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)

Bad Year

My Escape
Snappy Little Numbers (2019)

Snappy Little Numbers make some snappy packaging. Cover art, one-sided vinyl and specialty colors shouldn’t drive musical decision-making but, let’s face it, in the digital era it definitely makes a difference when you pick up a record that stands out from the pack. And as an uncle who has spent a lot of time watching Ninjago and making internal judgments that it’s basically the modern toy line version of G.I. Joe, well…this Bad Year record was all too eye-catching.Bad Year is a Denver pop-punk band with a lot of familiar faces from previous bands. The voices sound a lot like fellow Denverites BlackDots but as far as I can tell, I don’t think they share members – just sonic elements. They do, however, have current and former members of Down By Law, Spells, My Pal Trigger, The Manxx, and a whole bunch more.In other words, the band is experienced. It shows in the arrangements, which utilize simple less-is-more songwriting with flourishes in just the right spots to give it that extra kick. The guitars are often repetitive, setting the tone for vocal harmonies that push the songs into the next gear. It’s somewhat choppy, working in contrast to group vocals … Read more

Bernays Propaganda

Vtora Mladost, Treta Svetska Vojna
Moonlee Records, Geenger Records, Pop Depresija, Ill in the Head, Balkan Ve (2019)

Nothing is certain except that everything will change. The fact that change is one of the only things you can … Read more

Envy

The Fallen Crimson
Temporary Residence (2020)

I doubt that many musicians would claim to not be slightly jealous of Envy's career trajectory. From humbler beginnings as … Read more

Black Lips

…Sing In a World That’s Falling Apart
Fire Records/Vice Records (2020)

In an era of heart-on-sleeve Americana, the Black Lips are up to something else on …Sing In a World That’s … Read more

(මහසෝනා​)​*

යන්ත්‍ර.මන්ත්‍ර.ගුරුකම්!
Virvpi Propaganda (2020)

Given that I’ve put together year-end lists of the strangest albums I heard for the past couple years, I was … Read more

Personality Cult

New Arrows
Dirtnap (2020)

I like to find new bands. One of the challenges as I get older is exactly that. I listen to … Read more

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One from the archives

Dead Mechanical

OK Night
Toxic Pop (2013)

Dead Mechanical is one of those mid-tempo punk bands, built on life’s grimy surfaces and reflecting that tone of rough-and-tumble, down-and-out luck. The music fits this tone, drudging, cursing, and lamenting, striving for a blend of catharsis and transcendence. OK Night is their third full-length and its title just screams of that blunted worldview, neither positive nor negative.The onesheet namedrops influences of Jawbreaker and Superchunk and I definitely see more of the former than the latter. It’s world-weary and carefully constructed punk rock with a heavy focus on lyricism that moves it to the next level. While it’s not my first introduction to the band, it’s the first full-length I’ve heard and it feels in tune with their output on previous EPs. The distinction comes largely from Lucas Carscadden’s voice, … Read more

More album reviews

The Carvels NYC

Late Night Heart EP
Die Laughing Records (2020)

If you follow Scene Point Blank you might be aware I like The Carvels NYC. So a new EP by their hand is good news in my book. Even if it only has three tracks and leaves me hungry for more. Again.This is going to be a short review. There is not much new to mention about this EP. The … Read more

Puppy and the Hand Jobs

I Hate Everything
Black Gladiator / Slovenly Recordings (2019)

It'd be quite easy to write off (the fantastically named) Puppy and the Hand Jobs for making self-described “trash rock and roll.” Much as is the case with bands like The Dwarves however, while the band does produce vulgar rapid-fire punk music that seems to have been recorded as “hot” as possible, there’s an undeniably catchiness to their music. 2019’s … Read more

MakeWar

Get It Together
Fat Wreck Chords (2019)

MakeWar aren’t like most of the other punk bands out there. They play what I call midtempo punk. It’s not built on anthems, choruses or super-fast into-the-pit adrenaline. Get It Together isn’t about fist-in-the-air release, it’s about built-up tension. The band is actively calling for people to (ahem) Get. It. Together. The tone is one of frustration and marginalization, but … Read more

