Roky Erickson
True Love Cast Out All Evil
Anti (2010)
First record of new material of Roky's since 1994's All That May Do My Rhyme finds the singer in a more reflective mood. The rough edges have been all sandpapered out by Okkervil River on these songs. Not that this is bad thing, it's just not as left of center as some of his previous output. The title track features … Read more
Roll the Tanks
Suffer City
Intelligent Noise (2008)
Something about Roll the Tanks sounds familiar. I can't put my finger on who they remind me of, but they have a light, bouncy Brit-pop feel with enough enthusiasm to overcome their lack of originality. On Suffer City, the Massachusetts/Los Angeles quartet brings a half hour of concise, polished indie rock with positive energy and a lot of group vocals. … Read more
Romance of Young Tigers
I Have Supped Full on Horrors
Magic Bullet (2008)
Untold lies need to be averted by explaining that Romance of Young Tigers are an instrumental band that takes their art (and that is exactly what it is to them and their appreciators, art) dead seriously and with only the best intentions. Their album, I Have Supped Full on Horrors, contains enough composition to exemplify the cinematic soundtrack qualities of … Read more
Romance of Young Tigers
Marie
Magic Bullet (2008)
Marie is an EP-ish release - it is more than a half hour of music - from Romance of Young Tigers. The release is an impressive project with handmade packaging for every physical copy (out of 500) which are made from reclaimed CD covers and packages from other groups. Again, Romance of Young Tigers produce an evocative brand of instrumental … Read more
Romans
All Those Wrists
Independent (2007)
Romans is the latest band to be sprung forth from Vermont's underground music scene - the last two that I recall are My Revenge! and Drowningman. So, these four gentlemen from Burlington are in fairly good company in that regard. On their debut release, All Those Wrists, the band unleashes a mixture of caustic, gritty, and noisy mathcore, streamlined post-hardcore, … Read more
Rome
Die Æsthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit
Trisol (2011)
Die Æsthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit. A three disc journey into the hearts and minds of the oppressed. An album that has become more relevant to the happenings of this past year than band founder Jerome Reuter could possibly ever imagine. At it's core, it's a record of struggle and of overcoming the boundaries set by those in positions of power. Could … Read more
Rome
Hell Money
Trisol (2012)
Jerome Reuter is becoming ever more prolific in recent times and you may remember last year’s Die Æsthetik Der Herrschaftsfreiheit was a surprising addition to his catalogue in that it was a triple disc album that flowed with majestic coherence and innate boldness. Hell Money was quietly announced yet the shock that was felt by fans in the release of … Read more
Rome
Le Ceneri Di Heliodoro
Trisol Music Group (2019)
Rome’s musical output has been incredibly prolific over the last decade and a half of the project’s existence. Releasing albums at the rate of practically one every year, Rome has much to say and the band is Jerome Reuter’s way of expressing many emotions and opinions on revolution, love and the way forward, all within the neofolk genre in one … Read more
Ronen Givony
Not for You: Pearl Jam and the Present Tense
Bloomsbury Publishing (2020)
Almost three decades after Pearl Jam’s career-changing album Ten catapulted them from an independent act with a knack for channelling their alchemy in fusing their angst and alienation with a love for hard rock of the seventies, British independent music and punk rock to a veritable mainstream act. While some of their contemporaries have famously imploded or their careers taking … Read more
Ronen Kauffman
New Brunswick, New Jersey, Goodbye: Bands, Dirty Basements, and the Search for Self
Sub City/Hopeless (2007)
High fives to Ronen Kauffman for head stomping all over my pretentious attitude about what good literature should be. When I first heard about this book's release I was glad to see a paperback devoted to the subject matter but I was a little annoyed that yet another memoir was hitting the shelves. Are people self-centered enough to think their … Read more
Rorcal
Heliogabalus
Cal Of Ror (2010)
Rorcal, from Switzerland, present Heliogabalus , a near-perfect doom/drone album. This record is so dark that the cover can’t even be seen on a computer. Hell, the music is so dark that some may not even be able to listen it. It takes a valiant effort to listen to a 1 song album that clocks in at 70 minutes, especially … Read more
Rorcal
Vilagvege
Cal Of Ror (2013)
My favorite thing about reviewing albums, aside from occasionally offending overly sensitive music fans or band members, is being unexpectedly surprised by an album that I otherwise may have missed. The description for Vilagvege on Rorcal’s website includes a line that initially peaked my interest. “When Doom turns into Black, you can't expect anything but chaos.” While it is a … Read more
Roses
Roses EP
Stereophonodon Records (2015)
After relocating from Cleveland to Philadelphia, singer/songwriter Matthew Scheuermann put together a self-titled three-song EP released on Valentine’s Day 2015 under the name of Roses. Working alongside crisp acoustic guitar strumming, Scheuermann’s voice reminds me a bit of Band of Horses vocalist Ben Bridwell or maybe even Jeff Mangum since he has a tendency to sing in a higher register, … Read more
Rosetta
Wake/Lift
Translation Loss (2007)
If you're unfamiliar with Rosetta, punch yourself. Seriously, I'll wait. Go ahead and punch yourself if you've never heard of Rosetta. Okay now By now, you're probably asking why you just punched yourself? Punch yourself again for thinking that! After you've finish listening to Wake/Lift, the band's sophomore release, you'll know exactly why. Following the release of their 2005 debut, … Read more
Rot in Hell
As Pearls Before Swine
Deathwish Inc. (2011)
This record has been a long time coming. It had been announced quite awhile back with little to no info given to anyone outside of the Deathwish camp. In the meantime Rot In Hell went about further building their name as one of the next great European Hardcore bands. Rot In Hell are generally related to the sound Integrity has … Read more
Rot in Hell
Hallways of the Always
A389/Grot (2009)
If you're not familiar with Rot in Hell, then this collection of recordings is a great place to start. Hallways of the Always compiles all the recordings the U.K. hardcore band has in one package. This compilation includes their demo 7", split 7" recordings with Brain Dead, Hordes, and The Process, as well as additional tracks not found anywhere else. … Read more
Rotterdam Ska Jazz Foundation ft. Bosco
Big Horns EP
WTF Records (2018)
Just look at the name of this band. Any associations? Mine was: ah, Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, Killimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, must be working along the same lines. And in a way it is. This band delivers exactly what they promise: a blend of ska and jazz. And in doing so sounds nothing like the other two bands, so you can … Read more
Rotting Christ
Aealo
Season of Mist (2010)
If you're like me, you've seen the name 'Rotting Christ' thrown around for years, but you never listened to the band because you assumed it was an unremarkable throwback black metal band whose albums suffer from unbearably bad recording quality. But since Earwax in Madison was carrying the band's new album, I figured I'd give them a quick listen, because … Read more
