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This Time Next Year

The Longest Way Home
Run for Cover (2008)

So many thoughts come to mind when I think of this California-based pop-punk group. This Time Next Year is a band that not only captured my ear, but also my heart when their demo recording landed in my mailbox. I was so infatuated with their sound that I literally put my money where my mouth was when I released A … Read more

Lafcadio

Kibosh
Joyful Noise (2008)

I truly don't know what to make of this band. Some reviewers might like to scope out the band before claiming the promo (Yes, that's how it works. Sorry to pull back the curtain kids.) But others, like myself, tend to claim a CD with only a rudimentary understanding of what they sound like - usually according to their PR … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Annihilation Time

III: Tales of the Ancient Age
Tee Pee (2008)

With fuzzy riffs, elongated solos and twin guitar leads ala Maiden, this is a Hessian's dream. On III: Tales of the Ancient Age, Annihilation Time leaves the D.R.I. thrash influence in a cloud of bong smoke to focus on their shredding. That is, when they aren't ingesting chemicals, breaking bottles, or diving into the broken glass. Nearly every song on … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Smoke & Mirrors

Flash Thunder
Independent (2008)

Erie hardcore. Ninety-nine out of a hundred of you instantly thought of either Brother's Keeper or xDisciplex AD. While these two groups have since fallen by the wayside, there is still life in the ol' Lake Effect scene. Groups like Jesus Wept, War of Ages, Hank Jones, and Taste the Steel have all made names for themselves and their city … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Down to Nothing / 50 Lions

Split
6131 (2008)

Richmond meets Melbourne on this split effort. Down to Nothing follows up last year's The Most while 50 Lions follows up an Australian-released full-length of their own. This split features each band contributing three new tracks. Down to Nothing picks things up right where The Most left off. The band's sound has gotten significantly less punk-oriented and more straightforward and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Catch Your Breath

Life & Sounds
Dismantle (2008)

Catch Your Breath is an upstart hardcore group from the greater Los Angeles area. I couldn't find much background info on the band, so I'm assuming this is their first venture as a group. Life & Sounds is eight songs in twelve minutes. Musically the band plays fast-paced hardcore with a dash of the rock and roll similar to The … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Your Fall

Your Fall
Hurry Up! (2008)

I know nothing of the Brazilian hardcore world, nor will I pretend to know anything. In fact, the only things I know about Brazil are they love football (Americans should read that as soccer) and they gave us thrashers Sepultura. Outside of that, I'm just a naïve no-nothing. Your Fall is from Curitiba, which, from what I can gather, is … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Offsides

It's a Struggle to Communicate
Get Outta Town (2008)

Here's something new for you. Well maybe not new, but something we don't get much of these days. Offsides is a fast-paced melodic hardcore group from Connecticut with a female front-person. It's a Struggle to Communicate is the band's latest offering, a six-song EP. Musically the group draws influence from legendary groups like 7 Seconds and Gorilla Biscuits. The music … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Wonder Years

Won't Be Pathetic Forever
No Sleep (2008)

The Wonder Years return with a brand new 7", their follow-up to last year's Get Stoked on it!. The record features four new tracks that are exclusive to this release. The 7" starts off with a building intro before the band gets busy with "Solo & Chewy: Holdin' it Down." Like their previous effort, we are treated to a mixture … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Pegasuses-XL

The Antiphon
Ernest Jenning (2008)

It's almost a little sad when drugs influence a lot of what musicians do (The Mars Volta?). It is equally sad and almost doubly disappointing when musicians ruin their reputations with shallow releases. Pegasuses XL is Make Dale (Disband), Jeff Tobias (We Versus the Shark), Joel Hatstat (Cinemechanica) and the renowned Jeff Rosenstock (Arrogant Sons of Bitches, Bomb The Music … Read more

The Breeders

Mountain Battles
4AD (2008)

I have a huge crush on Kim Deal. There, I said it. Fuck you, don't judge me. You probably rubbed one out to Vanessa Hudgens last night, you sick fuck. Kim's more woman than you could ever hope to get, pervy. That's right, the real Deal sisters are back and they're ready to lo-fi rock your socks off with their … Read more

Verdunkeln

Einblick in dem Qualenfall
Ván (2007)

Black metal is one of the last bastions of progression and experimentation in the metal community. Fifteen years ago that statement would have been laughable, but with the first couple generations of purists either incarcerated, dead, or at least moving on to other musical interests, a new generation has been left to carry the torch. This wave of bands is … Read more

Girl Talk

Feed the Animals
Illegal Art (2008)

Girl Talk is Gregg Gillis, a DJ from Pittsburgh that has been praised up to the leader of the mash-up sub-genre. For those who don't know, mash-up is when a DJ layers multiple tracks from different songs on top of each other to create new tracks. This is usually supplemented with new beats and various DJ effects. It makes more … Read more

The National Rifle

Wage Life
Independent (2008)

What if Elvis Costello was still churning out upbeat, poppy numbers like his early work? What if you took away some of the crackle and rough edges, and replaced them with pristine production and a lot of "whoa-oh-oh's"? What if, to spice things up, you threw in a dash of socialist rhetoric, a pinch of hand-held percussion, and a sprinkle … Read more

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