Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)

Isis

Oceanic Remixes Volume I
Robotic Empire (2004)

I am going to assume for your own sake that you are familiar with Isis, the doom-sludge-metal outfit that saw an overwhelmingly positive response to their last full-length, Oceanic. If you are completely clueless, you might want to go out, purchase said album, and them come back after you've given it a good four or five listens all the way through. No seriously, go out to your local record store and do this, I'm not continuing until you've done so. Okay, now that we're all on the same page, we can continue: On the A Side, we start off with a remix of "False Light," that has been reworked by Ayal Naor, a fellow Hydrahead conspirator that plays guitar, among other duties, in the band 27. Naor interpretation, "False Light (Carry Edit)" opens with a combination of artificially created atmospheric noises and a quieter section that normally appears towards the center of the song. Slowly the traditional beginning of the song fades in and we continue on through the song. In the background one can make out the addition of different electronic noises. As the song approaches the lull that was used to open the album, Naor has inserted the … Read more

Atreyu

The Curse
Victory (2004)

The first time I ever heard Atreyu, I started laughing. Everything about them was laughable to me; from the name … Read more

The Advantage

The Advantage
5 Rue Christine (2004)

From my childhood there are some very specific things that I can recall: the first time I had sex (in … Read more

Pedro the Lion

Achilles Heel
Jade Tree (2004)

Of all the bands I've liked at one point, I don't think I've received quite as much flack for any … Read more

Matt Pond PA

Emblems
Altitude (2004)

I once had a substitute teacher that repeated something 10 times, because he said that people have to hear something … Read more

The Magnetic Fields

I
Nonesuch (2004)

Disclaimer: I am not actually going to write much about this album itself because I don't have too much to … Read more

Browse our review archives

Reviews by year

Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.

Reviews by artist name

Choose a letter to view reviews ordered by that letter (band name first).

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

749 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

4881 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Summer Homes

Nocturnes
Independent (2015)

Though the album might attract some of the same listeners that gravitate towards otherworldly new age music, Summer Homes’s 2015 album Nocturnes actually has a more earthy and less corny sound to it. Written and performed by Massachusetts-based musician Daniel Radin, this album seeks to reimagine the early life of the artist as ambient music works and seems entirely earnest in its attempt to create a soundtrack for various nostalgic locations which are looked back on with obvious fondness. Drone elements are perhaps the most prominent feature of the eight tracks included, but vague bits of melody let a listener’s imagination run wild, resulting in an album that seems capable of inspiring countless engaging and refreshing dreams.I can detect a rustling undercurrent in warm and calming opening track “The Billboard” … Read more

More album reviews

Ryan Adams

Love is Hell
Lost Highway (2004)

Well, it's been a busy year for our friend Ryan Adams: a rock and roll record, two EP's, a broken heart, and a broken wrist. This is a lot to fit in, especially considering how busy he was whining about reviews and threatening to retire from music. If there is one thing I can count on each month it's that … Read more

Secret Chiefs 3

Book of Horizons
Mimicry (2004)

For many, Secret Chiefs 3 is considered to be "Mr. Bungle minus Mike Patton." While I feel this description does a grave injustice to the band, there are those out there blind to the genius that Secret Chiefs 3 has committed to tape. This is quite unfortunate for them, and coming from the Patton super-fan that I am, this remark … Read more

Plan of Attack

The Working Dead
Organized Crime (2004)

Upon their inception a few years ago, Plan of Attack was already a cut above a lot of the hardcore bands in the Midwest. Now, a demo, a 7", and a live 7" split with Terror & The Promise later, they continue to remain a cut above most of the hardcore bands around. Perhaps it's the background diversity of the … Read more

Ween

Quebec
Sanctuary (2003)

Ween. What the fuck is Ween? I sure don't know. If someone asked me to tell them about Ween, I would probably rub jelly on my testicles and do a handstand whilst eating Captain Crunch Cereal Bars . This band is fucked up. Not fucked up like retarded midgets playing Frisbee in a pool of peanut butter, but more fucked … Read more

Crime In Stereo

Explosives and the Will to Use Them
Blackout! (2004)

I've gone off on tangents about the current state of hardcore in a bunch of other reviews, so I'll spare you the long-winded speech. We all realize that bands that would have been brushed over two years ago are starting to get a little more attention from the mainstream. And one of the hotbeds of this recent punk rock craze … Read more

With Passion

In The Midst Of Bloodied Soil
Earache (2004)

An important point in anybody's musical listening/purchasing career is when they first realize that there are LPs and EPs. The difference between the two is that the EP, extended play, is just a handful of songs, while the LP, long play, is a full complete album usually lasting between 20-60 minutes depending on the genre. What I soon realized was … Read more

Kanye West

The College Dropout
Roc-A-Fella (2004)

Each year there are only a few hip-hop discs I pick up and really enjoy. They have to be more than something I'll listen to for a month and then quickly tire of (ex. 50 Cent). The disc this year is Kanye West's The College Dropout. I first got the album way back in February, during the initial hype for … Read more

Harkonen & These Arms Are Snakes

Like a Virgin
Hydra Head (2004)

When I was in the sixth grade I had a birthday party and for some reason one of my classmates, his name was Seth, gave me a copy of Sir Mix-A-Lot's album Mack Daddy. I didn't ask for it, I guess he just assumed it was something I would enjoy. Anyways, contained on said album is a track entitled "Seattle … Read more

!!!

Louden Up Now
Touch & Go (2004)

This whole intro paragraph is going to serve as a completely unneeded expository explanation on how dance music has all of a sudden become huge with indie kids. Yeah, so dance music. It's become pretty big hasn't it? I guess there are a few kinds: shit like The Rapture, where's these sleazy kids dancing around; terrible stuff like The Faint … Read more

Multiple Authors

Keane

Hopes and Fears
Interscope (2004)

Well it's the middle of the summer, the sun is out, the birds are singing, and there is romance in the air. What a perfect time for the release of this year's album to fall in love to. In fact, as you are reading this review I can almost guarantee you that Hopes and Fears is aiding another pair of … Read more

Multiple Authors

Keane

Hopes and Fears
Interscope (2004)

My first listen: Let's get some facts straight. Keane is a three piece band. They don't have any guitars, instead there is a piano. They are also deemed as the "next Coldplay." That's quite a misnomer; Coldplay has a guitar, sometimes two, and rock a lot harder than Keane. And Coldplay doesn't even rock hard. They can't be the next … Read more

Animal Collective

Sung Tongs
Fat Cat (2004)

So here I am. Thinking of everything else I could be doing that does not include listening to the never-ending song by the Animal Collective. Forward. Sorry! I really do like them, they are doing "Something Different" and "Breaking New Ground", even. They're interesting, cryptic... in fact, this is the perfect record to add to your collection to prove just … Read more

John Vanderslice

Cellar Door
Barsuk (2004)

Breaking News: San Francisco's favorite singer-songwriter/space cadet has returned to the home planet for his newest release Cellar Door . As his spacecraft touched down, thousands of loyal fans anxiously lined up outside of record stores to the hear musical renditions of his latest journeys via compact disc. Once the fans had attained their own personal copy of the transmission … Read more

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Greatest Palace Music
Drag City (2004)

I will admit, I read a few reviews of this record before buying it and I still had no idea what it was. Even by the time I picked it up I was clueless as to what this record held in store. Was it other people covering Will Oldham songs? Was it Will Oldham Covering other artist's songs? Was it … Read more

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)