Vesperith

Vesperith
Svart Records (2019)

Vesperith is the project of Finnish artist Sariina Tani, and a vessel in which music is used to explore the inner depths and outer limits of the mind. In Vesperith, Tani channels black metal sonics within a structure that takes in ambient textures, hypnotic vocals and psychedelic tones. When a project is born and created by the mind of one … Read more

Jumpstarted Plowhards

Round One
Recess (2019)

I’m going to jump right into the thick of it and admit I’m not well-versed in Mike Watt’s catalog. In my defense, the man is a workhorse, releasing records with Minutemen, firehose, Stooges, solo, and many many more. I know the big ones, but not the deep cuts. Watt’s songwriting counterpart with Jumpstarted Plowhards is more familiar to me: Todd … Read more

Various Artists

Sin Bad / Bad Wig - Split EP
Kitchy Spirit (2019)

Sometimes I am just a lazy slouch. This review is not just a bit late, it is almost a year overdue. When I make a promise, I make it with the intention of keeping it. This is one of those examples. Luckily for me I never promised when I would review this EP, so I don’t feel to bad about … Read more

Sleep Token

Sundowning
Spinefarm Records (2019)

Sundowning is a record of intrigue and mystery, not least because of the anonymous faces behind the band and this enigmatic twist has led to many discovering their presence in the British alternative scene. While their identities may be hidden, Sleep Token display their emotions for all to see on their debut album, a collection of songs which evoke much … Read more

Avant Duel

Beyond Human
Independent (2012)

Spaceman comes to Earth, fronts rock band!It sounds like it might be a Weekly World News headline or the subplot to a ‘60s-era Godzilla film, yet this is allegedly what happened when, in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Von LMO, claiming to have been from the planet Strazar, rose to prominence in NYC’s no wave music scene. Following the … Read more

The Violet Mindfield

Hello Darling
Independent (2019)

While music groups have tried to emulate the sounds of the past in various ways, this is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the world of psychedelic music. Though one could probably make an argument that this large sections of this genre aspire to exist in a time span from about 1965 to ‘69 or so, it’s interesting to imagine … Read more

Rivers Edge

The Runaround
Let’s Pretend Records/Dead Broke Rekerds (2019)

Runaround is the third release I’ve heard from Rivers Edge, and besides feeling like a nice metaphoric album title for the band’s style – accessible DIY pop punk with a lot of unexpected turns – it also feels like the band is really coming into their own. In the past I’ve observed a “sum of the parts” vibe, sharing elements … Read more

Rational Anthem

It’s Only Permanent
A-F (2019)

It’s been a long time since the last Rational Anthem record, Emotionally Unavailable in 2014. The band is still similar but what jumps out the most to me with It’s Only Permanent is the clean, big pop hooks. The band has always been peppy and focused on those singalong moments, but this record is downright anthemic from start to finish. … Read more

Moon Duo

Stars are the Light
Sacred Bones (2019)

This year, Moon Duo released their seventh album, Stars are the Light, on Sarced Bones. Many of their signature spacey psychedelic elements are here: droning saturated guitars, looping synths, dual hypnotic vocals. But Moon Duo have another motive this time around -- getting our bodies moving.As they depart from machine-driven krautrock rhythms, they often slow down the tempo and bring … Read more

The Hussy

Looming
Dirtnap (2019)

It’s been fun watching The Hussy grow. All those scuzzy, dirty licks and rough-and-tumble beats of their early work is still present, but on Looming the now-trio lets the once understated melodies take the lead. It’s driving rock with some notable grooves, but it’s also singalong with shades of ‘60s garage, psychedelia, and even hints of pop.Looming contains 16 songs … Read more

State Drugs

Takings and Leavings
Jigsaw Records (2019)

This LP sounds like something that teleported here from my moody early-2000’s CD rack, which they acknowledge with their self-description of “grown-up punk”. The distorted chord progressions recall Sugarcult and Samiam while the grainy country-tinged vocals bring Gaslight Anthem to mind. The lyrical themes of alcohol and heartache nod to their influences as well, but the vocals lose their soul … Read more

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