Recent reviews

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)

The Maine

The Way We Talk
Fearless (2007)

I could tell right away from the faux 60's hippie cover art to the band photo wherein three out of four members have the exact same swoop haircut that I was going to crap all over this five song CDEP. Okay, sometimes the swoop is on the left side of their acne scared faces versus the right, but still. Is there some sort of Great Clips in major cities all over America that specialize in this mop top cut? I'm sure all the underage girls get their boy shorts all in a tangle when they see you tuck that piece of hair behind your ear. However, to me, you all look like die cast, cut out, tools. Anyhow, I'm surprised a band like The Maine even put out a CDEP. This type of band usually do iTunes only downloads so the aforementioned teenyboppers can fill their iPods with more garbage. The Maine play ProTools perfected pop music that's as limp as bacon fresh out of the package on a humid day. You've heard this band before and it came from your little sister's bedroom. I'm going to be embarrassed having this CD in my pile when it comes to bringing … Read more

The Mumlers

Thickets and Stitches
Galaxia (2008)

Busy! From the packaging onward, The Mumlers emit an adorably quirky vibe far too big to fit into their little … Read more

The Photographic

Pictures of a Changing World
Galaxia (2008)

Clocking in at just under an hour, Pictures of a Changing World is truly a cohesive release encompassing a gamut … Read more

All Teeth and Knuckles

Club Hits to Hit the Club With
Lujo (2007)

This is what happens when trust fund kids with expendable bank accounts get their hands on keyboards and samplers: an … Read more

The Loved Ones

Build & Burn
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)

Build & Burn begins with what ostensibly sounds like an unsure Loved Ones. The first three tracks are throwbacks of … Read more

The Loved Ones

Build & Burn
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)

The Loved Ones entered my radar with their first EP for Jade Tree, which converted me with "100K," a staccato … Read more

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One from the archives

Stars

Heart
Arts & Crafts (2003)

There are few things worse in this world than a record composed by a group of people that are intensely passionate about the contents, but that doesn't live up to the enthusiasm with which it is crafted. Such is the case with the latest release from Stars, the Montreal pop group most widely known for their ties with Broken Social Scene, and one of their members playing a bit part in an episode of Law & Order. Heart is a collection of love songs, in case you couldn't tell. All of them. Every last one. An entire record of songs dealing with the workings of the heart and the relationships formed and nurtured due to it. And surprisingly, it's not bad, but it's certainly not all good. At first listen, … Read more

More album reviews

Sol

Let There be a Massacre
Ván (2007)

You know how to work that evil shit when you can make an accordion sound sinister. Even by the strictest of doom metal standards this is one gloomy-ass album. Like a lot of the pure metal coming out of Europe these days, Sol is the work of one man, Denmark-born Emil Brahe, who has created perhaps the quintessential album of … Read more

Wyclef Jean

Carnival Volume II: Memoirs of an Immigrant
Columbia (2007)

In 2001, Nas released Stillmatic, a direct play on his first album Illmatic, and an indicator that he was still on top of the rap world. The album's single "Got Ur Self a Gun" featured Nas reminiscing on his previous efforts, stating, "My first album had no famous guest appearances. The outcome? I'm crowned the best lyricist." Stillmatic had no … Read more

Planes Mistaken for Stars

We Ride to Fight: The First Four Years
No Idea (2008)

One might be hard pressed to envision a band that seems to exemplify a road warrior type touring ethic than that of the hard working group, Planes Mistaken for Stars. It is a sad day to see these stalwarts finally calling it a day after three albums and numerous EPs, particularly after the release of Mercy, which I still think … Read more

Souvenir's Young America

An Ocean Without Water
Crucial Blast (2007)

From the reviewer's initial notes made upon first hearing the album: Quiet + Loud + Quiet + Harmonica = Souvenir's Young America What a sad, lazy reviewer I am. And, as always, lazy reviewing makes for lazy reading, so if the above equation says it all for you, Godspeed my child. For readers with more moxie, yes, the above equation … Read more

Iron Lung

Sexless / No Sex
Prank (2007)

Why in the hell did I sleep on this record last year? Given, this did come out kind of late in the 2007, and with all the hoopla surrounding end of year lists and such, I guess it just slipped under my radar. A couple of Saturdays ago while in my local record store, the Nick Blinko (artist for Rudimentary … Read more

U.S.S.A.

The Spoils
Fuzz Artists (2007)

U.S.S.A. is a relatively new project consisting of Ministry's Paul Barker, Tomahawk's Duane Denison and two other guys. Two out of four guys that have had some level of fame does not make a "supergroup," a word seemingly thrown around any time a dude from one known band happens to get together with one or more dudes from another known … Read more

NOFX

They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!
Fat Wreck Chords (2007)

"Ever done something you regret while drunk like...recorded a live album?" the press sheet states. As NOFX open the CD and Fat Mike announces, "Oh, shit, we have to go to work," the tone is set. Within five minutes, the president has been insulted and you're told that, if you believe in God, you're wrong. There are also a number … Read more

Envy

Abyssal
Temporary Residence (2008)

Seriously, I think that I am still atoning for not paying more attention to this Japanese band earlier. I mean that I had some of their records but never really felt that deeply about them one way or another (maybe subconsciously due to their singing in Japanese thus making it a bit difficult to connect to the music). Then I … Read more

The Dauntless Elite

Graft
Plan-it-X / Bombed Out (2007)

The Dauntless Elite hail from Leeds and hold the honor of being the first international Plan-it-X band. With Graft, their first full-length, they deliver pop punk akin to many contemporary bands from the Midwestern United States. They've also released an EP and a couple 7"s. Upon putting in the CD, it runs through a few clicks and whistles before kicking … Read more

Disfear

Live the Storm
Relapse (2008)

After what is quickly becoming a normative hiatus for this Swedish five-piece band, Disfear delivers their latest blast of d-beat influenced mayhem onto the masses. Live the Storm is their second full length with Tomas Lindberg, vocalist of At the Gates and an innumerable number of other heavy bands, and the first with former Entombed guitarist Uffe Cederlund, as well … Read more

Creature Feature

The Greatest Show Unearthed
Sumerian (2007)

When reviewing an album, it can be difficult to summarize thoughts and feeling elicited from the music you're listening to, to organize these thoughts and feelings in written prose succinctly, honestly, and, above all, professionally. Using these guidelines as my template, I can say with all sincerity, fuck me running, this group is terrible. Creature Feature is the "brain"child of … Read more

This Will Destroy You

This Will Destroy You
Magic Bullet (2008)

It wasn't long ago that Texas natives This Will Destroy You were nothing more than a well-kept secret. But thanks to a solid debut album and a little luck the band went from practically unknowns to indie music darlings. As a result the band's debut full-length, This Will Destroy You, was placed atop many individuals lists of the most anticipated … Read more

Life Long Tragedy

Runaways
Deathwish Inc. (2008)

Evolution in the music world results in one of two things: fame or infamy. Life Long Tragedy have slowly grown from a group of young individuals writing blazing, punishing, and angst-ridden metallic hardcore jams into a group that has honed their craft to construct cathartic, brooding, and dark songs that blur the definition of hardcore music, all while maintaining a … Read more

Able Baker Fox

Voices
Second Nature (2008)

A little over five years ago The Casket Lottery and Small Brown Bike released a collaborative 12" EP that proved to be more than a split recording as the two bands collaborated on most of the songs giving listeners quite a good record. Now, in hindsight, this effort served as a portent of things to come with the release of … Read more

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