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Volcano!

Paperwork
The Leaf Label (2008)

Now, I am an extremely misanthropic individual. I generally enjoy disliking things (and people) almost as much as I enjoy liking them. There is a perverse pleasure in mild hatred, a smug sense of self-justification when you can hover above the morons of this world and curl your lip in distaste at their floundering attempts at humanity. When this is … Read more

La Crisi

II - Tutti a Pezzi
Hurry Up! (2008)

Is there any better imagery than broken teeth? La Crisi don't seem to think so. Given the ferocity on II - Tutti a Pezzi I have to wonder if the cover image is what singer Mayo's mouth looks like after a particularly violent show. When it comes to namedropping influences, there are plenty of good ones for this band: Bad … Read more

Swan Lake

Enemy Mine
Jagjaguwar (2009)

n theory, this band should be really, really fucking good - a supergroup composed of three accomplished artists already involved with various supergroups of their own. Dan Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers), Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes, Blackout Beach) and Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown) collaborating and throwing around their signature esoteric surrealist sounds like a aural feast. Buzz surrounding Enemy … Read more

Akimbo

Jersey Shores
Neurot (2008)

A concept album that deals with the real life shark attacks that inspired the landmark movie Jaws, this is the type of heady fair that listeners might expect from some post-rock behemoth or prog-rock posturing; but this awesome idea comes from none other than Akimbo. Jersey Shores is a departure from there normally more straight forward rock bombast, and one … Read more

Stencil

The Dead Lie Golden
Independent (2007)

Hailing from Seattle, Stencil comes with their debut album The Dead Lie Golden. They have touted themselves as an orchestral indie band which draws stylistically from established artists such as Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens, and Neutral Milk Hotel. Really now, if your band could successfully draw from all those artists, your band would be a musical juggernaut, maybe even revolutionary … Read more

The Casting Out

Go Crazy! Throw Fireworks!
Fail Safe (2009)

Nathan Gray was the lead singer of what was one of the most important band in the late 90's, Boy Sets Fire. There are plenty of people out there that would just love to refute this fact. Nevertheless from Boy Sets Fire's performance at More than Music where they had members of the audience come up and talk about being … Read more

Zao

Awake?
Ferret (2009)

There once was a time where Zao were a great Christian metalcore that stood out among their peers. Back in the 90's, they created a signature sound with powerful screams, raw guitars, and clean sung choruses. Unfortunately, this sound has been bastardized by tons of other metalcore bands that have spawned since that time. It's been ten years since Liberate … Read more

My Heart to Joy

Seasons in Verse
Top Shelf (2009)

Seasons in Verse is the debut full-length from Connecticut's My Heart to Joy. The band's first long player is the follow-up to the band's most recent EP, last years Virgins Sails. Seasons in Verse sees My Heart to Joy continuing to distance themselves from their more aggressive infancy and developing their songwriting talents towards intricate and complex indie rock. Lead … Read more

Pink Razors

Leave Alive
Houseplant/No Idea (2009)

Bands can sometimes get falsely categorized by those who don't know any better. And it really only takes a few misapplications of a genre to a band before you get frustrated, or simply declare the said genre dead to you. Anyways, we approach the new Pink Razors record Leave Alive with the term pop-punk somewhat lodged in most descriptions of … Read more

Moving Mountains

Foreword
Independent (2009)

Moving Mountains' Foreword may only be a four-song EP but they bring everything to the table and showcase their full abilities on this brief piece of music. Foreword is roughly thirty-six minutes, which seems to be the perfect length for an album like this, not terribly short but it doesn't drone on too long to the point where it's dull. … Read more

Dälek

Gutter Tactics
Ipecac (2009)

Describing Dälek is always pretty tough. Despite the fact that MC Dälek himself has stated that they should be considered purely hip-hop since the origins of the genre lie in experimentation and breaking down barriers, I would conjecture that whacking Gutter Tactics onto your stereo and playing it to your average chart-loving hip-hop aficionado would result in blank stares and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Agent

Awake in Their World
Run for Cover (2009)

Run Cover for Cover's label head Jeff and I like to go back and forth over his bastardization of the phrase "pop-punk" but the kid has a lot of heart and does a good job with his label. However, even though we will go tit for tat over our endless Screeching Weasel vs. Fireworks to everyone else's eye rolling disgust … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Police & Thieves

Amor Y Guerra (Reissue)
Youngblood (2008)

Michael already reviewed the 7" version of this. The only thing that's different is that the CD version has the demo tacked on for good measure. Anyhow, Police & Thieves is ex-members of Worn Thin and play aggressive melodic hardcore that you can tell that Police & Thieves is from the nation's capitol. If you like Dag Nasty or the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Poison Arrows

Casual Wave
File 13 (2008)

Being from Chicago, The Poison Arrows have a style that unmistakeably brings to mind the old, early to mid 90's alternative rock scene. Since that particular time spawned quite a few great bands then this can be considered a good prospect. The debut EP from this band doesn't necessarily resemble the noisy endeavors of Steve Albini or the madness of … Read more

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