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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)

Defiance, Ohio

Midwestern Minutes
No Idea (2010)

Midwestern Minutes is the fourth full-length from Defiance, Ohio. The band has crafted a sound that draws from Americana and Plan-It-X-style DIY pop punk. The instrumentation of the six-piece adds to their distinction. While the members split songwriting and lead vocal duties, there is a communal feel as most of their songs end up with a group chorus leading the way. While the band has always been somewhat spread out, both geographically and in terms of songwriting, this really comes across on the new record, with a stark distinction between songwriters.Following 2007’s The Fear, The Fear, The Fear, Midwestern Minutes is less polished. However, overall the record feels carefully arranged and the songs, despite coming from multiple voices, all fit together in and celebrate the value of a close-knit community. There’s a somber feel as compared with previous releases.The band’s strength has been their ability to straddle weighty subjects without coming across as either preachy or reading like a dissertation. There’s a first-person, accessible tone that brings it together, as in “The White Shore:”"I will not condemn what anyone did to survive.But I will not defend a culture that makes us decide.To assimilate or die.Or that defines survival asrunning as … Read more

The New Enemy

Outsourced
Independent (2009)

The first track sounds like Kid Dynamite so right away I thought I found a new melodic hardcore band to … Read more

Night Owls

Self Titled
Hex (2009)

Night Owls are a relatively new rock band from Syracuse New York. They have ex-members of some notable bands from … Read more

The Reptilian

Boys Life EP
Count Your Lucky Stars (2009)

Angular, discombobulated yet tuneful and melodic 90's styled emo. I haven't heard a band like this in quite some time … Read more

Various Artists

Let Me Out & First Cut - Swedish Hardcore Split
Akashic (2009)

Ah, split CDs of two bands I've never heard of before. The bane of my existence. Anyway, Sweden's Let Me … Read more

Various Artists

Through Trials & Plead the Fifth - Split
Crossface (2009)

Oh for the love Mike, I need to stop swooping down on these split CDs on the promo list. I … Read more

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One from the archives

Tiger Army

Music from Regions Beyond
Hellcat (2007)

First things first, where the bloody hell is the Roman numeral? This is Tiger Army IV: Music from Regions Beyond, not just Music from Regions Beyond. I feel a little lost and confused with a Tiger Army album title like this. And only eleven tracks? Who is in charge here? I demand they get back in the studio and give me my twelfth and thirteenth tracks"¦ But then again, after the regular pre-album line up change (at least some things never change) this is a new beast entirely. The Tiger Army of old is dead; maybe in his old age Mr. 13 is mellowing. He even allows someone else to sit at the mixing desk of his baby for the first time in the form of A.F.I./Morrissey producer Jerry Finn. … Read more

More album reviews

108

18:61
Deathwish Inc. (2010)

Excellent! 108 is dropping their second post reunion LP (a feat that I think further proves their honest intentions of just creating and playing music), and dear lord this record is a long time coming (it took more than a year following recording to see the light of day); such waits can do funny things to a band that can … Read more

Iggy & The Stooges

Raw Power (Re-Issue)
Sony (2010)

"Raw Power’s got a son named rock n’ roll" Leave it to Iggy Pop to both boast about this record and succinctly describe what an album’s impact would be on music. Seriously, look at the cover to the album, and I mean REALLY look at it; get it out of your collection and look at it, and if it is … Read more

Killola

Let's Get Associated
Independent (2010)

Killola, a four-piece American So Cal alt-rock group, consists of Lisa Rieffel (lead vocals), Mike Ball, (guitar), Dan Grody (drums) and Johnny Dunn (bass). Their style is primarily 'Garage Pop' with punk and pop/electronica influences. From what I have been able to uncover, Lisa Rieffel is one busy girl. With her popular web-series Girltrash!, acting in different TV series (NCIS, … Read more

Young Livers

Of Misery & Toil
No Idea Records (2010)

With three years since their last full-length, Young Livers have returned in top form. Of Misery & Toil walks the thin line between packing a serious punch and being accessible. The gritty tones of interwoven dual guitars and wailing vocals are suitable for soothing any angst you might be feeling, while the impressive melodies might be just enough to convince … Read more

Tigers Jaw

Two Worlds
Run for Cover (2010)

Tigers Jaw are an indie rock band with heavy emo influences based out of Pennsylvania. Think early Weezer meets The Get Up Kids. Having already released two LPs, an EP, and a split with Balance and Composure, Two Worlds, their newest release on Run For Cover Records, finds them maturing their sound and producing one of the best releases of … Read more

Killing the Dream

Lucky Me
Deathwish Inc. (2010)

Lucky Me is easily my most anticipated release of 2010. When I first started listening to hardcore, Killing The Dream were one of the first bands I connected with. Over the years they have become one of my favorites. I’ve been practically frothing at the mouth waiting to get my hands on this record, but upon giving it a few … Read more

Rorcal

Heliogabalus
Cal Of Ror (2010)

Rorcal, from Switzerland, present Heliogabalus , a near-perfect doom/drone album. This record is so dark that the cover can’t even be seen on a computer. Hell, the music is so dark that some may not even be able to listen it. It takes a valiant effort to listen to a 1 song album that clocks in at 70 minutes, especially … Read more

The Sass Dragons

New Kids On The Bong
Johans Face (2010)

It would be hard to take the Sass Dragons seriously, were it not for the quality of their recorded material. On stage, the fuck-all Chicago band comes across as a snotty, obnoxious, and somewhat sloppy band with more than a hint of frontman posturing. Of course, when reviewing a record called New Kids on the Bong, maybe one shouldn’t be … Read more

Less Than Jake

TV EP
Sleep It Off (2010)

In theory, Less Than Jake covering catchy theme songs and product jingles sounds like a good idea. It seemed to work in the past. However, Less Than Jake’s TV/EP will fall short of your expectations.It’s hard to be too critical of an EP that was meant to be a fun project. The problem is, this project doesn’t have much replay … Read more

Cipher

The Joyous Collapse
Uprising (2010)

Cipher is one of those bands that if you were to describe their unique sound to someone, they would undoubtedly be left scratching their heads and asking, “what is it that makes this band good again?” I always put up with quite an internal and external struggle when describing the band to people that have never heard them before. However, … Read more

The Dopamines

Expect The Worst
Paper + Plastick (2010)

The Dopamines first caught my attention when they released a 7” that pays homage to the Big Black Songs About Fucking cover. Sure, they sound nothing like the seminal Chicago band, but anyone who gives props to that record ends up on my radar in some form. Moving forward to 2010, the Cincinnati band has signed with Paper & Plastick … Read more

Bring Out Your Dead

Just Stay Asleep...
Detonate (2010)

Bring Out Your Dead features members of Scraps and Heart Attacks for anyone else out there that gives a hoot. I liked Scraps and Heart Attacks so I was excited hear this EP. What we have here is a metal band that plays fast and has some nice melodic picking parts and some decent early 2000's type mosh to it. … Read more

Ultima Victima

La Batalla Sera Enterna
Detonate (2010)

If there's nothing that I hate more is moshcore bands that feel it necessary for their mosh parts to have mosh parts over mosh parts. Ulitma Victima are from Mexico and sing (well bark) in Spanish. The last time I took a Spanish class was in the 10th grade so I have no clue what's going on here. I can … Read more

Have a Nice Life

Voids
Music Ruins Lives (2010)

Maybe, just maybe, the internet is the reason that some ideas or feats of intellectual wizardry become tangible objects. This could be due to some radical phenomenon, or it could even (gasp) be due to the quality of the work on display. This little theory works in several ways for the duo who are Have A Nice Life. And, if … Read more

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