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)

Modest Mouse

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Epic (2007)

Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank have proven to be a difficult album for the staff of Scene Point Blank. Since it's release we have had a number of staff writer's attempt to put into words what makes this album so good. And yet, in all of their attempts, not one has been able to come up with a complete review. Their thoughts have been limited to short statements that declare it to be "their most complete and best album to date," but with little details to explain just why. So what is it about Modest Mouse's latest full-length that makes it so difficult to express ones thoughts? Honestly, I haven't the faintest idea; sometimes an album is just good, and that's the bottom-line. Following the breakout success of 2004's Good News for People Who Love Bad News, Modest Mouse were quickly regarded as being the next "it band." But rather than allow this or the addition of world-renowned guitarist Johnny Marr to overshadow the just rewards that the band had earned, Modest Mouse did exactly as they had done the past. Frontman Isaac Brock and company got together and wrote an exceptional indie rock album … Read more

Gunsmoke

Little Shields / The Righteous Path to Hell
Independent (2007)

Sometimes, a band comes along and knocks you off your feet. As you begin to listen to them, you think … Read more

Ghostface Killah

The Big Doe Rehab
Def Jam (2007)

On his seventh album it sounds like Ghostface is handing over the reins to the less noted, giving more of … Read more

Spoon

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Merge (2007)

Over the course of the last year Jim Eno, drummer of Spoon and certified electrical engineer, has produced some of … Read more

Down-Stares

The Watershed
Independent (2006)

There is a parenthetical addition to this album's title that states "This Might Take More Than You Can Brave." Ironically, … Read more

Animosity

Animal
Black Market Activities (2007)

Animosity has proven that metal can truly reign supreme again in the Bay Area. Following the initial burst of thrash … Read more

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One from the archives

Various Artists

Punk Goes Crunk
Fearless (2008)

The Punk Goes series has been running since the start of this century, beginning with metal and running through pop, acoustic, the 80's, the 90's, and now culminating with crunk. There have been some good renditions over the years: A.F.I.'s "My Michelle," Reach the Sky's "Sometimes," Coalesce's "Blue Collar Lullaby," and High the Lights' "Hey Jealousy" come to mind. On the other hand, there have also been several atrocities: the entire Punk Goes 80's disc, Slick Shoes' "Candy," Mae's "March of the Pig," Cartel's "Wonderwall" and many more. So what happened when punk met crunk? First off, the "crunk" label of this covers album isn't exactly fitting. Sure, there is a Lil' Jon song and an Outkast song. But there are also covers of Will Smith, Akon, Rihanna, The Roots, … Read more

More album reviews

Broadway Calls

Broadway Calls
State of Mind (2007)

The term "pop-punk" has been really batted around in 2007. It has been used describe every band from Set Your Goals (wrong) to The Ergs (right) and now we have Broadway Calls, an Oregon outfit who straddles the line of pop-punk but strays closer to the power pop side of the equation. When I listen to their self-titled album for … Read more

Ravens and Chimes

Reichenbach Falls
Better Looking (2007)

Lets paint a picture. After weeks of midterms and presentations in combination with 'seasonal' weather, I couldn't decide if I was more exhausted or cold. I was half asleep riding shotgun back to my parents house when I first slid Ravens and Chimes into the CD deck of my best friend's over sized SUV. About a week previously both of … Read more

Zs

Arms
Planaria (2007)

I was lucky enough to see Zs live on tour with The Locust, and I must first mention how badly my ears hurt during their set. I felt for a moment that I might fall apart right where I was standing. But upon the conclusion of their set I realized that this was more than just something that made my … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Sweet Cobra

Forever
Hawthorne Street (2007)

Attempting to mix hardcore, d-beat, and riff heavy rock, Sweet Cobra does each with authority but sound unfocused when fusing them all at once. Credit is due though for attempting to splice genres, making a hybrid of crushing music. At times Forever sounds like a From Ashes Rises record, worthy of the crust title but still accessible enough to appeal … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Romans

