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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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Defiance, Ohio / Environmental Youth Crunch

Split
Dead Tank (2007)

This split basically had to happen. Environmental Youth Crunch loves the environment. Defiance, Ohio loves friendship and family. Both bands love punk rock and it's ideals. With this split 7", even if only for a brief time, they are able to crank out some great folk songs, as well as cover one of the greatest rock and roll songs ever. Defiance, Ohio is my favorite band playing music today, and in my opinion they had the best record of 2006. Their music is fun and catchy, not taking itself too seriously but still providing a fair amount of social and political commentary to keep the anarcho-punks happy. The first song on the album, "Threats," is a raucous and energetic song about how punk rock can be a force for positive political change, and how all the intentions are there, but they are not necessarily used. The band, in full unison, starts yelling, "If we're gonna be a threat, do we want to be a threat? And if we're a threat, how do we want to be a threat?" After listening to the song, yes, you will want to be a threat. The rest of the song, which incorporates both male … Read more

Novembers Doom

The Novella Reservoir
The End (2007)

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Novembers Doom were first brought to my attention by a disgruntled Opeth fan, who, unimpressed with … Read more

Aughra / Mosh Patrol

Is There Anyone Else Outside
Magic Bullet (2007)

Is There Anyone Else Outside is the split effort between Aughra and Mosh Patrol. Aughra is the ambient/electronic solo-project of … Read more

Shadows Fall

Threads of Life
Atlantic (2007)

I have five different CD players, three in my home and two more in cars. The copy of Threads of … Read more

Talk is Poison

Condensed Humanity: The Prank EPs
Prank (2007)

At last. A fairly short-lived, late '90s hardcore band, Talk is Poison seemed to stick in the heads of connoisseurs … Read more

Big D and the Kids Table

Strictly Rude
Side One Dummy (2007)

Ska is dead. Is ska dead? For many of us the answer is yes. I'm sure several of you reading … Read more

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One from the archives

Editors

Violence
PIAS (2018)

Editors first appeared as part of the British indie music scene in 2003, when there was a swell of guitar bands dominating the charts. They released their Mercury-nominated debut album The Back Room in 2005, which has endured over the years thanks to its anthemic songs and dark lyrics, and since then their albums have traversed genres and attracted an even larger fanbase. Six albums later, the band have shown that they're not afraid of innovation and experimentation, and have grown beyond the mould of mid-00s indie that some bands struggle to leave behind. The sombre overtones of Editors' sound and Tom Smith's booming baritone vocals, which at points jump into a Bon Iver-esque falsetto, ensures the band's music is easily recognisable. Between the layered indie rock of An End … Read more

More album reviews

Olympia

Emergencies
Equal Vision/Hope Division (2007)

Right now there are too many bands running around using descriptors like "post-hardcore" or "post-rock" that when you get around to hearing the band you are treated to yet another run of the mill rock band like Vanna, Aiden, From First to Last or any other ripe for Warped Tour fodder. I was hearing rumblings of this band called Olympia … Read more

Panda Bear

Person Pitch
Paw Tracks (2007)

Better known as one-fourth of indie darlings Animal Collective, Noah Lennox under the name Panda Bear has recently released his third record upon the world, aptly titled Person Pitch. Gone are the mostly acoustic-based songs found on his last album, Young Prayer. Person Pitch has taken elements of Brian Wilson's years of experimenting in the field of pop to an … Read more

Life in Your Way

Waking Giants
Solid State (2007)

Waking Giants marks Life in Your Way's jump from the farm leagues to the, well, the somewhat bigger indie league. This is their first effort for Solid State, home to many bands that seem to be ultra popular with the kids these days: Underoath, The Chariot, etc. So with the new label comes an increased opportunity for success; opportunity that … Read more

Her Breath on Glass / Championship

Split
Reap What You Sew (2007)

As much as people don't want to admit it, independent music is based on trends just the same as mainstream music. Five or six years ago it was all the rage to listen to screamo, and now look where we are now. Despite being eight years removed from the band and now fronting Hot Cross, Billy Werner will probably never … Read more

Wold

Screech Owl
Profound Lore (2007)

Ever hear of Wold? No? I too am hearing them for the first time. I will say that this is a disturbing record. I understand that being cooped up on the frozen wastes of Saskatchewan probably affects the sound that they produce a great deal. Holy shit this is disturbing. Screech Owl opens with "An Habitation of Dragons and a … Read more

Blacklisted

Peace on Earth, War on Stage
Deathwish Inc. (2007)

All true hardcore has always abided by one rule: keep it short and sweet. With their newest seven inch, Peace on Earth, War on Stage, Philadelphia's Blacklisted dutifully abides. Totaling just about six minutes this record is an all out assault on anyone accusing the band of being just another set of guppies in a sea of thug bands. The … Read more

Das Oath

Das Oath
Three One G (2007)

Das Oath - or The Oath as they are often referred - put out records with shemale pornography in the liner notes, prompting record stores to stock their albums behind the counter like brown paper bag contraband. They've sold dildos with their name on them. They've released four self-titled records in the last seven years. The Oath consists of former … Read more

Skindraft

Demos
Independent (2007)

Skindraft's compilation of previous and new demos oddly titled Demos is a very telling slice of a young, new band finding their way in the world. Hailing from Ireland, these four lads have shown growth since the release of their first demo in 2004. Two and a half years later, they still wear their influences on their sleeve as evidenced … Read more

The Storm

Relentless
Innerstrength (2007)

"I see the hate / It's coming down / Down like the rain." Thus begins the greatest song about rain and hate that has ever been pressed to vinyl. Of course I'm talking about the Judge masterpiece "The Storm" a song so amazing that it got a sequel, "The Storm II". Yes I said, "amazing" and to anyone that knows … Read more

Bright Eyes

Cassadaga
Saddle Creek (2007)

In what's seemingly an attempt to depart from the boy wonder tagline which has chased him his entire career, Conor Oberst takes on a more mature tone with Cassadaga, the latest of his half a dozen plus releases. This album sees Bright Eyes, now consisting of the aforementioned Oberst, Nate Walcott and Mike Mogis, devoid of the introspective, angst ridden, … Read more

I Rise

Demo
Independent (2007)

If you're even remotely serious about hardcore then you probably already received, or gave yourself, a history lesson about the genre. Depending on the school of thought you belong to your education begins with the early eighties bands like Black Flag and Minor Threat.* If you or your teacher is of another mind it probably started with one label: Revelation … Read more

Multiple Authors

The Chinese Stars

Listen to Your Left Brain
Three One G (2007)

This is the catchiest Three One G release I have ever heard. Coming from a label that normally specializes in the extreme outer reaches of noise punk, this is practically a pop album. Yet, this still has the classic bratty Three One G art-school vibe. Named for the 1980s epidemic of grade school kids carrying around throwing stars, The Chinese … Read more

Multiple Authors

The Chinese Stars

Listen to Your Left Brain
Three One G (2007)

Let's get the ex-members of comparisons out of the way: I loved Arab on Radar. Their assembly line anti-anthems stimulated the same part of my adolescent brain that was dedicated to naked girls and prescription drugs. I listened to tunes like "Attack on Tijuana" over and over, thoughtfully contemplating Mr. Pottymouth's hysterical confessions about yellow snow and oral sex. The … Read more

Antibalas

Security
Anti (2007)

The Anti label is willing to produce the type of DIY artists who are obviously more concerned with what their music is doing for them as opposed to what it may do for whoever is listening. It's this type of balls out approach that brings us Brooklyn's Antibalas: a reggae-infused, ska-inspired, band playing funk-derived afrobeats. If that description seems longwinded, … Read more

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