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Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

Cursive is one of my favorite bands. I was highly anticipating the release of their sixth LP, Happy Hollow. It had been over a year since their fifth release, The Difference Between Houses and Homes, a collection of b-sides, and over three years since the highly acclaimed The Ugly Organ. With all this time, I was sure Cursive would release … Read more

Multiple Authors

Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

After completing their tour in support of the 2003 release The Ugly Organ, Cursive went on what many fans feared to be an indefinite hiatus. During the break lead vocalist Tim Kasher and guitarist Ted Stevens took time to focus on their other projects, releasing The Good Life's Album of the Year and Mayday's Bushido Karaoke, well the rest of … Read more

Outkast

Idlewild
LaFace (2006)

Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton have reached an interesting point in their careers. After a handful of exceptional albums, Outkast have finally hit their slump. Since their music is essentially created by two people, it is easy to look at their history as a relationship. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was their awkward but promising first date. ATLiens marked the moment they realized that … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Turn It Around

These Days
This Blessing, This Curse (2006)

It's been a while since Sacramento churned out a new band worth hearing, but Turn it Around is that band. Their four-song 7" is chuck-full of fast-paced hardcore with a dash of melody. "Live it Up" kicks things off in a sound that is reminiscent of Comeback Kid, which is ironic given the band's name in correlation to Comeback Kid's … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Triple Twins/A Roman Holiday

Split
Rorschach (2006)

The A-Side of this split features indie rock outfit A Roman Holiday. Their first contribution to this split is "Octopus." The song is a fun and energetic indie rock tune that reminded me quite a bit of Cursive. "Apocolypse Part II," on the other hand takes to a more laid back approach. The first 30 seconds kind of turned me … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Steel Trap

Cold.Dead.Broke.
This Blessing, This Curse (2006)

Steel Trap is the latest export from the highly talented Bay Area scene. This five-piece group serves up volatile hardcore that no doubt gets the dance floor moving. The 7" kicks off with your typical intro track of building guitars and a sing-along, this one is "T-S-M!" - not to sure on the meaning of that though, must be an … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Shipwreck

Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2006)

This 7" has launched Shipwreck to the forefront of the hardcore scene, and with their recent signing to Deathwish, further fuel has been added to the flames. Side A opens with a little acoustic number akin to the theme from Desperado before things really kick off. "Au Pach" draws heavily on the mid-90's scene that first combined elements of metal … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Our Times

Our Times
Headcount (2006)

Buffalo has a rich history as far as hardcore goes. In recent years things have been a bit stagnant, but bands like Dead Hearts and Our Times are looking to change that. Our Times are a straightedge band that play ultra-fast hardcore punk. Musically, I could see them fitting in with the Youngblood Records catalog. They've got that youth-crew revival … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Deep Sleep

You're Screwed
Grave Mistake (2006)

You're Screwed is nine songs of modern punk from Baltimore-based Deep Sleep. The songs on this 7" are quick and to the point and fueled by high-octane energy. Unfortunately, Deep Sleep just really isn't my thing, which is surprising as they claim to be heavily influenced by the Descendents, who are one of my old-time favorites. But unlike the Descendents, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Cloak/Dagger

Piñata
Grave Mistake (2006)

When you look at the pedigree of Cloak/Dagger, you really can't argue with it: American Nightmare, Striking Distance, Count Me Out, and Trial by Fire, among others. But what is refreshing is that Piñata really doesn't sound exactly like any of those bands. Cloak/Dagger deliver four songs of aggressive hardcore-punk, not hardcore, not punk, on this 7". "Daggers Daggers" sets … Read more

Right On

Reality Vacation
Malfunction (2006)

There are a grand total of twenty-four tracks on Reality Vacation, that's a lot of hardcore. However, like most bands on Malfunction their first release on compact disc usually serves as a discography of sorts, which is always nice for the record player deficit out there. So let's divide this up. Tracks one through nine are the actual Reality Vacation … Read more

Rob Zombie

Educated Horses
Geffen (2006)

It's been four and a half years since Mr. Zombie last released an album of new material. That album was The Sinister Urge and I didn't like it. It sounded like an album of Hellbilly Deluxe (Zombie's vastly superior debut solo album) b-sides. A group of orphaned songs that was never quite good enough to be adopted into a real … Read more

108

Creation. Sustenance. Destruction.
Equal Vision (2006)

108 may have been one of the major proponents of the "Krishna core" movement of the early to mid 1990's in the hardcore and punk scene, but the religious or ideological essence of their music does not even come close to overshadowing the energetic, passionate music that they produced over their short but relatively productive lifetime. At this point it … Read more

Panic

Strength in Solitude
Bridge Nine (2006)

At first listen, Panic seems like your stereotypical Bridge Nine band. In a way they are, and in a way they aren't. But I'll get to that in a second. Strength in Solitude is a comprehensive look at everything the band produced in its first two years as a band (2000-2002). This includes the out-of-print Dying For It EP (2001) … Read more

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