Recent reviews

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)

Hatebreed

Rise of Brutality
Universal (2003)

I'm confused how a band can take themselves seriously whatsoever, and have an album called Rise Of Brutality. Although Hatebreed doesn't talk about their large amount of bitches they are keeping in check or forties they are consuming in the club, the whole feel of this music reminds me of gangsta rap, trying so damn hard to act tough and ready to kick ass/bust some caps. Another similarity between the two is at times while they lack lyrical/musical skill, they make up with it in entertainment value. It's like power metal, minus the talent. While hardcore isn't the most innovative genre, you'd think after seven years Hatebreed would get tired of playing the same old style. The facts remain that hardcore, in general, sounds a lot alike, and there isn't much originality present in the genre. This causes only the really great stuff to stand out, which isn't the case here whatsoever. With new scientific technology, I was able to convert one of the tracks, Doomsayer, into text format. It is a fine example of what can be expected from the twelve tracks that sound the same: *echo in* Your doom awaits you! *quick metal guitar riff* *double bass* Cast … Read more

Constantines

Shine A Light
Sub Pop (2003)

I'm from California. I live near the ocean. I like driving. I like watching baseball. I'm the outside world's perception … Read more

The Beatles

Let It Be...Naked
Capitol (2003)

What if Ringo finally realized that he wasn't selling out shows like his buddy Paul? What if Paul's queen may … Read more

Death Cab For Cutie

Transatlanticism
Barsuk (2003)

The members of Death Cab For Cutie equal far more than the sum of their parts; this much has been … Read more

Jay-Z

The Black Album
Def Jam (2003)

Oh, the farewell. There are two kinds of retirement in music. The first is the graceful bow out of the … Read more

Horse the Band

R. Borlax
Pluto (2003)

We are a generation that grew up with Mario, The Power Pad and the o so godly Nintendo Entertainment System … Read more

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One from the archives

The Get Up Kids

Kicker
Polyvinyl (2018)

The Get Up Kids seemed to take another break after their reunion full length, There Are Rules. Seven years later, and we're given some new tunes in the form of an EP entitled, Kicker. It may be just 4 songs, but they are arguably the catchiest they've written since before reuniting. Kicker takes out the synths and exploratory elements of There Are Rules, and it focuses more on providing pop-punk hooks. "Maybe" has the band breaking out from their slumber with a lead guitar line that instantly grabs you with its lifts and dips. Lead guitarist, Jim Suptic, takes the reigns on "Better This Way" and really leaves his mark on Kicker with the pop-punk romper, "I'm Sorry." To close it out, Matt Pryor reminds listeners why they're one of … Read more

More album reviews

Against Me!

As the Eternal Cowboy
Fat Wreck Chords (2003)

A nice hodge-podge of genres. I'm not going to get into the "genre" argument, though. This album is too good to waste a review on that moot point. Anyways, this is the first Against Me! album I've listened to (despite being told to listen to them from various sources), and I must say, it's pretty damn good. The sound is … Read more

Under A Dying Sun

Supernova
Substandard (2003)

Having carved a comfortable niche in the San Francisco Bay Area, by playing shows almost constantly for three or so years, Under A Dying Sun have created an album that breaks away from their original "emocore" sound, which judging by their last full-length, they have clearly out-grown. Instead of rehashing the same, tired, "screamo" formula with heavy melodramatics and melodic … Read more

The Strokes

Room On Fire
RCA (2003)

The first words to leap out at you on the sophomore LP by the Strokes are "I want to be forgotten." How literally this can be taken is anyone's guess, but for a band under the amount of pressure the Strokes have been, Julian Casablancas' turn of phrase might be the downright truth. Five children of fortune who formed a … Read more

Some Girls

The Blues
Deathwish Inc. (2003)

This one didn't immediately catch me like The Rains did. After maybe a half dozen listens, I think I'm starting to get it. I guess my main complaint is that some of the songs sound too similar to each other, but that starts to fade on closer examination. Oh well, first impressions are key often times. I'm also bummed that … Read more

