Recent reviews

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)

Banner Pilot

Collapser
Fat Wreck Chords (2009)

Banner Pilot's last album, Resignation Day earned them a lot of praise among punk fans. To me, I thought it was a very solid album but it didn't exactly stick out among the many great bands that are playing this style of punk right now. They're a good band, but I thought they were missing a few things before I could consider them anything superb. Those holes have been filled as their sound has skyrocketed on their Fat Wreck Chords debut, Collapser, which is already one of my favorite punk albums to come from this year. One noticeable difference in Collapser is that the production quality has increased a lot compared to Resignation Day, and it really helps the band sound ten times better than they already did. Musically, they sound very similar to Dillinger Four mixed with The Lawrence Arms and early Jawbreaker, mostly due to Nick Johnson's vocals. His raspy singing style can easily be compared to Brendan Kelly's on most Lawrence Arms songs and Blake Schwarzenbach's on 24 Hour Revenge Therapy. The upped production helps Banner Pilot sound a lot more robust and the overall sound of the album is a lot more strong than it was … Read more

Black Boned Angel

The Endless Coming to Life
20 Buck Spin (2008)

Sometimes, curiosity completely gets the best of me, as is the case with my musical listening habits. And because of … Read more

Disembodied

Psalms of Sheol
Prime Directive (2009)

As the crushing, bottom heavy sonic force of "Enochian Prayer" plays, the only thought running through my mind is: "YES! … Read more

Merauder

God is I
Regain (2009)

Oh hey what do you know, Merauder is back. For those that don't remember, Merauder put out the classic crossover … Read more

Cub Country

Stretch That Skull Cover and Smile
Future Farmer (2009)

I honestly did not think that Jeremy Chatelain was still active as Cub Country seeing as how it has been … Read more

Water & Bodies

Water & Bodies
Rain City (2009)

One of the newest bands to come out of Portland, Water & Bodies are looking to make an impact in … Read more

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One from the archives

Tokyo Police Club

Smith
Paperbag (2007)

Back in 2006, a small post-punk quartet from Newmarket, Ontario hit the club scene and blew people away with their brilliant live shows. They then released their first album to critical acclaim and became a major Internet buzz band. Tokyo Police Club has returned in 2007 with a short but sweet three song EP that is the follow up to the buzz generating A Lesson in Crime. The Smith EP has two songs that focus on their familiar strengths and signature sounds, while the third is somewhat of a surprise and seemingly not the most pleasant. "Box" is the album opener and it really showcases the familiar bright sounding guitar riffs that everybody loves them for. It will also cause people to bring up the whole "They sound like a … Read more

More album reviews

Polar Bear Club

Chasing Hamburg
Bridge Nine (2009)

Polar Bear Club is essentially the musical version of the story, The Little Engine that Could. Here we have a band, that started out merely four years ago, playing shows wherever they could when the mood struck them to do so. With their debut EP, there was great promise; everyone that heard it realized it. But it really didn't click … Read more

Cable

The Failed Convict
The End (2009)

Exciting is a good term to use to describe the feelings from Cable putting out another album, particularly after they had apparently called it quits. Thankfully, their farewell turn juiced the band up enough to write and record a new album. The Failed Convict is the latest album from the Cable institution and the first with guitarist Bernie Romanowski in … Read more

Jon Snodgrass

Visitor's Band
Suburban Home (2009)

Jon Snodgrass used a sling a guitar in Armchair Martian and Drag the River but decided to go with the singer-songwriter route and dropped Visitor's Band on us in 2009. I never familiarized myself with the country-fried Drag the River. However, I recall Armchair Martian being a guitar heavy pop-punk rock band that Bill and Stephen from ALL always seem … Read more

For.The.Win.

The Black & The Blue
Asian Man/Solidarity (2009)

The Bay Area has always been known for producing some great punk acts. One up-and-coming band is the newest addition to the Asian Man family, For.The.Win. This three-piece play a pretty solid mixture of melodic punk and positive hardcore on their debut album, The Black & The Blue. What we have here is about twenty minutes of sometimes hardcore, sometimes … Read more

Andrew W.K.

55 Cadillac
Skyscraper Music Maker (2009)

If I were to comprise a short list of individuals that I would love to sit down and just have an open-ended conversation with, Andrew W.K. would be at the head of that list. No doubt in my mind. For whatever reason, everything that he does has me on the edge of my seat. The multi-talented W.K. returns with 55 … Read more

Wino

Punctuated Equilibrium
Southern Lord (2009)

What is more difficult to believe? That Wino is releasing his first solo album in his music career or that his music career is as long and solid as it has been? A pillar of consistency with stints in the Obsessed, St. Vitus, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand, and the coming soon Shrinebuilder (along with members of Neurosis, The Melvins, … Read more

True Colors

Rush of Hope
Powered (2009)

The European hardcore scene has always fascinated me, and for many reasons. But perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the world of hardcore on the other side of the Atlantic is that it always comes of as very nostalgic. I don't mean that in a disrespecting way, but more times than not, it seems as though the Euros go out … Read more

Pussygutt

She Hid Behind Her Veil
20 Buck Spin (2008)

Pussygutt is a two-piece ambient droning doom outfit. Well, not exactly but a more accurate description may be given as Pussygutt is a group that works their magic with two actual members and a revolving cast of collaborators as its two masterminds (Brittany McConnell and Blake Green) see fit. She Hid Behind Her Veil is the third album from the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Lanterns

Apocalypse Youth
Independent (2008)

Apocalypse Youth, this EP from San Diego band Lanterns is best described with one word: rich. It's a pop album that is rich in sound and rich in harmonies. The five songs here are surprisingly noisy for a band playing such a delicate kind of music, booming from every corner with loud drums and feedback. The guitar slings echo deeply … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Black Market Fetus / In Defence

Split
Give Praise (2009)

Split 7" releases are great when both bands are good. And luckily this time both Black Market Fetus and In Defence are good underground groups and this nasty little piece is as sweet as it is short- seven songs pass by hastily but it's certainly good enough to warrant repeated listens. Another positive is that both bands differ slightly in … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Useless I.D.

The Lost Broken Bones
Suburban Home (2009)

The Lost Broken Bones is the first release on Suburban Home for this four-piece from Israel. This is my first exposure to this band, but they have been together for quite some time. Recorded at The Blasting Room, sonically all the right buttons are pushed. Sometimes the vocals veer into Unwritten Law territory, but I guess this is a chicken … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Red Light Driver

…and Now We Can Be Ourselves
MFT (2009)

Get out the lava light kids, and get ready to take a trip! Okay, maybe not that wacked out, but the influence is there. Produced by Paul Mahern (of Zero Boys fame), this band's debut full-length hits all the right buttons. Fans of 90's rock will hear Ride, Echo & The Bunnymen, maybe even a little Julian Cope. It's hard … Read more

Mother of Mercy

III
Six Feet Under (2009)

How did I sleep on this band? I remember hearing about Mother of Mercy when their No Eden 7" was released, but I never took the time to follow up. Hailing from the greater Philadelphia area, this band took me by surprise with their debut full-length III. Mother of Mercy comes from the ashes of the now-defunct Let Down, who … Read more

Boxcutter

The Ill Testament
Screaming Crow (2009)

I'm probably the last person that should be do a review on the latest album from Pennsylvania's Boxcutter. I haven't had a rough life. Both my parents raised me. I've never seen a friend die. Moreover, even though I wasn't the best kid in the world I never had any run ins with the law. Even today I live in … 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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