Japandroids
Celebration Rock
Polyvinyl (2012)
Japandroids, a Canadian two-piece rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, has released their second full length album entitled Celebration Rock. The album begins with drumbeats and the first track, "The Nights of Wine and Roses," which showcases their garage-band sound with the voices of both Brian King and David Prowse. Following up their first album, the duo has maintained the … Read more
Jimmy Cliff
Rebirth
Universal (2012)
It’s always curious to see a veteran musician team up with their junior. Last year Jimmy Cliff joined with producer Tim Armstrong (Rancid) for the Sacred Fire EP, a pairing that sparked Cliff’s creativity and lead to this follow-up full-length. While it’s easy to note Armstrong’s presence on Rebirth (the album features a reappearance of the EP’s “Ruby Soho” cover), … Read more
Jodis
Black Curtain
Hydra Head (2012)
It is roughly 5:30 AM at the time of my finally getting down to writing this and the sun is just breaking over the horizon outside my window, and the Jodis song “Red Bough” from their album Black Curtain is just starting to hit its stride providing an apt soundtrack to my bleary eyed state (I have been up all … Read more
Joe Jackson
The Duke
Razor & Tie (2012)
Joe Jackson’s love of Jazz is no secret; with his new album being a tribute to the Jazz king Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington simply titled The Duke. Joe has been on the scene now for over thirty years putting out hits like his early pop work “Is She Really Going Out With Him” and “Sunday Papers” from the album Look … Read more
John K. Samson
Provincial
Anti (2012)
It’s already been four plus years since the last Weakerthans record. If I weren’t aging quickly myself, that would feel like a long time. While I’m not sure what’s up with their status as a band, ringleader John K. Samson set aside time in early 2011 to record his first solo record, Provincial. The frontman, known for his somewhat nasal … Read more
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Asian Man (2012)
My hopes weren’t set high in regards to the second album by Joyce Manor. Even through all the praise and acclaim their self-titled album received, it didn’t separate the fact that the band was super young and just starting out. Their debut reeked of freshness and harkened back to beginnings of bands like Jawbreaker, and Alkaline Trio. So there it … Read more
Jubilee Gardens
Star Struck
Independent (2012)
Jubilee Gardens new release titled Star Struck is one of those rare albums that come in like a breath of fresh air lyrically and musically. Jubilee and the band have proved over the years to be consistent in their musical growth and this one doesn't disappoint. The band is made up of Jubilee Connolly – vocals and guitars, Dan Hunt … Read more
Junior Bruce
The Headless King
A389 (2012)
Bloodlet seem to be a sadly forgotten band. Even in their time they were overshadowed by the other bands Victory Records released. Sadly a band ahead of their time in a sense and far beyond typical hardcore constraints. What does this have to do with Junior Bruce? Well the booming voice of Bloodlet has returned as Scott Angelacos once again … Read more
Justin Bieber
Believe (Deluxe version)
Island (2012)
Editor's Note: Sarah went mysteriously missing before she could complete her review of this album. However, her therapist provided Scene Point Blank with the complete transcripts of her discussions with him over this release, which we humbly present instead, with some minor edits to protect her privacy. We apologize for the inconvenience.Sarah: Listen, you have to help me. I have … Read more
Katatonia
Dead End Kings
Peaceville (2012)
Sweden’s Katatonia have been a constant presence in the realm of blackened doom/death metal since the bands inception way back in the very early 90s, and whilst a modicum of that era is still present in the group’s sound of today, Katatonia are now a fully fledged depressive rock entity. Whilst this depressive tendency ebbs and flows throughout much of … Read more
Kendrick Lamar
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Interscope/Top Dawg/Aftermath (2012)
What better way to start my career at Scene Point Blank and as a published writer than by reviewing one of the most important releases of 2012? Probably any other way, really, but I feel compelled to share my take on Kendrick Lamar’s second studio album Good Kid: M.A.A.D. City because of the impact it has made in the short … Read more
Killing Joke
MMXII
Spinefarm Records (2012)
Think to yourself briefly and see if you can think of more than a handful of bands that have existed for nearly 30 years. Now think of how many of those bands have not only managed to stick to their own sound but also progress within their given sound consistently within that time. How many bands fit within those guidelines? … Read more
Kite Party
Baseball Season
Animal Style (2012)
Kite Party reside and make music in Philadelphia, PA. They’ve released some well-received EPs over the last half-dozen years, and seem to have done a lot of live performing too. Their debut full-length, Baseball Season, was self-released in 2011, then picked up by Animal Style Records and re-released in early 2012.My initial reaction upon dropping the needle and hearing the … Read more
Koko Beware
Something About Summer
Independent (2012)
I have to be honest here. A band named after a professional wrestler, no matter what they sound like, is going to tug at my heart strings in a way that’s totally unfair to all bands that are not named after professional wrestlers. I also love summer, summer jams, and any jams that evoke some sort of summer-ness. And with … Read more
krokmitën
BWV565 Redux
Independent (2012)
After releasing their debut alpha-beta last year, a single 45-minute track and accompanying video of unadulterated technical death metal ferocity, Montréalers krokmitën decided that the only way they could one-up themselves would be to do something completely different. The result is the only slightly more modest 10-minute EP, BWV565 Redux.The EP consists (again) of exactly one track, the band's take … Read more
Kronos Quartet
Music of Vladimir Martynov
Nonesuch (2012)
Now, I'm no stranger to long music, but it still astounds me that there are only three pieces on this nearly 70-minute album. I suppose I should've expected nothing less from the prolific Kronos Quartet, who continue to astound with their virtuosity and stylistic diversity. I mean, these are the folks who have recorded pieces by composers like Terry Riley, … Read more
Kylesa
From The Vaults, Vol. 1
Season of Mist (2012)
It’s been a little over two years since Savannah, GA’s beastly crew of psychedelic-hardcore-crust-punk-sludge-metal purveyors Kylesa have released their last full-length record, Spiral Shadow. While the band continued to work on a sixth studio album, which is slated for release later this spring, they also wanted to give the fans something special in the interim. From the Vaults, Vol. 1 … Read more
L'Assassins
7 PM Go!!!
Big Action (2012)
Big Action Records’ latest release, 7pm Go!!! from L’Assassins is definitely in line with their recent catalog. Instead of throwback garage, however, L’Assassins have a surf-rockabilly sound that’s takes inspiration from the original genre instead of the bastardized psychobilly that rules punksubgenreland today. This sounds like the kind of record your parents (or, for you younglings out there, your grandparents) … Read more
