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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 Warlocks

The Mirror Explodes
Tee Pee Records (2009)

Sometimes one can be anticipate something too much. Expect too much from something so as to nullify anything enjoyable from said thing. Sadly Expectations are like that. The Warlocks have had a long career of playing spacey over driven rock songs. It seems only right that they are signed to Tee Pee records. They've always carried a psychedelic vibe couples with the shoegaze tendencies of My Bloody Valentine. While never fully going on just one route or the other they always managed to make a nice combination of the two. The record opens with a song that is not as long as it seems that plays with instrumentation and timing and just goes nowhere. Tambourines come in and out of the mix. Guitars part contract and expand and nothing seems to actually happen. This has seemed to become The Warlocks trademark as of late. While previous albums played with both genre sticking points from spacey atmospheres and a strong sense of definition in guitar feedback this has none of that. It seems like the band are trying to define themselves. Sadly trying to define yourself after numerous LPs and years it feels too little too late. The guitars are still … Read more

Beaten Awake

Thunderstroke
Fat Possum Records (2009)

Some bands exist both inside a scene and outside the sound of the given scene. Beaten Alive are one of … Read more

Hopewell

Good Good Desperation
Tee Pee (2009)

Psych rock is a mixed up genre. Ok, yeah it is spacey it technically rocks without really being rock per … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Big D and the Kids Table

Fluent In Stroll
Side One Dummy (2009)

I have to admit that normally I am not a big horns fan. It really has to take the song … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Averkiou

Wasted and High
Sound Study Recordings (2009)

The title track on this 7" is a fitting sound, given its title. "Wasted and High" has a pop structure … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Gateway District

Some Days You Get The Thunder
It's Alive (2009)

What would a new band that features members of Banner Pilot, The Soviettes, Off With Their Heads, and Dear Landlord … Read more

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One from the archives

The Ergs!

Jersey's Best Prancers
Don Giovanni (2006)

Anyone who's been paying attention can see the writing on the wall: like Cock Sparrer in 1982, pop punk's coming back. Of course, it never really left; it's just seen a variety of mutations since the halcyon days of "Locket Love": The Descendents' heartsick catharsis, The Lillingtons' television city dreaming, and the thrift store angst of Saves the Day are only a few examples. But a look around the punk landscape at bands like Set Your Goals and Death is Not Glamorous offers ample proof that we're living in a post-Lifetime era featuring, ironically enough, a reunited Lifetime. And that's what makes the cover art and title of The Ergs' new EP so perplexing. Jersey's Best Prancers is packaged as an overt and affectionate homage to Lifetime, much as Hello … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Sims

False Hopes XIV
Doomtree (2009)

Lights Out Paris was one of my favorite releases of 2005, but as the Doomtree crew only has so much time and money on their hands, they rotate members' releases. Thus, it's taken Sims until 2009 to release a False Hopes (the Doomtree version of a mixtape). On #14, Sims has ten new songs to show his growth as an … Read more

Call Me Lightning

When I Am Gone My Blood Will Be Free
Dusty Medical (2010)

Is this the band that released Soft Skeletons? It's been 3 years, and clearly the band has opted to go in a different direction. While the band has never hidden their affinity for The Who, naming themselves after a 1968 song by the group, When I Am Gone My Blood Will Be Free takes their influence to the next level. … Read more

Mayflower

Second Best Sunsets
Kiss of Death (2010)

After a brief intro track (what's the point of intros, anyway?), Mayflower kicks things off with the energetic "I Never ", an Off With Their Heads influenced gruff punk song with group choruses and a memorable hook. It's a fitting start to Second Best Sunsets, setting the tone of cynicism contrasted with bouncy, hold-your-beer-in-the-air sing-a-longs. What separates Mayflower from other, … Read more

Rotting Christ

Aealo
Season of Mist (2010)

If you're like me, you've seen the name 'Rotting Christ' thrown around for years, but you never listened to the band because you assumed it was an unremarkable throwback black metal band whose albums suffer from unbearably bad recording quality. But since Earwax in Madison was carrying the band's new album, I figured I'd give them a quick listen, because … Read more

Integrity

The Blackest Curse
Deathwish Inc. (2010)

Finally, after literally years of waiting to hear this new Integrity album and a couple of teaser releases that barely whet my appetite for this monster, The Blackest Curse sees the light of day with all the power of a dark, ominous poison cloud alighting on the bland morass of what passes for hardcore punk these days. Admittedly, as I … Read more

Nachtmystium

Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. 2
Century Media (2010)

Blake Judd has had a rough last couple years, missing two of Nachtmystium's biggest breaks as a result of a strange coincidence and outright misinformation. First, getting thrown off of the first annual Scion Fest for supposedly being a National Socialist band (they are not). The second occurred shortly thereafter losing out on a spot in direct support of The … Read more

Starkweather

This Sheltering Night
Deathwish Inc. (2010)

Wow, a new Starkweather album, and so soon after their last one (Croatoan)? Seriously, it is exciting to hear another album from this long running and challenging outfit; and maybe being on a label run by fans of theirs, Starkweather may finally see some recognition for their forward thinking music (hopefully they do not remain a band's band). In any … Read more

Parasitic Skies

The Descent
Seventh Dagger (2010)

Metalcore may be the most loaded term in modern underground music. For most it means you sound like Hatebreed or for the slightly more adventurous Heaven Shall Burn. Either way, you're running the risk of monotony and probably jokes at your expense from those too cool. While I say this, there was a time in the 90's that metalcore was … Read more

Harvestman

In a Dark Tongue
Neurot (2009)

Being a side project of a member of Neurosis always lends an air of cache to such musical project, and Harvestman is one that is certainly intriguing as it could be considered an almost psychedelic (an insane description of music if ever I heard one, although there are worse) outfit, which gives me the impression of Neurosis minus the heaviness. … Read more

The Love Below

Reproductive Rights
A389 (2010)

Do you like your hardcore punk raw sounding so that it comes across in absolutely vicious manner? If so, then The Love Below should surely be moved to the front of the line of bands to check out and their latest EP, Reproductive Rights, is a great place to start. This whole release is pretty classic from the packaging, to … Read more

Nathan Xander

The Fear
Deep Elm (2009)

Every once in awhile you try out an album and it becomes a happy accident. These albums become special to you because you just took a chance and found something special. I was hoping for this when I picked this from the promo pile. I had high hopes as this was compared to Ryan Adams primarily. While this comparison fits … Read more

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Wild Hunt
Dead Oceans (2010)

Kristian Matsson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth, wants to sound like Bob Dylan. Who doesn't? Well, I can name a few bands, but I won't go there. Besides, any comparisons to the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer are a waste of time. The Tallest Man on Earth is his own musician with his own goals, even if it … Read more

Prayers for Atheists

Prayers for Atheists
Strange Famous (2009)

I wasn't sure what to make of this upon getting it. I had seen it compared to hip-hop, Rage Against The Machine, Whole Wheat Bread, and spoken word. The thing is all of these comparisons fit, sometimes all at once really. This EP acts as a historical documentation of sorts. According to the liner notes this was written, lyrically, by … Read more

One Starving Day

Atlas Coelestis
Beta Lactam Ring/Nar Shardaa (2010)

After catching their last LP, Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun, One Starving Day remains on my radar; so, when their latest album, Atlas Coelestis was announced, an anxious period of waiting immediately followed. Even though the band was heavily indebted to bands like Neurosis, One Starving Day still brought a great deal of panache and style to 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)