Verse
Rebuild
Rivalry (2004)
As someone who always thought What Feeds the Fire was just "okay," I was hesitant to believe all the hype surrounding Verse. However, once I actually gave them a fair chance and listened to them myself, I found what all the commotion was about. Each time I listened to their four-song demo I heard something new that I liked about … Read more
Vitamin X
Bad Trip
Havoc (2004)
Whoa. Thrash. Yes, it still exists, and very much so in the DIY punk community which seems to have to go further and further underground as loads of shitty boy bands with Mohawks cater to the needs of pre-pubescent boys and girls watching MTV. Strangely enough, it would seem that as the top crust of punk music (Fat Wreck, Epitaph, … Read more
Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!
Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!
Polyvinyl (2004)
Over the past 2 years, the exclamation point has become more played out than "Hey Ya!" has over these past couple months. The exclamation point is used to show urgency, uprising, excitement. Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!, like Stop It!! the previous year, manage to avoid all three of those in their debut record. What you'll get with this record is … Read more
Washington Social Club
Catching Looks
Badman (2004)
"Move the flipping* Audi [away from the front of the club]!" shouted one of the members of the Washington Social Club to the audience. They drew quite a crowd -including an Audi - for a headlining show at the Black Cat in Washington DC. I was not intrigued at first impression; I was there to see another local band and … Read more
Ween
Live In Chicago
Sanctuary (2004)
Note:If you need to really know how I feel about Ween as a band, please refer to my review on of their CD Quebec, on this very website. My other review contained a small bit on a time when I experienced Ween live. I have seen them again since, and considering this is a live DVD/CD package, I find it … Read more
Welcome The Plague Year
Welcome The Plague Year
Turnstile (2004)
The introduction of a review is usually a chance to capture the reader with something funny or even insightful. Considering it's 2:27 AM and I can't go to sleep, all that's on my mind is this Welcome the Plague Year album and how much it's going to suck when I have to get on an airplane in 5.5 hours. There … Read more
Wilco
A Ghost is Born
Nonesuch (2004)
Ok, for a pretty big review like this I'm just going to get right to it. With Wilco's fifth studio release, A Ghost is Born, the band is placed at something of a crossroads. They have just come off something of a masterpiece in Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and now must find a way to either carry the torch of that … Read more
With Honor
Heart Means Everything
Stillborn (2004)
You know those stickers that they put on the front of CD's that say "For Fans Of.." or "Featuring the Hit Single..."? Well, I have decided to make my own sticker for With Honor's debut full-length. However, instead of a misleading recommendation my sticker will read: "The feel good record of the year." Concise, but informative, the reasoning behind this … Read more
With Honor / The Distance
Split
Martyr (2004)
Two of the best bands in Connecticut doing a split together? "Sign me up!" I think to myself, and how right am I after listening to this? Dead on. With Honor and The Distance both contribute three tracks each to this split, and both bands show growth from their previous efforts. With Honor starts with "Gun for Hire", a song … 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
With Resistance / Twenty Inch Burial
Split
State of Mind (2004)
Though both bands play their own variations of metalcore, this split release is an unlikely partnering. While With Resistance hail from New Jersey, Twenty Inch Burial call Portugal home. Despite being separated by the entire Atlantic Ocean, these two compliment each other well. Each band contributes three songs to this split from State of Mind Recordings. With Resistance kicks things … Read more
Wolf Eyes
Burned Mind
Sub Pop (2004)
Listening to Wolf Eyes is not what I'd call a traditionally pleasurable experience. Unless you consider having your face ravaged by a two-by-four while masturbating to an execution an enjoyable experience or, to a lesser extent, tonguing a blister you got from drinking hot soup, I'd advise you to skip over this review and check out what Zed has to … Read more
Xiu Xiu
Fabulous Muscles
5 Rue Christine (2004)
This is the first time I've ever managed to find the perfect soundtrack for an art exhibit. After viewing a collection called "Late Modern European Prints," and listening to Fabulous Muscles on the drive back, I realized that both works were attempting to challenge the limits of creative representation in order to show that when said challenging occurs, art can … Read more
Yaphet Kotto/This Machine Kills/Envy
Split
Sonzai (2004)
Whenever I listen to the type of record that Yaphet Kotto or Envy would make, I always play the TV at full volume to supplement the chaos. Sometimes I'll change it to something like an MTV awards show or a shitty sitcom to add my own sort of psuedo-ironic soundtrack. It works even better in this case, because the record … Read more
Your Enemies Friends
You are Being Videotaped
Buddyhead (2004)
Buddyhead Records is a label fueled by hype. Your Enemies Friends released their debut effort The Wiretap EP on their label. So naturally I was drawn to check it out, but I wasn't expecting much because nine times out a ten with Buddyhead the hype isn't worth. This was that one exception; they actually signed a promising band. In support … Read more
Zao
The Funeral of God
Ferret (2004)
Some would call Zao the musical embodiment of a soap opera. Even in their early years, they went through two lead vocalists and countless other band members. Their defining moments, however, were when vocalist Dan Weyandt entered the band and recorded Where Blood & Fire Bring Rest, Liberate Te Ex Inferis, Self-Titled, and Parade of Chaos. The drama didn't end … Read more
