Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly

The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager
Atlantic (2006)

Raise your hands if you've ever spent time as a teenager, on the brink of stepping out into the world at large, uncertain of what awaits you. Keep those hands up if you've ever questioned your place in that world, not just on a personal level, but if you've ever wondered what you can do to affect what's around you. Have you ever wondered what mark you'll leave behind? Hands still up? Then you may have just found your album of the year in the shape of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly's The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager. Sam Duckworth, apart from having a penchant for distracting names and titles (see "If I had £30 for Every Song Title I'd be 30 Short of Getting Out of this Mess"), knows what it's like to question the future, as well as the environment which makes it up, and he presents his musings on what it's like to be said Bohemian teenager to a backdrop of melodic, electronica-tinged folk. An obvious point of comparison would be Bright Eyes' Digital Ash in a Digital Urn meets Billy Bragg's political folk stylings. Apart form sharing a similar South End accent with the esteemed left-wing … Read more

Pretty Girls Make Graves

Élan Vital
Matador (2006)

When Pretty Girls Make Graves released their 2003 album The New Romance, I didn't think there was any way for … Read more

Coliseum / Young Widows

Split
Relapse (2006)

First off, the packaging on this limited release is top notch. It's a screen-printed, foil stamped, cardboard "case" that is … Read more

Paris Hilton

Paris
Warner Bros. (2006)

Though I'm sure none of you indie elite need to be reminded, but allow me to assert that Paris Hilton … Read more

Harvey Milk

Special Wishes
Megablade/Troubleman Unlimited (2006)

In 1955, photographer Robert Frank received a grant from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to travel the country photographing … Read more

The Neon Hookers

Calling All Creeps!
Cabal (2006)

Calling All Creeps! is the debut EP from The Neon Hookers. Okay, so the band's choice in name isn't the … Read more

Browse our review archives

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

748 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

4854 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Jim Ruland

Do What You Want - Bad Religion
Hachette Publishing (2020)

Bad Religion recently rode an extensive virtual bonanza, where they celebrated their fortieth anniversary with a series called “Decades”. i.e. four episodes where the band played songs live from each decade since the 1980s streamed from The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles and accompanied by interviews. Watching the first two episodes reminded me of how much Bad Religion coined my formative years, especially the 80s and 90s period. I vividly remember when one of the older musically clued in punks I hung out with played Suffer and No Control back to back for me. I was immediately hooked, which given the excellence of those two albums and what was to become the trademark Bad Religion-style, was not further wondrous.Witnessing them incarnating live in the early 1990s still ranks as a … Read more

More album reviews

Fear Before the March of Flames

The Always Open Mouth
Equal Vision (2006)

According to guitarist Adam Fischer, "The Always Open Mouth is the person in the crowd who, when you say something, they yell out 'Fuck you, play another song'." With this in mind, it's not hard to imagine what to expect from Fear Before the March of Flame's third album. Raw and scathing, this is an all-out attack on the ignorant … Read more

Fear Before the March of Flames

The Always Open Mouth
Equal Vision (2006)

Very few bands, after putting out two records that made me cringe, put out a record that moves me. Not very few, make that zero bands, except for Fear Before the March of Flames. Odd How People Shake and Art Damage were both unappetizing attempts to reach some sort of plateau where they could rain down shit on everyone around … Read more

Final Fight / Life Long Tragedy

Split
Deathwish Inc. (2006)

A quick warning before you read this review: This will be the most biased review I've written for Scene Point Blank. Remove from the equation the fact that I have business relations with one band. Remove from the equation the fact that both bands I consider to be some of the best friends I've ever made in the hardcore "scene." … Read more

Final Fight / Life Long Tragedy

Split
Deathwish Inc. (2006)

The vast majority of hardcore that's described as "heartfelt" comes off sounding "cheesy," "uninspired," and "contrived." The "emotive" vocals as "whiny." You get the idea. Southern California and Northern California's respective Final Fight and Life Long Tragedy are two vital exceptions, pioneering their own brand of modern hardcore. With their debut full-lengths in 2005, Under Attack and Destined for Anything, … Read more

Circles

When the Big River Floods
Well Below (2006)

When the Big River Floods sounds like Circles recorded it in a basement while drunk. Rough and ragged, the influences that are melted together to form the seven song mini-album slur their way along through confused drum-rhythms, low mix horns and a hell of a lot of rock, country, folk, and jazz. But not in a way that's ever really … Read more

Hammock

Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo
Darla (2006)

I have been following Hammock's short career so far and have enjoyed everything that they have put out. Their 2004 effort Kenotic and the 2005 release of Stranded Under Endless Sky were enjoyable listens that found their way into my rotation once every couple months or so. With their signing to Darla, Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo is … Read more

Kayo Dot

Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue
Robotic Empire (2006)

Premise: An album comprised of five tracks. -Five tracks, man? Pffft, how long could it be? -Like, you know... longer than that Locust joint. -No way? Which Locust joint? -Any of them, and yeah way. -Kayo Dot's on Robotic Empire. So, this album's a combination of spazzy drumbeats, everywhere guitar parts, and harsh vocals - that I love, of course … Read more

In First Person

Lost Between Hands Held Tight
Paramnesia (2006)

A few months ago in Scene Point Blank's Mid Year feature I mentioned that Paramnesia Records had been the record label of the year up to that point, and that I was looking forward to their next release by In First Person. That release is now here, and with it comes the solidification of my belief that Paramnesia is the … Read more

Rally the Fray

To Never Live in Denial
Volatile (2006)

I don't know about anyone else but when I get a new album I don't listen to it right away at first. I usually check out the song the titles, then I look at the thank-you list, and then read over some lyrics just I can get a feel for the band before I actually listen to the music. Sometimes … Read more

Born from Pain

War
Metal Blade (2006)

Born from Pain's fourth full-length, War, is the next logical step for the Dutch masters of hardcore. The music still draws heavily from the 90's New York hardcore scene as well as hints of late 80's thrash metal. But in addition to what you'd expect from Born from Pain, the band has thrown in a few surprises to spice up … Read more

The Automatic

Not Accepted Anywhere
B-Unique (2006)

Ok, first things first, let's get this straight: I hate The Killers. I wish The Bravery would go back to being a ska band because, hey, at least no one thought they were cool then. And as for the last A.F.I. album, well, the less said about that the better. The point that I'm trying to get at here is … Read more

Goatwhore

A Haunting Curse
Metal Blade (2006)

This album is a devastating wake up call if you put it on before your 7:00 AM morning commute. I almost swerved in surprise when it first came forth from the car speakers. A Haunting Curse is the third album from this New Orleans four-piece and marks their debut for Metal Blade. Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal and Morbid Angel … Read more

Gaza

I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die
Black Market Activities (2006)

Gaza's debut full length I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die is stark and uncompromising. When there are too many black metal bands gaining notoriety with gimmicky "evil," Gaza's work exposes the dark, cancerous, masochistic underbelly of America and by extension, human nature. But this isn't some subversive highbrow "art-core" with subtle references to Neitschzean melodrama - this … Read more

Wolves in the Throne Room

Diadem of 12 Stars
Vendlus (2006)

When I saw Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, I was in major awe. The scene in which The Ents - the walking trees - hurl rocks was the ruckus I had been searching for my entire life. Giant trees fucking shit up. As kick ass as the scene could've been, we were treated to what can be simplified … Read more

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

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025