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)

Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

Cursive is one of my favorite bands. I was highly anticipating the release of their sixth LP, Happy Hollow. It had been over a year since their fifth release, The Difference Between Houses and Homes, a collection of b-sides, and over three years since the highly acclaimed The Ugly Organ. With all this time, I was sure Cursive would release their best album to date. Oh, how disappointment stings. My first disappointment was the absence of Cursive's cellist, Greta Cohn, who departed from the band earlier this year. The cello had given the band's music such a haunting sound. The album still utilizes instruments, such as horns in the tracks "Retreat!" and "At Conception," but the loss gave this album an overall feeling of emptiness. Tim Kasher, one of my all-time favorite frontmen for his raw, real, emotive voice, strayed from his powerful sound. Happy Hollow is not laden with the anguished yelling that Kasher is known for. His voice lacks emotion, which makes his words unconvincing. Happy Hollow is a concept album. The album is divided into fourteen hymns for heathens, with the first track being a prelude and the last an overview of the album, listing the themes … Read more

Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

After completing their tour in support of the 2003 release The Ugly Organ, Cursive went on what many fans feared … Read more

Outkast

Idlewild
LaFace (2006)

Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton have reached an interesting point in their careers. After a handful of exceptional albums, Outkast … Read more

Turn It Around

These Days
This Blessing, This Curse (2006)

It's been a while since Sacramento churned out a new band worth hearing, but Turn it Around is that band. … Read more

Triple Twins/A Roman Holiday

Split
Rorschach (2006)

The A-Side of this split features indie rock outfit A Roman Holiday. Their first contribution to this split is "Octopus." … Read more

Steel Trap

Cold.Dead.Broke.
This Blessing, This Curse (2006)

Steel Trap is the latest export from the highly talented Bay Area scene. This five-piece group serves up volatile hardcore … Read more

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One from the archives

Johann Johannsson

Orphee
Deutsche Grammophon (2016)

The Icelandic composer has risen magnificently in the last few years due to his works within the film domain. A prolific artist, Johannsson has contributed with scores for some excellent recent movies, including The Theory of Everything, as well as his frequent collaborations with visionary director Denis Villeneuve, in Prisoners, Sicario and the upcoming Arrival. Johannsson returns now with Orphee, his Deutsche Grammophon debut, an album that he considers his first “true” full-length in six years.The reason for Johannsson considering Orphee his first record in that time span is due to his continuous work with film soundtracks. This is the first time in that period when the composer is allowed to work unrestrained from an existing film or script. Taking influence from Ovid's rendition of Orpheus' myth, he sets out … Read more

More album reviews

Shipwreck

Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2006)

This 7" has launched Shipwreck to the forefront of the hardcore scene, and with their recent signing to Deathwish, further fuel has been added to the flames. Side A opens with a little acoustic number akin to the theme from Desperado before things really kick off. "Au Pach" draws heavily on the mid-90's scene that first combined elements of metal … Read more

Our Times

Our Times
Headcount (2006)

Buffalo has a rich history as far as hardcore goes. In recent years things have been a bit stagnant, but bands like Dead Hearts and Our Times are looking to change that. Our Times are a straightedge band that play ultra-fast hardcore punk. Musically, I could see them fitting in with the Youngblood Records catalog. They've got that youth-crew revival … Read more

Deep Sleep

You're Screwed
Grave Mistake (2006)

You're Screwed is nine songs of modern punk from Baltimore-based Deep Sleep. The songs on this 7" are quick and to the point and fueled by high-octane energy. Unfortunately, Deep Sleep just really isn't my thing, which is surprising as they claim to be heavily influenced by the Descendents, who are one of my old-time favorites. But unlike the Descendents, … Read more

Cloak/Dagger

Piñata
Grave Mistake (2006)

When you look at the pedigree of Cloak/Dagger, you really can't argue with it: American Nightmare, Striking Distance, Count Me Out, and Trial by Fire, among others. But what is refreshing is that Piñata really doesn't sound exactly like any of those bands. Cloak/Dagger deliver four songs of aggressive hardcore-punk, not hardcore, not punk, on this 7". "Daggers Daggers" sets … Read more

Right On

Reality Vacation
Malfunction (2006)

There are a grand total of twenty-four tracks on Reality Vacation, that's a lot of hardcore. However, like most bands on Malfunction their first release on compact disc usually serves as a discography of sorts, which is always nice for the record player deficit out there. So let's divide this up. Tracks one through nine are the actual Reality Vacation … Read more

Rob Zombie

Educated Horses
Geffen (2006)

It's been four and a half years since Mr. Zombie last released an album of new material. That album was The Sinister Urge and I didn't like it. It sounded like an album of Hellbilly Deluxe (Zombie's vastly superior debut solo album) b-sides. A group of orphaned songs that was never quite good enough to be adopted into a real … Read more

108

Creation. Sustenance. Destruction.
Equal Vision (2006)

108 may have been one of the major proponents of the "Krishna core" movement of the early to mid 1990's in the hardcore and punk scene, but the religious or ideological essence of their music does not even come close to overshadowing the energetic, passionate music that they produced over their short but relatively productive lifetime. At this point it … Read more

Panic

Strength in Solitude
Bridge Nine (2006)

At first listen, Panic seems like your stereotypical Bridge Nine band. In a way they are, and in a way they aren't. But I'll get to that in a second. Strength in Solitude is a comprehensive look at everything the band produced in its first two years as a band (2000-2002). This includes the out-of-print Dying For It EP (2001) … Read more

Poison Idea

Latest Will and Testament
Farewell (2006)

The latest Poison Idea record, from the first impression left by the packaging, seems like a somber album rooted in tragedy. Originally dedicated to a recently deceased fan, Poison Idea was struck the heaviest blow of all - guitarist Pig Champion died of health complications. Latest Will and Testament explains itself - this record arrives as a way to remember … Read more

Dangers

Anger
Independent (2006)

It's all been done before. I'm not being jaded; I'm referring to what bands do to be "edgy." Hair in mohawks, boys wearing makeup, and eating your own (or someone else's) shit on stage, none of it is progressive and none of it is offensive. Actually...eating shit would still shake people up. But, anyways, Dangers realizes this and instead of … Read more

Ryan's Hope

Apocalypse in Increments
Punknews (2006)

If you're looking for a catchy yet simultaneously heavy melodic punk album, look no further than Ryan's Hope's sophomore release, Apocalypse in Increments. Blending monster hooks with production that makes every instrument kick as hard as it should, Apocalypse in Increments may have you wondering how you've never heard of this Chicago three-piece. The excellent production is care of Mr. … Read more

The Pledge

Distress
Independent (2006)

I don't really consider myself to be a professional journalist by any means. But in my position as an "in my spare time journalist" I frequently come across fairly unknown yet promising bands that are truly deserving of high praise. The most recent of those being Dayton, Ohio's The Pledge. Distress is the band's debut 7", or at least it … Read more

Hope and Anchor

The Wait and Wonder
Exotic Fever (2006)

I had the privilege of seeing Hope and Anchor on the final show of their tour in D.C.. It was a very personal and emotional set, with most of the crowd sitting down and listening intently as the band played without microphones and switched instruments and duties from song to song. Their set gave me a sense of calm, comfort, … Read more

Underoath

Define the Great Line
Tooth & Nail (2006)

It's pretty commendable that a band like Underoath, who easily could be on a major label right now after their extremely successful breakout album They're Only Chasing Safety, chose to stay with their original label Tooth and Nail. Even more impressive however is that their latest outing, Define the Great Line, is significantly more mature in their songwriting style and … Read more

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

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