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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)

Strike Anywhere

Dead FM
Fat Wreck Chords (2006)

The return of Strike Anywhere seems to be met with mixed emotions by a lot of people, and that's tough for me to understand. While I enjoyed their last proper effort, 2003's Exit English, I know it wasn't their strongest release, but I never expected to hear people claiming this band was past their prime. Past their prime? Already? Yes, I know a lot of bands that play this style of music often fizzle out after only a few releases, some because they seemed to run out of ideas due to the limitations of the genre, and others decide to hang it up because they've said what they've wanted to say and wanted to leave it at that. Many people seemed to be of the opinion that Strike Anywhere couldn't possibly have more to say after two full-lengths and an EP. They were wrong. The truth is, Strike Anywhere still have plenty to say. I still believe this band writes better political lyrics than most any other playing punk music today, mostly because they don't waste time by calling President Bush a moron. Yes, we know the way in which Bush conducts himself implies that he's clueless, and I think … Read more

Multiple Authors

Strike Anywhere

Dead FM
Fat Wreck Chords (2006)

By now, you probably know exactly what to expect with a Strike Anywhere record, and I mean that in the … Read more

Wrong Day to Quit

Vicissitudes
Exotic Fever (2006)

It's a fact of life that hardcore bands, especially those involved with the late 90's screamo era, love to break … Read more

Another Breath

Mill City
Rivalry (2006)

Fulton, New York's Another Breath have returned with their debut full-length, Mill City. This is their follow-up to their first … Read more

Multiple Authors

Cult of Luna

Somewhere Along the Highway
Earache (2006)

It has finally arrived. It is something I have been searching for months now and feared did not exist. It … Read more

Multiple Authors

Cult of Luna

Somewhere Along the Highway
Earache (2006)

Cult of Luna is a guilty pleasure of mine. They are a good band that has the tendency to get … Read more

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One from the archives

Johann Johannsson

Orphee
Deutsche Grammophon (2016)

The Icelandic composer has risen magnificently in the last few years due to his works within the film domain. A prolific artist, Johannsson has contributed with scores for some excellent recent movies, including The Theory of Everything, as well as his frequent collaborations with visionary director Denis Villeneuve, in Prisoners, Sicario and the upcoming Arrival. Johannsson returns now with Orphee, his Deutsche Grammophon debut, an album that he considers his first “true” full-length in six years.The reason for Johannsson considering Orphee his first record in that time span is due to his continuous work with film soundtracks. This is the first time in that period when the composer is allowed to work unrestrained from an existing film or script. Taking influence from Ovid's rendition of Orpheus' myth, he sets out … Read more

More album reviews

Foot Foot

Snaggle and Buck
Oedipus (2006)

When it comes to folk music, I'm pretty clueless. Wikipedia tells me there's neo-folk, folk punk, jazz folk, folk metal, pagan folk, folk noir, psych folk, and my personal favorite, apocalyptic folk. While I'm not sure which of the labels is applicable to Los Angeles' Foot Foot, it's safe to say that they're doing something right. Snaggle and Buck begins … Read more

Nadja

Bodycage
Profound Lore (2006)

There aren't many drone and ambient bands out there that can hold my interest for more than a couple of minutes. There has to be a certain something special there - something epic and enormous - to make me want to keep listening. And Nadja is a band that has that certain something. Nadja is a Toronto, Canada duo that … Read more

Souvenir's Young America

Souvenir's Young America
UndeRadar (2006)

When one's prerogative is to spend half their time chilling out and the other half flying to Jupiter, there is a much-debated question on what to listen to. Souvenir's Young America has brought this dilemma upon themselves and answered it with their first full-length, Souvenir's Young America. The album in question is able to juggle some soft prettiness with a … Read more

New York Dolls

One Day it Will Please Us to Remember Even This
Roadrunner (2006)

