Like all of you, when i think of Portugal, I think of three things: the architect Miguel von Hafe P'rez, tungsten mines, and metal. I know what you're thinking - I'm biased. Sure, we're all familiar with bands like Holocausto Canibal, Acromaniacos and Bizarra Locomotiva - all of which are named after famous Portuguese papal candidates. But no, be strong! Just because they're Portuguese, they're not necessarily the automatic "shizz". Twenty Inch Burial's How Much Will We Laugh and Smile? is a pretty decent listen when there's nothing good on the Circulodefogo show. Their second full-length release, not including 2 EP's and the split release with New Jersey's With Resistance, How Much Will We Laugh and Smile? - hence fore to be known as Smile, because I'm just too goddamn lazy - shows a band not afraid to kick our respective pricks into the course red dust of Portugal with openers like "Five Forward" and "Letters of Discontempt.' It's enough to make me wish I was a young matador again - happily running through the streets of Lisbon with ripe tomatoes purchased at the local Safewayos. Rui Miguel Br's knows how to belt 'em out with the best of 'em, … Read more
2005 has been a good year for British bands so far; it seems that for the first time since Brit-Pop … Read more
Let's be honest; Canada is pretty fucking cool.. First sentence and I've already used a semicolon...so very Canada-esque. Who's been … Read more
This quartet hails from Belgium and obviously has better taste in music than a good portion of the people I … Read more
I once spent a month sleeping in a cramped, musty basement that doubled as a practice space for Small Towns … Read more
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Jon Snodgrass used a sling a guitar in Armchair Martian and Drag the River but decided to go with the singer-songwriter route and dropped Visitor's Band on us in 2009. I never familiarized myself with the country-fried Drag the River. However, I recall Armchair Martian being a guitar heavy pop-punk rock band that Bill and Stephen from ALL always seem to produce their records. Jon Snodgrass has a pleasant somewhat nasally voice that propels this mostly acoustic album. There's plenty of guest stars Chris from Doc Hopper, Jason Livermore, Joey Erg, and Two Cow Garage on the electrified tracks. Visitor's Band is a bar album for aged pop-punksters that have beards and wear faded baseball caps, jeans, and flannels all year long (*cough fellow SPB scribe, Zach F cough*). I … Read more
You would be hard pressed to come across a review of Magnolia Electric Co.'s What Comes after the Blues that doesn't mention Neil Young. The reason for this is pretty simple, it sounds very reminiscent of Neil Young, on first listen at least. People who count this as a fault haven't been paying much attention to Jason Molina's body of … Read more
Baroness have been one of music's best kept secrets. With the release of their first record, an EP titled First last year, some ears began to perk up and some eyes were opened. Now, with their sophomore effort, Second, everybody who is anybody has taken notice to this Georgia band who are looking to take the metal scene by storm. … Read more
Meneguar, formerly Sheryl's Magnetic Aura, hails from New York and has members of Books Lie, I Am the Resurrection, and The State Secedes. Despite the impressive background of influential and often underrated hardcore bands, Meneguar doesn't bear much resemblance to their previous endeavors. In fact, they're not even hardcore. However, this is definitely as good as or better than anything … Read more
Boring. Derivate. Crap. These are all words that I have heard individuals use when referring to the craze of post-rock/instru-metal that is sweeping our nation, not to mention the rest of the world. One could argue, for days or even weeks, and I'm sure many of you do, over topics such as this. And while I do enjoy a good … Read more
By now you know who's in Some Girls. The cred they've garnered through their previous bands at this point doesn't mean shit if the songs suck. Luckily for Some Girls, they don't suck. With each release they have gotten progressively weirder. The Rains was a grungy thrash EP. The Blues was similar to The Rains but offered a glimpse in … Read more
If I had to nominate an album for the most bizarre and intriguing release of 2005 thus far, I would have no problem choosing Sir Millard Mulch's How to Sell the Whole Fucking Universe to Everybody... Once and For All for that award. This two disc album - marketed as a three disc venture for comedic purposes that I'll explain … Read more
Before I get to the review of Isle of View's Gentle Firefly Radio, I must state the following. This is by no means whatsoever a biased review. I like pop-punk music. I love The Descendants, earlier New Found Glory, Blink 182, and so on. But I don't like this band. Gentle Firefly Radio is very boring, and the singer's voice … Read more
Is this what you kids call "screamo" nowadays? I don't know and I don't care. As far as I'm concerned all music should be split into two genres: the one I like and the one I don't. This album would then fall under the second category, well the first band at least. The album is a split between two bands: … Read more
Contrary to what anyone may think, writing an unbiased review is actually a pretty difficult process. I mean, when it comes to certain bands that you may have liked for years, that whole impartiality thing is a lot harder to come by than for a band you've never heard of before. What's worse is that when Frostmourn's Fall of Lordaron … Read more
"Evolution is the key to survival." I don't know which famous individual stated this, but I am quoting them both out of respect as well as out of fear of getting sued. Whoever that wiseman was, he was absolutely correct. History has taught us that a failure to evolve - no matter what the context - results in certain doom. … Read more
The Lost Patrol started up as Dennis Lyxzen's solo project with the help of his close friends. Unlike the innovative post-hardcore act Refused and 60's throwback retro-punk outfit The (International) Noise Conspiracy, The Lost Patrol is less aggressive and makes use of layers of melody and acoustic guitars. Lyxzen's solo debut under the moniker was Songs of Key Resistance, which … Read more
Let me say this right off the bat: this album is perfect. Modern Life is War has created a record that, at least to this reviewer, ranks right up there with Bane's Give Blood and American Nightmare's Background Music. The sound is actually remarkably similar to Background Music, however not in any way that My Love, My Way wasn't. I … Read more
There are undoubtedly many of those who claim that hardcore is a dull, stagnant genre in serious need of a quick, timely death. It's easy to see from where they draw their argument, because hardcore is a hugely popular genre that has simply refused to evolve for far too long. Fortunately for the hardcore aficionado with discerning taste, there have … Read more
Xiu Xiu is one of those bands you either love or hate. They are hard to get into; they talk about some of the most socially taboo topics, and in general are just out there. To me, their music is a cacophony of amazing music. On their latest outing, La Forét, meaning 'the forest' or 'the drill', the band returns … Read more
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