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Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)

Signals Midwest

Latitudes & Longitudes
Tiny Engines (2011)

Placing the band Signals Midwest into a genre is a difficult task; their latest release Longitudes and Latitudes is a beautiful mesh of melodic interludes, upbeat pop punk and gritty punk rock. Having this many influences in your work can often lead to great things being lost in translation and the overall result being muddled. However, you can fully appreciate the love that went into crafting this record, because everything translates extremely well. The ten songs on the record come to just under 40 minutes and after a full play-through the listener feels like they have been through an emotional journey and are left wanting more. The lyrics throughout the album have a common theme, one of struggling with the difficulties of being emotionally involved with someone far away. This theme is best illustrated in the reoccurring line “I was counting the miles, you were counting the days. Ain’t it strange that the numbers we wanted were moving in opposite ways?” This, alongside complex melodic riffs and powerful drums, most of which was recorded live, come together and fully capture a unique and high-energy feel that is truly a pleasure to listen to. Longitudes and Latitudes stays very consistent throughout; … Read more

After

Edges Of The World
Independent (2012)

When I heard California's After described to me with phrases like "Soundgarden meets Rush" and "progressive pop", I knew I … Read more

The Shins

Port Of Morrow
Aural Apothecary (2012)

Spring has arrived. The sun pours through the sky. Pollen blankets the surroundings. The streets suddenly become more occupied. Much … Read more

Junius

Reports from the Threshold of Death
Prosthetic (2011)

I will say this: Junius' newest album Reports from the Threshold of Death is certainly a unique release. But that's … Read more

The Men

Open Your Heart
Sacred Bones (2012)

This could be the album that shoots The Men into music lovers’ hearts or it could be a slow burner … Read more

The Roots

Undun
Def Jam (2011)

I’m conflicted when it comes to “conscious rap.” On the one hand, I hate the label and attempt and creating … Read more

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One from the archives

Isis

Oceanic Remixes Volume III
Robotic Empire (2004)

While this may seem repetitive to say, before you listen to Volume III, it would be in your best interest to purchase the band's last full-length, Oceanic, before you listen to these remixes. After absorbing the full-length, these reworkings of tracks will make much more sense. Side A starts off with Mike Patton's rendition of the track "Maritime." Patton always seems to have his hands, or his voice for that matter, busy with something. If it's not one of his main projects, he's off doing high-profile collaborations (Dan the Automator, Bjork, Rhazel) or coordinating releases for Ipecac Records. When listening to his interpretation of "Maritime, " the most obvious difference between the original, which is an instrumental, and Patton's reworking is that he has added in his own vocal harmonies. … Read more

More album reviews

Remnants

Suspension
Tycho Magnetic Anomalies (2011)

Brooklyn based drone purveyors Remnants four track cassette Suspension is a curious little release, building on a foundation of fuzzy electronic notes, and deep unnerving tones. Lead track "Ornamentals" is a tad unsettling in it's minimalism. The quiet buzz of white noise sitting just behind dissonant strikes slowly build in sound level, washing over the touches of an almost bell-like … Read more

Senmuth

Bar-Do Thos-Grol
Independent (2012)

After writing ethnic music for over half a decade at this point (over the span of one hundred and forty-three individual studio albums), it's no surprise that Russian musician/history buff/general crazy man Senmuth has gotten rather good at it. Bar-Do Thos-Grol, his most recent foray into dark ambient music, shows off just how proficient he's become at it. The album … Read more

Red Hot Rebellion

Self Titled
Independent (2012)

Red Hot Rebellion are a band that was destined to be. Formed as the result of a want ad placed on Craigslist, they are now part of the music scene in Dayton, Ohio that has been strong for years now. As they say in their bio, they were “formed with a singular goal: to rebel against the watered-down excuse for … Read more

Plague Widow

Self Titled
BuriedInHell (2012)

Sacramento three-piece Plague Widow came to form late last year, and have through some kind of sorcery already unleashed an uncompromising and punishing EP. Fifteen minutes of pure intense grind with a tiny hint of death, Plague Widow EP is disgustingly ferocious and absolutely relentless. With an intro track that is longer than 95% of the songs on the EP, … Read more

House Of Low Culture

Poisoned Soil
Taiga (2012)

Following the demise of Isis (which was a sad day indeed around my household), there was still plenty of material to come potentially as the band’s membership was active with side projects throughout the life of their main creative outlet; and the potential reactivation of the seemingly dormant House Of Low Culture was an exciting proposition as I had grown … Read more

The Blank Fight

House Band Feud (Re-Issue)
Silver Sprocket (2012)

Aaron Cometbus, Rymodee of This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb, bikes, guitars…that seems a fitting intro for the reissue of The Blank Fight’s one and only album, House Band Feud. The cd was released in 2002 on Plan-it-X and, to steal a line from Silver Sprocket’s press sheet, many a songs have made it to mixtapes in the decade since. … Read more

Nordic Nomadic

Worldwide Skyline
Tee Pee (2011)

Nordic Nomadic resides as generally a solo project. This project taken on by the lead singer of Ontario based psych metal band Quest For Fire as a way of creating songs that are more plaintive and slightly more psychedelic than his main project. So it doesn't seem too surprising that Tee Pee records would be the label releasing this record. … Read more

Enthroned

Obsidium
Agonia (2012)

Belgian black metal veterans Enthroned offer up a new platter of palpable devastation with Obsidium. With this album they show the versatility that has carried them throughout their career. Obsidium will be revered amongst black metal purists, but easily approachable by those unfamiliar with the genre. Metalheads of all sorts will be coming together to bask in the darkness of … Read more

Say Anything

Anarchy, My Dear
Equal Vision (2012)

Say Anything are a band who does the opposite of what you think they're going to do. For example, when they have an album titled, Anarchy, My Dear, you'd think it would be eleven tracks of fast, 3 guitar chord melodies that talk about disorder and chaos. Instead, frontman Max Bemis is again singing love songs to his newly betrothed: … Read more

Rêx Mündi

IHVH
Debemur Morti Productions (2011)

Handily joining the ranks of the best French bands whose abuse of the metal ümlaüt prevents their name from being typed without excessive use of the copy/paste function (I'm looking at you, Trörkrvisätänsrökrëh), Rêx Mündi, in all seriousness, deliver a surprisingly rewarding release with 2011's IHVH.What I like most about this album is its generosity with the song structures. They … Read more

Unholy Majesty

Self Titled
A389 (2012)

Burgeoning from a small town called Margate in the United Kingdom, is Unholy Majesty, a metallic hardcore supergroup meant to convey the bleak atmosphere of their city through music. With members of bands such as Sacred Ritual, Cold Snap, Age Of Kali, The Break In and Santa Karla it’s clear that this band has paid it’s dues and are looking … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Fatal Birth

Self Titled
Twelve Gauge (2012)

Fatal Birth are a relatively new band. This being their first major release one could assume any number of things from the bands' artwork alone. Presented in a simple black and white sleeve With a dark picture of a hallways and a hanger lying on an otherwise empty floor the band gives off an idea of something sinister. The record … 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

The Measure [SA]

My Heart And The Real World
No Idea (2011)

From the getgo, the transitions on My Heart and the Real World could be smoother—but that’s no surprise on a collections record. The Measure [SA] put out an enormous body of work—at least for a band with only two official full-lengths during their run—and putting them onto a single slab of plastic or vinyl sometimes creates logistics problems with recording … Read more

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