Busy! From the packaging onward, The Mumlers emit an adorably quirky vibe far too big to fit into their little debut album. The seven piece from San Jose bring us Thickets and Stitches, a blues inspired-folk fused indie rock ditty of a record. As one might expect from the aforementioned description, the disc sees a wide variety of instruments accompanying lyrics that can only be described as cute. The fault of the disc, unfortunately, lies in the band wanting to do just about everything they can in their eleven tracks, leaving a cluttered feel. The Mumlers seem to have one too many ideas of just what they want to sound like. And rather than refining to get the good that is obviously there, they throw everything at you at once. Read more
Clocking in at just under an hour, Pictures of a Changing World is truly a cohesive release encompassing a gamut … Read more
This is what happens when trust fund kids with expendable bank accounts get their hands on keyboards and samplers: an … Read more
Build & Burn begins with what ostensibly sounds like an unsure Loved Ones. The first three tracks are throwbacks of … Read more
The Loved Ones entered my radar with their first EP for Jade Tree, which converted me with "100K," a staccato … Read more
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Before starting, I would like take a quote from the band's spotify profile” "Went to a Ramones show. Started a band. Pissed a lot people off". The quote tells a lot about the band's history and controversies. Begin with having a beef with many label owners, Fat Wreck one of them, up to the constant changing of its regular and the founding members as well. In some cases, like Screeching Weasel, it's a case that everyone wouldn't give a f**k about. This is proven by their well received output in recent years. At some points, scene politics is an unpleasant thing. It's like "Can I just sit down and enjoying some good music?? Without worrying what have they done or blablabla??". Well, at least it happens to me and Screeching … Read more
In 2001, Nas released Stillmatic, a direct play on his first album Illmatic, and an indicator that he was still on top of the rap world. The album's single "Got Ur Self a Gun" featured Nas reminiscing on his previous efforts, stating, "My first album had no famous guest appearances. The outcome? I'm crowned the best lyricist." Stillmatic had no … Read more
One might be hard pressed to envision a band that seems to exemplify a road warrior type touring ethic than that of the hard working group, Planes Mistaken for Stars. It is a sad day to see these stalwarts finally calling it a day after three albums and numerous EPs, particularly after the release of Mercy, which I still think … Read more
From the reviewer's initial notes made upon first hearing the album: Quiet + Loud + Quiet + Harmonica = Souvenir's Young America What a sad, lazy reviewer I am. And, as always, lazy reviewing makes for lazy reading, so if the above equation says it all for you, Godspeed my child. For readers with more moxie, yes, the above equation … Read more
Why in the hell did I sleep on this record last year? Given, this did come out kind of late in the 2007, and with all the hoopla surrounding end of year lists and such, I guess it just slipped under my radar. A couple of Saturdays ago while in my local record store, the Nick Blinko (artist for Rudimentary … Read more
U.S.S.A. is a relatively new project consisting of Ministry's Paul Barker, Tomahawk's Duane Denison and two other guys. Two out of four guys that have had some level of fame does not make a "supergroup," a word seemingly thrown around any time a dude from one known band happens to get together with one or more dudes from another known … Read more
"Ever done something you regret while drunk like...recorded a live album?" the press sheet states. As NOFX open the CD and Fat Mike announces, "Oh, shit, we have to go to work," the tone is set. Within five minutes, the president has been insulted and you're told that, if you believe in God, you're wrong. There are also a number … Read more
Seriously, I think that I am still atoning for not paying more attention to this Japanese band earlier. I mean that I had some of their records but never really felt that deeply about them one way or another (maybe subconsciously due to their singing in Japanese thus making it a bit difficult to connect to the music). Then I … Read more
The Dauntless Elite hail from Leeds and hold the honor of being the first international Plan-it-X band. With Graft, their first full-length, they deliver pop punk akin to many contemporary bands from the Midwestern United States. They've also released an EP and a couple 7"s. Upon putting in the CD, it runs through a few clicks and whistles before kicking … Read more
After what is quickly becoming a normative hiatus for this Swedish five-piece band, Disfear delivers their latest blast of d-beat influenced mayhem onto the masses. Live the Storm is their second full length with Tomas Lindberg, vocalist of At the Gates and an innumerable number of other heavy bands, and the first with former Entombed guitarist Uffe Cederlund, as well … Read more
When reviewing an album, it can be difficult to summarize thoughts and feeling elicited from the music you're listening to, to organize these thoughts and feelings in written prose succinctly, honestly, and, above all, professionally. Using these guidelines as my template, I can say with all sincerity, fuck me running, this group is terrible. Creature Feature is the "brain"child of … Read more
It wasn't long ago that Texas natives This Will Destroy You were nothing more than a well-kept secret. But thanks to a solid debut album and a little luck the band went from practically unknowns to indie music darlings. As a result the band's debut full-length, This Will Destroy You, was placed atop many individuals lists of the most anticipated … Read more
Evolution in the music world results in one of two things: fame or infamy. Life Long Tragedy have slowly grown from a group of young individuals writing blazing, punishing, and angst-ridden metallic hardcore jams into a group that has honed their craft to construct cathartic, brooding, and dark songs that blur the definition of hardcore music, all while maintaining a … Read more
A little over five years ago The Casket Lottery and Small Brown Bike released a collaborative 12" EP that proved to be more than a split recording as the two bands collaborated on most of the songs giving listeners quite a good record. Now, in hindsight, this effort served as a portent of things to come with the release of … Read more
There's something about over-hyped hardcore bands that makes me want to hear them. It has something to do with my connection with the hardcore scene that when I hear the kids talk and talk about a new upcoming band so fervently that I think when I pick up the latest offering from "Oh my god this band is amazing" number … Read more
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