Review / 200 Words Or Less
The Oswald Effect
Love & Sabotage

Independent (2008) — Sean K.

The Oswald Effect – Love & Sabotage cover artwork
The Oswald Effect – Love & Sabotage — Independent, 2008

This looked promising when it first showed up in the mail. But as some wise person once said, looks can be deceiving. This Seattle four-piece certainly have their chops together, but the styles presented here are such a mish mash that it's hard to swallow. Musically they are rocking enough, but vocally I just couldn't get into them. The singer sounds like a cross between the dude from Shudder to Think and those guys in Muse. Considering that Muse's singer just blatantly tries to sound like Thom Yorke, that's not a good start. In a roundabout way, I'm trying to spit it out that I'm just not a fan of the vocals. But maybe you will end up digging Love & Sabotage, but this is definitely not something I'll ever slide into the player again.

2.0 / 10 — Sean K. • February 25, 2009

The Oswald Effect – Love & Sabotage cover artwork
The Oswald Effect – Love & Sabotage — Independent, 2008

Recently-posted album reviews

​Pressure Set

​Pressure Set
Dr Strange Records (2026)

Punk rock has never needed complexity to make an impact. Sometimes, all it takes is a handful of riffs, a relentless rhythm section, and enough attitude to make the whole thing stick. Pressure Set understands that formula, but rather than simply recycling it, the band coats it in layers of filthy fuzz, garage-rock swagger, and an unexpectedly sharp melodic sensibility. … Read more

Blood & Sun

Aion's Light
Nordvis (2026)

The trajectory of Blood & Sun has been one of natural evolution. Starting off from rough demos, the project of Luke Tromiczak slowly became something more immersive and complete. The compositions grew richer, the songwriting more nuanced, and the production cleaner. However, the creative process does not necessarily have to be about looking forward and evolving, and in fact at … Read more

The Loved Ones

LATEST HITS!
Lovemonk Records, SofaBurn (2026)

I'll admit, when I first saw a new album from The Loved Ones land in my inbox, I got pretty excited. Being a fan of the Philadelphia punk band fronted by Dave Hause, I thought I was about to hear something I hadn't expected. Unfortunately, these weren't the Loved Ones I was looking for. However, what I discovered instead was … Read more