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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 Copyrights

Alone In A Dome
Fat Wreck Chords (2021)

It’s been so long since The Copyrights put out an album that I kind of forgot they’re still active: seven years, according to the press release. But they’ve had a lot going on in that time (haven’t we all), dealing with personal and family issues and such. They returned last year with a big new record though, titled Alone In A Dome, and their first for punk powerhouse label Fat Wreck Chords. The band is celebrating 20 years in 2022, and this is their seventh record overall. While that might suggest they sound like old timers who have worked out a formula, Alone In A Dome is far from phoning it in. This record takes their Midwest pop-punk foundation and builds on it. Sure, it’s full of those gang vocals they perfected back in the ‘00s, but every track on this 12-song record sounds just different enough that I don’t have throw out the obligatory Ramones reference. I’m gonna do it anyway, though: The Copyrights play what Ramonescore built. Take one part Ramones, but add another part Dillinger Four and then tastefully sneak in some skatepunk inspiration and it gets you closer to the end result: singalong punk with enough … Read more

Soup

Visions
Crispin Glover Records, Glassville Music (2021)

My first contact with Soup was somewhere in late 2020 towards early 2021, so it hasn’t been long since I’ve … Read more

The Carvels NYC

I Want You Around b/w My Little Troll
Independent (2021)

The Carvels NYC released a little single for the holiday season. I know that the season is already over, but … Read more

Be’lakor

Coherence
Napalm (2021)

I’ve been trying for years to get into Be’lakor. A lot of friends and acquaintances liked to throw their name … Read more

Naked Raygun

Over The Overlords
Wax Trax! Records (2021)

Rather than delve into the history books and deep cuts of Naked Raygun’s discography, I’m mostly going to focus on … Read more

Militarie Gun

All Roads Lead to the Gun
Alternatives Label (2021)

Southern California’s Militarie Gun is a newcomer with extensive experience in the field of hardcore punk. Multi-instrumentalist Ian Shelton started … Read more

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One from the archives

Annasay

Annasay
Independent (2006)

I know this sounds familiar and you've heard a thousand of projects along these lines by now. But bear with me. Following the breakup of melodic hardcore/rock band Linus, Brad Lebakken decided to start writing music on his own. The songs that developed from these writing sessions were acoustic guitar driven indie rock. Lebakken recorded and released these songs under his own name on a self-titled effort. But when it came time to perform the songs live, he knew he needed a band. Members were recruited and thus the solo project became a full-fledged band, thus the name change. So here are the solo recordings of Lebakken under the new moniker, Annasay. The album starts off with the beautifully written "City Lights." The song is an acoustic guitar driven ballad … Read more

More album reviews

Sodom

Bombenhagel
SPV, Steamhammer (2021)

For Sodom, 2021 has been a pretty productive year, as well as bringing out a mega remastered bells and whistles boxset of M-16 on its 20th anniversary they have also brought us this new EP. In their current line up as a 4 piece (since 2018); original member Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (guitar), Yorck Segatz (guitar) and Toni … Read more

BaK

Crater
Independent (2021)

It’s not often that I get random recommendations (without asking) from friends which turn out to be something very cool. So, whenever that happens, I really cherish said moment and discovery. You probably already guessed the rest of this preamble. One of my best friends recommended this band to me. I was practically sold once I saw it was an … Read more

Portico Quartet

Monument
Gondwana Records (2021)

For whatever the reasons at play, the UK has a bristling jazz scene that’s rife with all sorts of amazing bands. The nu-jazz corner seems to be specifically prolific and forward thinking, embracing the limitless medium of electronic sounds. Portico Quartet are no strangers to experimentation, basically looking in a new direction over the course of each album. I had … Read more

Kanye West

Donda
Def Jam (2021)

In June 2020, Kanye began dropping breadcrumbs to hype an upcoming full-length. First, a single with Travis Scott accompanied a tweet announcing the song would be on his next album, God’s Country. Neither that track nor album title made it to the final release. A stream of tweets with false titles, artwork, and release dates followed. After Kanye’s third high-profile … Read more

Lars Frederiksen

To Victory
Pirates Press (2021)

When the pandemic first struck and musicians were stuck in their homes, this is exactly the kind of record I expected everyone to make: solo, acoustic, redoing old songs and favorite covers. Ironically, Lars’ solo project started prior to Covid and was meant as a live thing, which was subsequently kicked to the curb like everything else set in public … Read more

Warren Ellis

Nina Simone’s Gum
Allen & Unwin (2021)

Chewing gum is not the most distinguished habit to have, which is probably why I loved doing it in the most unsuitable places as a prepubescent before it was taken over by the despicable indulgence that is smoking, which in my book looked way cooler, preferably in combination. The core protagonist of this book used to indulge in both as … Read more

Nala Sinephro

Space 1.8
Warp (2021)

I’m a real sucker for any records that are themed somewhere in the vicinity of space/cosmos area of things. So, naturally, I just straight up check anything that seems at least decent in that zone. I had virtually no expectations when diving into Nala Sinephro’s Space 1.8, with the exception of thinking that I will meet a familiar sound. By … Read more

Demonztrator

Sinister Forces Of Hatred
Ossuary Records (2021)

Sinister Forces Of Hatred is the second album from Helsinki-based thrash metal ensemble Demonztrator. Formed in 2016 as a covers band, their aim being to revive Finnish speed/thrash metal from the late '80s and '90s. Their first album Forgotten Acts Of Aggression, released in 2017, is a collection of covers and is their love letter to fellow Finns Brainwash, Dementia, … Read more

Frontierer

Oxidized
Independent (2021)

So, here’s the new Frontierer. I’ll cut it as is right out of the gate – it’s a disappointment. I’ve seen the backlash at people criticizing the record, but they’re few in between and most seem to praise it to high heaven, which…is honestly mystifying to me – but – to each his own. I’ll level with all of you, … Read more

Sungazer

Perihelion
676832 Records DK2 (2021)

There aren’t a lot of modern bands that genuinely feel like they’re pushing music forward. One such example comes in the form of Sungazer. Sungazer is the brainchild of Adam Neely and Shawn Crowder. Some of you may know both of them from their respective YouTube channels, but for those of you that don’t, I highly recommend checking them out. … Read more

Pat Metheny

Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV)
BMG (2021)

I’m inclined to believe that anyone even just vaguely familiar with the fusion area of jazz has heard of Pat Metheny. Practically one of the legends of the genre, there’s nothing I could really say here to aptly summarize Metheny’s nearly five-decade career, nor add. It’s pretty obvious that in such cases there’s no critique to pass, or rather, no … Read more

Postage

LP1
Dirt Cult (2021)

Most of the time when a review says something sounds familiar it’s meant as an insult. Well, Postage is a new band but it sounds familiar…in all the right ways. It strikes those comfortable, familiar tones of singalong punk. It’s influenced by the classics. And while it has these elements we know and love, it’s also just fresh enough that … Read more

Paul Brannigan

Eruption: The Eddie Van Halen Story
Faber Publishing (2021)

I for one have always found it puzzling how anyone into rock music could not harbour at least a weak spot of appreciation for the charm of the unicum that was Van Halen as from late seventies until the mid-80ies they almost single-handedly restored hard rock to where it belonged, courtesy of David Lee Roth’s charisma and the virtuosic talent … Read more

Turnstile

Glow On
Roadrunner (2021)

It has only been a couple of months since I use a music app (other than Bandcamp). At first I was mad with it, as it was suggesting music I should like which was either total crap or so much unlike my taste that I thought someone else might be using my account. Anyway, one day this app suggested I … Read more

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