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)

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 famous guest appearances, and Nas was still one of the best lyricists in rap. The significance? It's not necessary to make an album with big names to sell records, and raw talent is more powerful than a cast of hitmakers. Enter Wyclef Jean. After releasing the incredibly successful The Score with The Fugees, Wyclef Jean began his solo career with 1997's The Carnival. While Lauryn Hill and The Bee Gees made appearances, the album was distinctly Jean's work, and arguably one of the best and dynamic works hip-hop has seen. While Jean went on with his solo career, The Carnival remained his best work, and the album cemented Jean as a top-notch performer and producer alike. Now, ten years since the release of The Carnival, Wyclef has come out with the sequel, subtitled Memoirs of an Immigrant. While significantly shorter … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … Read more

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One from the archives

Nala Sinephro

Space 1.8
Warp (2021)

I’m a real sucker for any records that are themed somewhere in the vicinity of space/cosmos area of things. So, naturally, I just straight up check anything that seems at least decent in that zone. I had virtually no expectations when diving into Nala Sinephro’s Space 1.8, with the exception of thinking that I will meet a familiar sound. By the time I was around the dozenth listen or so, I didn’t even realize the entire day basically swept by. It’s rare that a record has such a meditative/hypnotic effect on me. At the same time, I was also dazzled by so many things that I found on the album. It took me quite some time to unearth all the subtleties of this aural journey. Less because it’s that complicated, … Read more

More album reviews

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

The Mongoloids

Time Trials
Collapse (2007)

There's something about over-hyped hardcore bands that makes me want to hear them. It has something to do with my connection with the hardcore scene that when I hear the kids talk and talk about a new upcoming band so fervently that I think when I pick up the latest offering from "Oh my god this band is amazing" number … Read more

The New Dress

Where Our Failures Are
Red Leader (2007)

The New Dress certainly knows how to make a first impression. Twenty seconds into Where Our Failures Are the tandem sings out, "I'm setting of alarms and planning bombs instead of songs / And if the cops ask I'm their man!" The New Dress holds nothing back, singing stripped down folk-punk about socialism and society, covering Billy Brag and Ed … Read more

Come Sleep

The Burden of Ballast
Version Studio (2007)

That old saying attests that "you only get what you give." Nowhere does this apply better than heavy metal. The genre can somehow simultaneously be an embarrassing parody of itself and push musical boundaries to new creative planes. The resurgence of "thinking man's metal" came with an increased presence of amplifiers, New York Times profiles, and expensive LPs. It's safe … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Skeletons with Flesh on Them

The Fish Don't Mind
Independent (2007)

Some bands just have cool names. Skeletons with Flesh on Them, an indie rock band from Seattle, are one of them. This four-piece indie/rock group show obvious signs of influence from the pioneering and currently established bands of their neck of the woods - Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Roy, etc. - on their debut EP, The Fish Don't Mind. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Endgame

Distracted
Get Outta Town (2008)

Endgame is the latest band to emerge from the New Jersey hardcore scene. The four-piece outfit has returned after a split CD with Movement that was released last year. Distracted is a five song EP of upbeat melodic hardcore. Musically, Endgame have concocted a very catchy mix of fast-paced hardcore and melodic hardcore that draws similarities to Crime in Stereo, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Orgone

The Goliath
Independent (2007)

Orgone is an interesting term that refers to the "life energy" of humans. It may exist; it may not. That's all up for debate. One thing that is certain is that Orgone, the metal band from Pittsburgh, plays some seriously intense tunes. This four-piece group of fellows fused together technical metal, grindcore, and even dashes of hardcore and drone metal … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Fight Pretty

Rewiring the Human Body
Dwell (2007)

How do you review an album plastered with a tagline from a review you wrote? We're both about to find out. Rewiring the Human Body is Fight Pretty's first full-length release following a slew of other recordings that were compiled on a discography release. The first thing that catches my attention about Rewiring the Human Body is the more focused … Read more

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