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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)

Steve Kilbey

Painkiller
Second Motion (2009)

The first solo record from The Church frontman in seven years, Kilbey handles all the instruments here except drums. Thankfully it does not sound like a Paul McCartney record. Tim Powles, drummer from The Church covers the sticks and production duties. But there's still a strong guitar presence on this one. "Outbound" features a flowing bassline, while 'Wolfe" seems to be describing a folklore story. "File Under Travel" is probably my favorite track on this release, just because it is so out there, in a groovy Syd Barrett way to be exact. The only misstep is the thirty-one minute last song, "Not What You Say." It's about fifteen minutes too long and I'm not entirely unconvinced it's not a recording of hits from the bong (disguised as bubbles.) But other than that, this is a dense sonic landscape that will not need any added medications to appreciate. Read more

200 Words Or Less

Bulldozer

The Hammers
Motherbox (2008)

Sadly this is not a album by recently reformed Italian thrashers Bulldozer but a disc made by a New York … Read more

Disappearer

The Clearing
Magic Bullet (2009)

Massachusetts-based Disappearer returns with their long-awaited second release. The Clearing marks the band's first full-length effort, which follows up the … Read more

We're All Broken

Blacktop Cry
Devildance (2009)

We're All Broken's name may sound familiar to you because they've opened for a lot of big names like Thursday, … Read more

Alexisonfire

Old Crows/Young Cardinals
Vagrant (2009)

I've always considered Alexisonfire one of the "better bands" in the whole "post-hardcore" scene or whatever you want to call … Read more

Wrnlrd

Oneiromantical War
FSS (2008)

Wrnlrd drops a dense black metal album on listeners with this limited LP and digital album, Oneiromantical War - which … Read more

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One from the archives

Orthodox

Gran Poder
Southern Lord (2006)

Spanish doom? Southern Lord's Orthodox might want to rethink their name - honestly. Sure, the black robes are spooky and all, but it's a lot easier to wear them all the time if you're Sunn0))). Los Angeles is warm, I know, but fucking Spain? It's got to be sweaty inside those things. I suppose if the prime directive is to make some of the heaviest, sludgiest, slowest music tolerable to the human ear then regulating ones body temperature becomes less of a concern. In fact, the onset of dizziness due to heat stroke might actually give some musical inspiration. Kind of like when Hendrix took acid when he played, only crazier. So how do these Spaniards add up? This question is quite difficult to answer because how does one define … Read more

More album reviews

Paint It Black

Amnesia
Bridge Nine (2009)

I hate to be that guy, but I got to admit that it's getting more and more difficult to find an impressive hardcore album these days. I'm not talking about that record you listen to several times, really rock out to during the first week, rag on your friends for having never heard of it, and then retire it to … Read more

Geisha

Die Verbrechen der Liebe
Crucial Blast (2008)

What a weird mix (sound wise this is really thin sounding without much bottom end) for the opening track to a record because I really was hoping to be immediately crushed by Geisha's Die Verbrechen der Liebe, and instead, "Prelude to Amber Pays the Rent" is a bit of thin riffage being pushed through a thick haze of white noise, … Read more

Anti-Flag

The People or The Gun
Side One Dummy (2009)

It takes a lot for me to completely lose faith in some of my favorite bands, and I came pretty close to completely giving up on Anti-Flag after the disaster that was The Bright Lights of America. My faith was then restored a bit after hearing that they left RCA Records and joined the ever growing roster at Side One … Read more

Foundation

Chimborazo
Paper + Plastick (2009)

I like to refer to Foundation's self-titled record as campfire punk. It takes basic punk songs (often from the Ann Beretta catalog) and strips them down to the acoustic basics. In the process, Rob Huddleston doesn't run them through the genre-grinder and spit out new alt-country or folk versions of old songs so much as he creates Ann Beretta Unplugged … Read more

Pulling Teeth

Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions
Deathwish Inc. (2009)

Pulling Teeth continues to be an extremely active and productive group - touring the world and releasing three full-lengths and several singles since their inception. Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions marks the band's third full-length effort, though I use that term loosely as the length of this recording is a bit on the short end for a "long player" (though … Read more

Chickenfoot

Chickenfoot
earMUSIC (2009)

The reviewer of the following album would like to invite his readers to participate in the following drinking game: grab a shot glass, grab a bottle of whatever alcoholic beverage you wish to imbibe (for those in AA or under 21 years of age, feel free to use whatever is handy - remember, thumb off the carb) and take a … Read more

Coliseum

True Quiet / Last Wave
Deathwish Inc. (2009)

Yes, a new Coliseum record! Although they are not as prolific as they used to be, Coliseum continues to give listeners new music at least semi regularly. And even though we are still quite a ways away from hearing a new full-length from this touring machine, they still drop this single in an attempt to tide us all over. Although … Read more

The Mongoloids

Assorted Music
Eulogy (2009)

My review of the Mongoloids last full-length, Time Trials, was probably one of the worst reviews I have ever written. I had the vinyl version of the album and for some reason my record player wasn't working and everything sounded sloppy and off time. Don't ever buy record players from Target. Anyhow, I found a copy of Time Trials on … Read more

Transit

Stay Home
Run for Cover (2009)

Just as a clock comes full circle, so does the music world. Every couple of years the music cycle rotates back around from a previous time as it highlights a specific style, sound, or message of influence. Transit is part of the new wave of melodic punk bands that draw heavily from the 90's emo scene. Imagine tidbits pulled from … Read more

Empty Promise

Start from the Ground
Independent (2009)

Austria, the home of some of my ancestors and one of my favorite finds of the year, Empty Promise. This four-piece melodic punk band definitely took me by surprise and are sure to do the same to more listeners. Already having an impressive demo EP on their resume, Empty Promise continue to come out strong with their debut album, Start … Read more

Coalesce

Ox
Relapse (2009)

As much as I may or may not be completely objective when attempting record reviews, I must admit that this is probably not capable of happening when it comes to Coalesce's new album, Ox. Quite literally ten years in the making, Ox is the band's first new album since 0:12: Revolution in Just Listening and the subject of much anxiety … Read more

Multiple Authors

Rancid

Let the Dominoes Fall
Hellcat (2009)

I could write a thousand words on Rancid here if I wanted. I spent the better part of the 90's defending them amongst the punx, though my enthusiasm for the band has waned markedly as the current decade has passed. It's been a few years since their last release: Tim Armstrong's divorce is history, The Transplants experiment is over, and … Read more

Multiple Authors

Rancid

Let the Dominoes Fall
Hellcat (2009)

Rancid changed my life when I was twelve years old. Yes, Nirvana and Green Day had me going in the right direction, but Rancid absolutely changed me with their shocking mohawks, messy tattoos, and irresistibly catchy punk rock tunes. Once I bought ...And Out Come the Wolves I knew I had to be in a band and play music forever. … Read more

Samothrace

Life's Trade
20 Buck Spin (2008)

Doom metal is something that's an acquired taste; either you're a fan of it or you're not, and those who are fans of it will probably go crazy over Kansas four-piece Samothrace's latest offering, Life's Trade. It's a four song album that's roughly fifty minutes long and has no shortage on heaviness. Samothrace are one of the more interesting bands … Read more

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