming albums of dream pop. While it is debatable how much one can really stay within the genre while experimenting the band have managed to find a happy niche of sorts within the genre. Allowing for a slight bit garage rock turmoil to slip in once in awhile lets the band slide in and out of the genre specifications quite easily. Certain songs tend to stand out. The band makes use of a … Read more

The Blind Shake

Seriousness
Learning Curve (2011)

It’s Seriousness indeed for The Blind Shake. The Minneapolis three-piece plays concise, to the point garage rock. From their matching … Read more

Triac

...Always Meant To Hurt You
A389 (2011)

Triac has had a rather long history much of which seems unnoticed by those who aren't on top of their … Read more

Mastodon

The Hunter
Reprise (2011)

I was a bit of a latecomer to the Mastodon party. I hadn't discovered them until Crack the Skye, and … Read more

Celestiial

Desolate North (Re-Issue)
Handmade Birds (2011)

Allow me to be quite frank with this one, please; if you do not own the vinyl release of Desolate … Read more

Steve Reich

WTC 9/11
Nonesuch (2011)

Steve Reich occupies a weird place in modern music. He's one of the most-respected modern classical composers and right on … Read more

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One from the archives

This Time Next Year

Demonstration
Independent (2006)

I know I've said this before, but God bless the Bay Area! Five-piece outfit This Time Next Year is the latest band to emerge from the thriving music scene of the Golden Gate. The young pop-punk outfit hits the scene with Demonstration, five tracks of fabulous pop-punk and melodic hardcore fused as one. "The Wise are Always Better" begins the demo with an excellent display of high-energy catchy pop-punk. There is excellent pogo-riffing provided by Brad Wiseman and Denis Cohen and vocalist Pete Dowdalls' sweet melodies compliment them perfectly. "Sands of Bougainville" quickly follows with a bit more of an edge. In addition the pop-punk sound, the band also throws in some hardcore aspects. There are sing-along choruses and a little bit of a breakdown, not unlike local gone national … Read more

More album reviews

Antonymes

The Licence To Interperet Dreams
Hidden Shoal (2011)

Antonymes is one Ian M. Hazeldine. The North Welsh based artist has in the last two years released more than a couple works of almost ambient music. I say almost since it has some characteristics of the ambient genre it also bases much of its work in the classical realm as well. The pieces have been everything from short singular … Read more

Larry And His Flask

All That We Know
Silver Sprocket (2011)

Larry and His Flask have been getting more and more attention over the past year and a half. They reached a new plateau this past Summer--making a big splash on the Vans Warped Tour, and being labeled as the band to see. Towards the end of the tour they released, All That We Know, which has come to be the … Read more

Planning For Burial

Late Twenties Blues
Self Released (2011)

Alright laugh all you want at my horrid addictions, but until you plunge into Late Twenties Blues yourself, you will not have the faintest idea why this tape is on its fourteenth spin already today in my tape deck (not kidding, I am going to have to get another copy as a backup for this in case I completely wear … Read more

Wreck and Reference

Black Cassette
Music Ruins Lives (2011)

I’ll say this, Black Cassette from Wreck And Reference is good, real good; in fact, this debut has a bunch of people really going out of their way praising this “record” (OK, OK I know this is either on cassette tape or CD but stop hassling me and just listen for minute) and for good reason because the band eschews … Read more

Long Distance Calling

Self Titled
Century Media (2011)

Long Distance Calling are everything that Mogwai wants to be and can't exactly accomplish. They artfully blend elements of progressive rock, post-metal and even alternarock into a result that works so perfectly that it's nothing short of sublime. They've had two prior releases to this album: their debut album Satellite Bay in 2007 and their follow-up Avoid the Light in … Read more

Have Nots

Proud
Paper + Plastick (2011)

Ska-Punk is a loaded genre. That is to say there are only a handful of bands who could balance on the tight rope most tend to fall on either side more often than not. So needless to say for every Clash record there are 3 subpar version of Less Than Jake as well. So when I hear something described as … Read more

Protagonist

States
Paper + Plastick (2011)

Protagonist made their name a couple years ago by releasing a strong skate punk record. This is to say they brought back the glory days of Pennywise or Millencolin. Fast riffs and melodic vocals with a ton of sing alongs ensued. The band must have read the reviews because nothing has really changed. This is not to complain either since … Read more

Tenement

Napalm Dream
Hanged Up (2011)

Wow, this isn’t at all what I was expecting. With a one word name and the title Napalm Dream, I had images of guttural-voice hardcore and power stomps instead of Replacements’-schooled Midwest punk. Sure, I’d seen the name a lot in various Wisconsin-related shows over the past couple of years, but for some reason I associated the band with a … Read more

Pirate

Left Of Mind
Bird's Robes (2011)

How on Earth do you achieve a goal as lofty and vaguely-defined as “to break out of the norm and push boundaries?” Well, Sydney-based progressive four-piece Pirate aimed to find out with their 2011 debut EP, Left of Mind, which was created with that exact goal in mind. Whether or not they actually succeeded is a different case entirely.I'll admit, … Read more

The Cool Kids

When Fish Ride Bicycles
Green Label Sound (2011)

The Cool Kids return with, oddly enough, their debut album. Seems weird, considering these Midwestern boys have been in the game roughly 5 years now, but When Fish Ride Bicycles is technically their first full-length record. With a series of singles, mixtapes, and EPs under their belts, dating back to 2007’s excellent “Black Mags” single, Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish … Read more

Adrenaline Mob

Self Titled
Adrenaline Mob (2011)

Adrenaline Mob is a new supergroup featuring some big names in rock music today. The brain-child of drummer Mike Portnoy, the album also features names like Russell Allen, Mike Orlando, Rich Ward, and Paul DiLeo. Though they come from different genres, their combined talents are...Okay, you know what? I can't fucking do this. I just can't.Mike Portnoy is an amazingly … Read more

Sleeping in the Aviary

You And Me, Ghost
Science Of Sound (2011)

It was just six months ago that I reviewed Great Vacation. Sure, I was a few months behind the trolley on that one, but the fact that Sleeping in the Aviary has already kicked out another record, You and Me, Ghost, speaks to their dedication and work ethic. Or maybe Elliott Kozel and company just can’t put down their writing … Read more

Living With Lions

Holy Shit
Adeline (2011)

After their introduction to the more mainstream world Make Your Mark a few years ago Living With Lions went through a few things. This includes losing a bass player and vocalist and signing a deal with Adeline. In the meantime the band regrouped and recorded a new album. The big question is after losing members, especially a vocalist, how does … Read more

Farewell Continental

¡Hey, Hey Pioneers!
Paper + Plastick (2011)

Farewell Continental went great lengths to keep their members secret for some time. While not anywhere close to a secret anymore the band divorce themselves in a big way from their day jobs. While their main gig may act as signs of what you would get it doesn't quite prepare the listener for what is to come upon popping the … Read more

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