All Those Wrists
Independent (2007)

Romans is the latest band to be sprung forth from Vermont's underground music scene - the last two that I recall are My Revenge! and Drowningman. So, these four gentlemen from Burlington are in fairly good company in that regard. On their debut release, All Those Wrists, the band unleashes a mixture of caustic, gritty, and noisy mathcore, streamlined post-hardcore, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Xasthur

Defective Epitaph
Hydra Head (2007)

One-man black metal projects certainly have become overabundant in the past couple of years. I'm not exactly sure what brought on their increased presence in music, but nevertheless, their popularity has grown exponentially in recent years. Xasthur, which is the project of Malefic, has been releasing material under this moniker since 1995. Defective Epitaph is his sixth full-length release and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Intronaut

The Challenger
Translation Loss (2007)

After the release of their debut full-length last year, Intronaut return with an EP containing three new songs and some added bells and whistles. The Challenger kicks off with the title-track and the members of Intronaut pick up where they previously left off with a fairly straight-forward display of metal, oftentimes reminiscent of High on Fire. "Whittler of Fortune" sees … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Don't Mess With Texas

Los Dias de Junio
Moonlee (2007)

Don't Mess with Texas is my first exposure to any artist from the country of Croatia. Despite reading through their one-sheet, I was a little skeptical of what I might hear - some crazy gypsy folk perhaps? Nevertheless, Los Dias de Junio made its way into my CD player and I was rewarded for my lack of abandoning hope. Los … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Flatliners

The Great Awake
Fat Wreck Chords (2007)

The Flatliners hail from Toronto, Canada and The Great Awake is their second full-length. By the Fat Wreck Chords connection, you can certainly expect this, in the most general of descriptions, to be punk music. And sure enough, The Flatliners offer up twelve punk anthems to cause a ruckus to on this album. However, The Flatliners aren't your run-of-the-mill punk … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Catalyst / Brainworms

Split
Rorschach (2007)

This split 7" features two up-and-comers from the hardcore punk scene of Richmond, VA: The Catalyst and Brainworms. Brianworms is up first with two cuts. "Winnie Cooper" takes to the less caustic sound we heard on the band's previous release. The song is a lot more indie rock than hardcore or punk; at times it reminds me of The (International) … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Flash Attacks

Revenge of the Fruit Flies
Circle F (2007)

I know I've said this before, but sometimes a randomly received album can be a pleasant surprise. The Flash Attacks latest 7" release, Revenge of the Fruit Flies arrived at my door unsolicited, but you won't hear me complaining. Over the course of these four songs, the New Jersey three-piece unleashes a high-octane onslaught of hardcore punk with some thrashy … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza

Danza II: The Electric Boogaloo
Black Market Activities (2007)

This Louisiana/Tennessee metal conglomerate has a fairly funny yet juvenile name that is likely a huge hit with the faux-hardcore kids. But rather than live off of namesake alone, The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza can actually write a good song or two. Danza II: The Electric Boogaloo is the band's second full-length and third overall release. Since releasing their self-titled … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Narrows

Benjamin
Wantage (2007)

The Narrows have been a band for nearly nine years and yet this is my first exposure to them. And its not like they haven't been trying; the three-piece outfit from Bellingham, WA have released an EP or LP for nearly every year they've been a band. Benjamin is the band's fifth full-length and clocks in at just under fifty … Read more

200 Words Or Less

New Atlantic

The Streets, the Sounds, and the Love
Eyeball (2007)

Hmmmmmm. That's the sound inside my head when I popped in New Atlantic's The Streets, the Sounds, and the Love. That is the sound of deep contemplation on what exactly New Atlantic is trying to accomplish with their first full-length. Hmmmmmm. The sound continues as I make my way through the ten songs that comprise this album. I hear pop-driven … Read more

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