Okay, let's run down the list, shall we? Billy Murcia (1951 - November 6, 1972) Johnny Thunders (July 16, 1952 - April 23, 1991) Jerry Nolan (May 7, 1946 - January 14, 1992) Arthur "Killer" Kane (February 3, 1949 - July 13, 2004) For you young'uns out there bear in mind - those dates signify deaths, not roster changes. For … Read more

Learn

Life and...
Malfunction (2006)

If we at Scene Point Blank believed in short reviews I could easily wrap this up by saying, "More sweet hardcore with great breakdowns from the fine folks at Malfunction: 8.5/10" and be done with it. What else do you, the reader, really need to know? Well let me fill you in. Providence, RI's Learn reminds me another young hardcore … Read more

Death is Not Glamorous

Death is Not Glamorous / Undercurrents
State of Mind / Dead & Gone (2006)

I know very little about the country of Norway. Sure, I could hit up Google or Wikipedia and shoot off some facts about their leading exports or how many Olympic downhill skiers were born there, but it would be nothing more than useless information. All you need to know, my faithful readers, is that Death is Not Glamorous calls Oslo, … Read more

Guns Up!

Outlive
1917 (2006)

Sure Madball is still kicking, but let's face it, they have already been around the block and back several times over. Cleary they are juggernauts of their style but one day they're going to have to relinquish their title as the undisputed kings of hardcore; but who will be the heir? Meet Guns Up!, one of the Merrimack Valley's best … Read more

Cameran

A Caesarean
Innocent Words (2006)

Apparently best described as "encapsulating the sonic blend of Jack Kerouac's contagious zest for life and Yves Klein's wild and reckless attempts of jumping out of windows," Cameran are probably closer to a severe mix of the art-noise of early …Trail of Dead, Sonic Youth et al, and the irreverently hushed, thunderously deafening post-rock of the Mogwai of old. Moments … Read more

The Vows

The Vows
Indecision (2006)

The Vows is the latest hardcore "super-group" to include Rob Moran of Unbroken. After his departure from the impressive Some Girls, he moved to Seattle, Washington and began this band. In the sparse liner notes, the band thanks old Seattle hardcore band Brotherhood and another older group, Amenity, for bringing them together; this is a good indication of the musical … Read more

Daughters

Hell Songs
Hydra Head (2006)

Man, The Jesus Lizard really left their mark. And as funny as it seems for such a quaint little band from Chicago, to this very day they're still firmly imprinted and can be spotted ever so clearly within modern music all across the board. Maybe its just that David Yow & Co.'s expansive sound was such a mishmash of punk, … Read more

Heideroosjes

Royal to the Bone
I Scream (2006)

If the name didn't clue you in, Heideroosjes ("the Meadow Flowers") are one of those oft-mentioned European punk bands; they're the kind who sell thousands of records but you've never heard of them. The sticker on the front of the CD case says, "Over 200,000 units sold in Europe," as an apparent selling point, followed by "For fans of Anti-Flag, … Read more

Black Hell

Deformers of the Universe
Hater of God (2006)

I'm from Arizona, so I'm not jumping at the chance to describe Black Hell as "crawling out of the sandblasted wastes" or any such thing; it's not as exotic for me. But they do in fact come from my beautiful and notoriously dry home state, hitting hard with their debut Deformers of the Universe on the always-reliable label Hater of … Read more

The Pipettes

We are The Pipettes
Memphis Industries (2006)

Sometimes the best way to create something new and fresh is to look to the past and try to bring it back from the dead. It seems that almost all music is in some way looking 20 years earlier for it's style and sound. The Pipettes however are looking even further back for their inspiration; back to when Phil Spector … Read more

Regret

Misery Brigade
Organized Crime (2006)

Organized Crime Records is branching out these days with the release from a band that isn't from the Chicago metropolitan area. Jokes! Jokes! I'm aware the label has released bands from outside of Chicago. This isn't a knock at the label; they just love their hometown bands. But you can't really blame them. I'm sure working face-to-face with bands and … 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)