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Sage Francis

Human the Death Dance
Epitaph (2007)

After 2005's A Healthy Distrust Sage Francis cemented himself as one of hip-hop's biggest heroes as well as one of it's most despised figures. Francis seemingly blurred the line between mainstream and the world of underground mix tapes, coming out as a possible savior of hip-hop, the opposite of rappers Nas blasted on Hip-Hop is Dead. While A Healthy Distrust … Read more

Imani Coppola

The Black and White Album
Ipecac (2007)

The lights, the sounds, the excitement If you've ever been to New York City, you know what I'm talking about. Regardless of the borough, walking around the city is exhilarating, bordering on overwhelming, keeping you hyper-vigilant for fear of missing something really, really cool. Imani Coppola sounds like New York. The Black and White Album is just like the city … Read more

Four Year Strong

Rise or Die Trying
I Surrender (2007)

Do you love bubblegum pop-punk? Do you love sign-alongs? Do you love ridiculous breakdowns? Well, then Four Year Strong and their debut full-length, Rise or Die Trying, are going to be exactly what you've been seeking. This Worcester, Massachusetts five-piece delivers pogo-errific pop-punk with more than a few opportunities to sing-along and break out your dance moves. Rise or Die … Read more

Ringfinger

Decimal
Little Black Cloud (2007)

The history behind Ringfinger's Decimal is rather interesting. Tracy Wilson, whom some of you may remember from Dahlia Seed, started the project shortly after the demise of her former group. Wilson originally wrote and recorded rough versions of these songs before seeking out many close friends to add, tweak, dismantle, and/or reassemble the songs with their own artistic insights. Now, … Read more

Nightrage

A New Disease is Born
Lifeforce (2007)

Allow me to preface my review with the following disclaimer: I am an avid follower of Tomas Lindberg's projects; so, due to his being the band's original screaming vocalist, I have some exposure to Nightrage in their previous albums, 2005's Descent into Chaos and 2003's Sweet Vengeance. They play a variation on the melodic Swedish death metal style popularized by … Read more

Attack in Black

Marriage
Dine Alone (2007)

There's no way around this but to say it straight: I heard the first track from Attack in Black's Marriage, "Come What May," and without hesitation, went to buy the album. I couldn't tell you the last time a song did that to me. Maybe it was the way the guitars swelled and stopped at just the right moment, underscoring … Read more

Pygmy Lush

Bitter River
Robotic Empire (2007)

Bitter River is the most bipolar release of 2007, hands down. Members of Pygmy Lush were once in groups such as Pg. 99, City of Caterpillar, Majority Rule, and Hissing Choir just to name a few. Now, they've found themselves writing an album that changes drastically over the course of fourteen songs (two songs were added to the CD release, … Read more

Northern State

Can I Keep This Pen?
Ipecac (2007)

Can I Keep This Pen? is Northern State's third full-length album and it proves that any and all naysayers dismissing the group as a novelty act can just get in that boat and float right to Camden. I admit, I was once one of those aforementioned naysayers. I mean . what can you say about three chicks from suburban Long … Read more

Gog

Noriah Mills
Sound of Battle and Souvenir Collecting (2006)

I'm watching The Shining as I listen to Gog's EP for the first time and the music is matching up at the moment (which is awesome). A creepy high-pitched sound is slowly building up, just like Kubrick's film. The band's label, Sounds of Battle and Souvenir Collecting, says on its website, "[We are] dedicated to experimental, drug/metal, art-doom, and drone." … Read more

Multiple Authors

Wu-Tang Clan

8 Diagrams
Street Records Corporation (2007)

It almost seemed like this record would never come out. It's been six years since Iron Flag and 14 since 36 Chambers revolutionised hip hop, and in that intervening period, the genre has seen the rise of the shallower side of the performers, with quality production often sidelined in favour of bold statements and styles without the musical muscle to … Read more

Multiple Authors

Wu-Tang Clan

8 Diagrams
Street Records Corporation (2007)

In 1993, nine MC's hailing from all over New York City came together to release one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time. With incredibly gritty production and razor sharp, kung-fu inspired lyricism, Enter the Wu-Tang; the 36 Chambers took the hip hop world by storm and rap as we knew it would never be the same. … Read more

Molia Falls

A Support Entry Title
THN (2007)

This is my first exposure to Molia Falls, as it may be for some others as well, and I am not sure what to expect at all from the CD that sits here. The packaging tells me little or rather, gives no impression of the type of music that may be hiding on this EP and that gives me pause. … Read more

Awake and Alert

Devil in a Lambskin Suit
Five One Inc. (2007)

Sometimes I think our beloved editor and all around swell dude, Michael, doesn't even bother giving our promo records a listen. Case in point: Awake and Alert's Devil in a Lambskin Suit. So Michael sees a plain CD with the name "Awake and Alert" and he thinks to himself, "This is probably another positive melodic straight edge hardcore band that … Read more

Manatees

The Forever Ending Jitter Quest of Slow Hand Chuckie: An Introduction to the Manatee
Motive Sounds (2006)

I slept on Manatees' promotional disc for a very long time and I'm extremely sorry I did so. Their untitled release, or the lengthy The Forever Ending Jitter Quest of Slow Hand Chuckie: An Introduction to the Manatee is an ethereal and simultaneously heavy release. Their press sheet sums up the band's sound quite well: "The band name was chosen … Read more

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