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Terror

Keepers Of The Faith
Century Media (2010)

Some of my most unforgettable moments in hardcore involve Terror. I first saw them headline a show after I trudged through a harsh January blizzard, where a 20 minute drive turned into almost an hour-long commute thanks to Pittsburgh’s signature winter weather. They played direct support when I saw one of my favorite bands, Earth Crisis, for the first time. … Read more

Best Coast

Crazy For You
Mexican Summer (2010)

Right off the bat you can’t help but feel Best Coast’s full-length debut, Crazy for You, is going to be an album you listen to every summer to come. This indie-pop group has a sound that goes hand-in-hand with enjoying the sun while lying on the beach. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. On the surface, Crazy For You … Read more

Caitlin Rose

Own Side Now
Theory 8 (2010)

Forget Taylor Swift and the rest of her incorrigible ilk, according to the recent accolades, the future of country music belongs in the hands of Caitlin Rose, a twenty-three year old Nashville native whose looks are only surpassed by her voice. Though this might seem like an outlandish statement, in the last year, in one EP and this, her debut … Read more

War From A Harlots Mouth

MMX
Lifeforce (2010)

War from a Harlots Mouth is definitely not new to the metal core or death core scene. They’ve been around a while, done tours, essentially put in their time. But, how has this experience shaped them when it comes to writing and recording? The blunt answer seems to be that it hasn’t in a big way.What we get is well-played … Read more

Trash Talk

Eyes And Nines
Trash Talk Collective (2010)

Over the five years of their existence, Trash Talk has been consistently evolving and changing with each release. With Eyes And Nines, their newest full-length, the band shows their top-notch progression once again.Produced by Joby Ford of The Bronx, Eyes And Nines pulls no punches as far as getting right to the grit of this record. “Vultures” starts out the … Read more

A Sunny Day in Glasgow

Autumn, Again
A Sunny Day in Glasgow (2010)

Unique hurdles materialize for bands who decide to write music under the shoegaze/dream pop category. There is an intrinsic quality in the genre to inspire feelings of nostalgia and introspection, so it makes little sense to complain about A Sunny Day in Glasgow’s latest release because it lacks any vision for the future. But I’m afraid that is what it’s … Read more

Minus the Bear

OMNI
Dangerbird (2010)

It’s no secret Seattle’s Minus The Bear is at the forefront of the complex indie-pop movement. With their fourth full-length, Omni, the band continues their stay at the top, but in a different way than before. On this new album, the band turns up the pop factor more, with the inclusion of more organ parts and straightforward pop-rock songs. “Summer … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Roky Erickson

True Love Cast Out All Evil
Anti (2010)

First record of new material of Roky's since 1994's All That May Do My Rhyme finds the singer in a more reflective mood. The rough edges have been all sandpapered out by Okkervil River on these songs. Not that this is bad thing, it's just not as left of center as some of his previous output. The title track features … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Pissed Jeans

King Of Jeans
Sub Pop (2009)

Ugly and violent. Pissed Jeans don't mess around, starting 2009's King of Jeans with "False Jesii, Part Two," and never letting up on the noisepunk from start to finish. While the first song is possibly the best on the record, it's not because the record falls apart, but because it so competently and powerfully sets the tone, kicking immediately into … Read more

Ashers

Kill Your Master
Thorp (2010)

Hardcore punk is a loaded genre. Very rarely can bands play this style a differentiate themselves from each other. It's not generally for lack of talent but the constraints of the genre are usually to blame. Ashers are a fairly new band this being their first full length. They quickly use their little bit of time to make a strong … Read more

The Riot Before

Rebellion
Paper + Plastick (2010)

Early releases from The Riot Before have had an undeniable feeling that the band was primarily Brett Adams’ project. Although they have a handful of releases under their belt, the band just formed in 2006, and Rebellion shows them still growing beyond Adams’ dominant shouts and the sonic contrasts that define his songwriting. On their latest release there is a … Read more

Sugar Stems

The Sweet Sounds of the Sugar Stems
Dusty Medical (2010)

The Sugar Stems know what sound they’re after, and that’s pretty clear from their name alone. The Sweet Sounds of the Sugar Stems immediately hits on an upbeat and, ahem, sugary sound led by singer/guitarist Betsy Borst’s energetic vocals and Drew Frederichsen’s backing harmonies. The Sugar Stems take the familiar saccharine love song and speed it up, giving a bit … Read more

Three Mile Pilot

The Inevitable Past Is The Future Forgotten
Temporary Residence (2010)

Well, all that I can say as this record sits in my hands is that this has certainly been a long, long time coming for Three Mile Pilot; I mean, the simple fact that another album from this group has been a rumor ever since they started practicing for their appearance at Touch and Go’s twenty-fifth anniversary, and now it … Read more

Planning For Burial

Leaving
Enemies List Home Recordings (2010)

Are late passes allowed in the internet age where people get to hear the latest music from musicians as soon as 2 minutes (give or take due to their proficiency with certain computer skills) and almost always before the record is released anymore? Leaving sat in an envelope in my house for several months (while I feverishly searched for the … Read more

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