Explosions in the Sky

The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
Temporary Residence (2003)

If Explosions in the Sky's previous LP, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever, could be called one thing, it would be called "derivative." Not that it wasn't an incredible record crafted by a band on top of their game, but let's be honest: it simply regurgitated ideas that the forerunners of … Read more

The Unseen

Explode
Better Youth Organize (2003)

The Unseen: street punk for the masses. You could probably write this band's back history wihtout even knowing them. Hundreds of EPs, 7"s, and rare no-longer-in-production releases. Been around since the early 90's, all members have mohawks and/or dyed red hair, and their sound is influenced by bands like The Exploited. Lead single "False Hope" contains the line "Fuck the … Read more

Andrew W.K.

The Wolf
Island (2003)

I'll keep this short so you kids will understand me. I want the time back I spent listening to this. I feel cheated, robbed, and insulted. This is neither fun nor funny. It's devoid of any worth. It's stupid, it's banal, it's bland. So why does it get a 1.3? Two reasons: one point for not being pop-punk, a point … Read more

Zombie Apocalypse

This Is A Spark of Life
Indecision (2003)

You've probably heard of Zombie Apocalypse because you like Shai Hulud. Well, then in a sense you've heard this whole thing. It sounds like a bunch of unused Shai Hulud parts played at 78 rpms. There are a bunch of samples, practically one in each song, which aren't that funny or special. Side projects are fun because you can hear … Read more

Multiple Authors

Coheed and Cambria

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Equal Vision (2003)

I guess I'm one of the few people in the world that don't really like Coheed and Cambria. Sorry. But here's to all those that are with me in saying that Coheed and Cambria are overrated. The first track starts exactly like JR Ewing's song Graduation Day, but with a different ring of the phone, and when the phone is … Read more

Multiple Authors

Coheed and Cambria

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Equal Vision (2003)

IN KEEPING SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH: 3 REVIEW A one act play CAST: Sean Apartimus.....our humble narrator Claudio.....our noble hero, leader of the clan Coheed Will Writinpahpsung.....elvin, Coheedian clansman King Concepticus......ruler of the kingdom Cambria, holder of the cherished concept album scroll Bordalon Pretentious.....brother of King Concepticus, but he smells of foul intentious! Boran Structuron.....the executioner, a dastardly fellow, and … Read more

A Perfect Circle

Thirteenth Step
Virgin (2003)

And so, our alt-rock heroes in a Perfect Circle return for the second installment, to see if the dreaded sophmore slump can be overcome. The band's first record was one of the last hopes of the dying breed of aggressive guitar-driven radio rock that was received to a fair amount of hoopla, understandably due to a handful of incredible tracks … Read more

The Distillers

Coral Fang
Warner Bros. (2003)

I hate the Distillers a lot less than I'd like to proclaim.....or do I? I'll admit, on each of the Distillers' previous works, I could find a song or two that was actually rather enjoyable. Amongst the array of other punk revivalist bands, the Distillers manage to stand above a good portion of those other bands who really have nothing … Read more

Himsa

Courting Tragedy and Disaster
Prosthetic (2003)

When I first downloabought the new Himsa record, I can't lie, I had really low expectations for it. I'm not a big fan of metalcore, and I've never liked anything by Himsa I've heard in the past. To my surprise, within the first couple tracks, I found myself quite entertained. Himsa really bring nothing new to the table at all, … Read more

Multiple Authors

Thursday

War All the Time
Island (2003)

Thursday is an odd band. They released their first record, Waiting, to complete apathy. Then, Full Collapse arrived, and suddenly Thursday found itself in the odd position of being everyone's favorite new band. Granted, there's many better, or more interesting bands out there; Thursday, starting with Waiting, never attempted to be the most challenging or innovative. They've always worked to … Read more

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