Ghost of the Russian Empire
With Fiercest Demolition
Thirty Ghost (2006)
Rock with horns that isn't ska? Oh, thank god. Ghost of the Russian Empire's debut EP, With Fiercest Demolition - produced by Erik Woffrod (Explosions in the Sky, Voxtrot) - is six tracks of catchy, but not poppy music. There's definitely a Radiohead-esque aspect about this group of Texans (imagine Thom Yorke and company before they started mingling heavily with … Read more
Ghostface Killah
Fishscale
Def Jam (2006)
If "The Champ" has not, by the time of publication, been mass produced onto 12" record and shipped to every club DJ in the hip-hop speaking world then there is something truly fucked with the world. You see, with summer fast approaching the dance floors of the world are screaming out for a new jam that will make women emit … Read more
Giant Squid
Metridium Fields
The End (2006)
I've always been fascinated with oceanography, or anything related to the ocean for that matter. And with the oceans covering nearly three-quarters of our planet, there is a lot to be fascinated with. My quest to learn as much about the history of the sea and everything contained within will likely never be completely fulfilled. But, as I continue in … Read more
Girls Aloud
The Sounds of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits
Polydor/Universal (2006)
In this day and age of "indie" bands selling to kids and having number ones left, right, and center, one could be forgiven for thinking that pop music in the form we saw for most of the mid 90's and early noughties is a thing of the past. Luckily, with this collection of singles Girls Aloud have reminded us of … Read more
Gnarls Barkley
St. Elsewhere
Atlantic (2006)
Six months later... what can I possibly say about St. Elsewhere that hasn't already been ejaculated from the unnecessarily verbose ink-members of numerous self-indulgent online music critics? Yes, it's the best album of the year; it rests securely in the top-ten for this decade. It has been praised by critics, certified platinum, and can easily be found on the iPods … Read more
Go it Alone / Blue Monday
Split
Rivalry (2006)
I know very little of Vancouver, British Columbia other than the fact that the bulk of X-Files was filmed there and that it has the nickname of "Rain City." I may not be well versed in Canadian culture (everything I know was learned from repeated screenings of Strange Brew), but I do know that Vancouver is home to some stellar … Read more
Goatwhore
A Haunting Curse
Metal Blade (2006)
This album is a devastating wake up call if you put it on before your 7:00 AM morning commute. I almost swerved in surprise when it first came forth from the car speakers. A Haunting Curse is the third album from this New Orleans four-piece and marks their debut for Metal Blade. Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal and Morbid Angel … Read more
Gog
Noriah Mills
Sound of Battle and Souvenir Collecting (2006)
I'm watching The Shining as I listen to Gog's EP for the first time and the music is matching up at the moment (which is awesome). A creepy high-pitched sound is slowly building up, just like Kubrick's film. The band's label, Sounds of Battle and Souvenir Collecting, says on its website, "[We are] dedicated to experimental, drug/metal, art-doom, and drone." … Read more
Golden Bear
Golden Bear
C-Side (2006)
There's a lot of arrogance that floats around the music world, from the self-aggrandized success stories told through the eyes of pop-rappers to the sheer self-belief in the glory and romance of what the neo-punk world is doing. For sheer bombasticism, however, the award surely has to go to the popular-indie set. Full of ignoramuses strutting around and playing songs … Read more
Good Clean Fun
Between Christian Rock and a Hard Place
Equal Vision (2006)
I can't think of one person out there that doesn't like to laugh. However, not everyone likes to laugh at the same things. Some people think Adam Sandler is funny; I don't. Some people think Robin Williams is a hoot; I don't. Hell, some people think American's Funniest Home Videos was the greatest show in television history; I... well, who … Read more
Good Riddance
My Republic
Fat Wreck Chords (2006)
The opening of My Republic could easily be mistaken for the opening to just about any guitar based album from the past 30 years, with quietly plucked single notes pushing along for a moment or two. It is only as "Out of Mind" explodes into the best Bad Religion song since Mr. Brett left the band for the first time … Read more
Gorgoroth
Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
Regain (2006)
Disclaimer: Whenever a reviewer has no idea how to end a review - a more common occurrence than the reader might think - the reviewer is forced to employ the cheapest of literary tricks: the disengage. By taking the reader out of the narrative flow with an aside that is thought to be clever, but in reality is fooling no … Read more
Gracer
Voices Travel
Revelation (2006)
I feel sorry for emo kids these days. Rather than being a certain clique that listens to a certain type of music they have become an entire entity within themselves. What we have in 2006 are a bunch of mopey teenagers with Livejournal accounts, bad haircuts and their mother's cheapest strands of pearls. Instead of being a community of kids … Read more
Graf Orlock
Destination Time Yesterday
Level Plane (2006)
The connection between abrasive, warp speed music and film samples isn't new - for a whole wave of turn of the century hardcore bands, the familiar samples punctuating minute long tantrums were usually the most memorable part of the entire enterprise. But Graf Orlock takes this connection to an entirely new level. Named after the vampiric villain in Nosferatu, Graf … Read more
Greg Graffin
Cold as the Clay
Anti (2006)
Nearly a decade ago Bad Religion's Greg Graffin released his first solo effort, the miscellaneous American Lesion (miscellaneous because you can only find it online), and it was a definite departure for the punk rock icon. He slowed it down quite a bit and explored a different side of his musical roots, as well as lyrical themes not present in … Read more
Guillemots
Through the Windowpane
Polydor (2006)
Guillemots (sometimes written gUiLLeMoTs) are an English avant-garde pop and indie rock band formed in November 2004 by Fyfe Dangerfield. I lifted that from Wikipedia, by the way. Got to give credit where credit is due. But that's what you've got here on the Guillemtos' debut and Mercury-nominated album Through the Windowpane. Clue number one: "avant-garde pop." Clue number two: … Read more
Guiltmaker
Driven By Arms
Kiss of Death (2006)
Despite featuring ex-members of Combatwoundedveteran and Reversal of Man, Guiltmaker is distinctly less heavy than you might initially assume they would be. In fact the band does a fairly catchy take on the mid 90s emo rock/ post hardcore sound. Reminiscent of both bands like Rival Schools, Jets to Brazil and Jawbreaker, as well as uber popular present day acts … Read more
Guns Up!
Outlive
1917 (2006)
Sure Madball is still kicking, but let's face it, they have already been around the block and back several times over. Cleary they are juggernauts of their style but one day they're going to have to relinquish their title as the undisputed kings of hardcore; but who will be the heir? Meet Guns Up!, one of the Merrimack Valley's best … Read more
