Drain the Sky
Haunted by Rivers
Level Plane (2008)
"Haunted by Rivers" begins Drain the Sky's first release on Level Plane Records. Use of repetition, low vocal pitches, and no percussion make the song oppressive. However, the rest of Haunted by Rivers does not follow in the same fashion. "Sightless" increases tempo and dabbles in hardcore punk. I really like the juxtaposition between the first two tracks. Everything about … Read more
Driving on City Sidewalks
Where Angels Crowd to Listen
Count Your Lucky Stars / Strictly No Capital Letters (2008)
Driving on City Sidewalks is a Canadian duo who play a heartbroken strain of indie post-rock, with a few heavy nods to folk. This five-song EP begins with "To Finish the Race," which has instrumentals heavily ripping off The Appleseed Cast. This band uses simple and slow vocal patterns, drawing out every lyric with a melancholy tone in this particular … Read more
Dub Trio
Another Sound is Dying
Ipecac (2008)
In the year 2008, one might question the relevancy of reggae and dub on today's music. When you take a closer look at things, you'd be very surprised at the answer. Sure, artists like Bob Marley and The Clash aren't around anymore. But others still carry the torch that they brought forth to the mainstream. Tim Armstrong released a reggae-based … Read more
Dust is Everywhere
Attics and Catacombs
Creeping Vine (2008)
Dust is Everywhere. D.I.E. Get it? [cough] Anyway it could be worse. Ask their labelmates, Rumplestiltskin Grinder. D.I.E. is a band in the black metal ilk, somewhat on the amateurish side, Attics and Catacombs provides a look into the deep, dark recesses of um, Havertown, Pennsylvania - pop: 36,711. Featuring the musical stylings of "Dust" on "Chains, Shackles and Screams" … Read more
Dynamite Arrows
Blowin' It
Mauled by Tigers (2008)
Dynamite Arrows offers up four tracks on Blowin' It. The four-piece have concocted a fine mixture of melodic punk, hardcore, and traditional pop-punk. Musically I'm reminded of the likes of Kid Dynamite and Latterman. The vocals are a bit less coarse, delivered in a slightly nasal harmony. The pace of the songs is very upbeat and they evoke a very … Read more
Eagles of Death Metal
Heart On
Downtown (2008)
Josh Homme wants it to be clear: Eagles of Death Metal is not a side project. Though he rakes in most of his dough and critical acclaim with Queens of the Stone Age, drumming for Eagles of Death Metal brings him just as much satisfaction as his big band does. Probably because he gets to play with his childhood friend, … Read more
Earth
The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull
Southern Lord (2008)
Luckily for fans of Earth, Dylan Carlson and company are very productive of late with Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method, Hibernaculum, and a host of smaller releases all being released within the last three or so years. This is a tremendous increase in recorded activity for the band considering how long they have been active. The Bees Made … Read more
Earth / Sir Richard Bishop
Split
Southern Lord (2008)
Being a memento type release to commemorate the tour that these two parties undertook in the early part of 2008, I am surprised to see and hear that the music - at least the Earth song - is exclusive to this release. This makes collector nerds like myself get fussy (and a little bit lighter in the wallet) as they … Read more
Eksi Ekso
I am Your Bastard Wings
Magic Bullet (2008)
Eksi Ekso is a group of six musicians from Boston. Their debut, I am Your Bastard Wings, highlights a musical prowess that dances between free-form and orchestrated. The breadth of instruments - viola, oboe, violin, flugelhorn, trumpet, bass, guitar, keys, drums - adds to Eksi Ekso's complex sound. Easy comparisons might be Ghastly City Sleep and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, … Read more
El Chupa Cobras
El Chupa Cobras
Acerbic Noise (2008)
El Chupa Cobras belong to the breed of bands that, aside from having amusing names also have extremely short attention spans and exponentially spastic approach to creating music. This kind of music is never easy to pull of on record. Live, the sheer energy of each member immersing him/herself in the music on stage could be enough to provide for … Read more
Elvis Costello
Momofuku
Lost Highway (2008)
It can be kind of intimidating to just jump into the oeuvre of an artist like Elvis Costello. It's like playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey, but the wonderful old donkey has magic powers that let him move from one decade to the next - he's hard to get a handle on. Honestly, record reviews don't always help that … Read more
Empire! Empire! (I was a Lonely Estate)
Year of the Rabbit
Count Your Lucky Stars / Strictly No Capital Letters (2008)
Emo is a genre that often gets its name dragged through the mud. While there are artists now classified as emo that are pretty horrendous, it is those artists playing traditional emo that unfortunately are hurt the most. Empire! Empire! (I was a Lonely Estate) is one of those acts lumped in with emo that shouldn't be looked down upon. … Read more
Endgame
Distracted
Get Outta Town (2008)
Endgame is the latest band to emerge from the New Jersey hardcore scene. The four-piece outfit has returned after a split CD with Movement that was released last year. Distracted is a five song EP of upbeat melodic hardcore. Musically, Endgame have concocted a very catchy mix of fast-paced hardcore and melodic hardcore that draws similarities to Crime in Stereo, … Read more
Energy
Invasions of the Mind
Bridge Nine (2008)
Massachusetts' Energy is a band that showed great promise with the 2007 EP Punch the Clock. The band's fusion of the classic punk sounds of The Misfits and Ramones with that of more modern punk and hardcore outfits like A.F.I. and Ignite brought them a lot of attention. But with that initial success came high expectations that would be tough … Read more
Entertainment
Gender
aDistant/Stickfigure (2008)
Dark, moody, atmospheric rock from this Athens, GA four piece. Sounds like outtakes from The Cure's Pornography but if Simon Gallup was on ludes instead of acid. "Patroness" tries hard to capture the spirit of Joy Division, but somehow ends up reminding me of a Gary Numan tune. There's enough musical ability to rise above the fray, but next time … Read more
Envy
Abyssal
Temporary Residence (2008)
Seriously, I think that I am still atoning for not paying more attention to this Japanese band earlier. I mean that I had some of their records but never really felt that deeply about them one way or another (maybe subconsciously due to their singing in Japanese thus making it a bit difficult to connect to the music). Then I … Read more
Envy
All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead (Reissue)
Temporary Residence (2008)
Besides being a mouthful of a title, All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead is one of my favorite Envy records with its capture of the band's raw emotion and the sound of a band becoming more comfortable with themselves. This is a reissue that is a part of Temporary Residence's recent big Envy offering the … Read more
Envy
Compiled Fragments 1997-2003
Temporary Residence (2008)
So here it is, Temporary Residence Limited finally is releasing this record stateside negating the need (if you happen to be a hopelessly addicted completist like I myself happen to be) to pay import or international shipping fees to acquire an elusive entry into the Envy oeuvre. Compiled Fragments 1997-2003 is a "singles collection" or more accurately a collection of … Read more
