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)

The River Bends

And Flows into the Sea
Tooth & Nail (2004)

Denison Witmer-say the name with me- Den-i-son Wit-mer. We are doing this exercise for two reasons, because a) his name is kinda hard to pronounce and b) I don't want you to forget it. Now I suppose you want to know who this guy is and what does he have to do with The River Bends? Well, please allow me to entertain your curiosity (isn't this fun!?!?). Denison Witmer is a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, who has released several unbelievably good records with the label Burnt Toast Vinyl. After extensive touring he returned home and developed concepts for two albums rating high on the unique-o-meter. The first of these is an album composed soley of cover songs that pay tribute to handful of heroes. In any other case I would place all songs written by Jackson Browne or Neil Young in the "untouchable" file within the cover song warehouse, but on Recovered, Witmer flawlessly produces interpretations that could make the original songwriters weep, with joy of course. Witmer's second brainchild is what I am presenting you with today: a side project called The River Bends. On this record Witmer has teamed up with a group of "friends," as indicated on the … Read more

Beastie Boys

To the 5 Boroughs
Capitol (2004)

A lot has transpired since the Beastie Boys released their last full-length Hello Nasty nearly six years ago. George W. … Read more

Hot Cross

Fair Trades And Farewells
Level Plane (2004)

When I mention Hot Cross a lot of time I'll hear some clever person sing the Hot Cross Buns jingle. … Read more

Gift of Gab

4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up
Quannum Projects (2004)

For the following reasons I'm a firm believer that every CD collection should contain a few albums that confuse people … Read more

Tahiti 80

A Piece of Sunshine
Minty Fresh (2004)

The temperatures across the States are getting higher. Flowers are approaching or at their finest state. The cicadas are dying … Read more

Isis

Oceanic Remixes Volume I
Robotic Empire (2004)

I am going to assume for your own sake that you are familiar with Isis, the doom-sludge-metal outfit that saw … Read more

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One from the archives

Smohalla

Résilience
Arx Productions (2011)

More and more it seems the once outer edges of Black Metal have become some of their most well known to the outside world. Where as at one point bands like Alcest and Agalloch would have very little standing outside of their little piece of the record buying public, they may be a couple of the most well known current bands carrying the black metal mantle. While neither of these bands traditionally fall into the genre Smohalla fails to follow tradition either. The two man project, save for a few guests on the album, has managed to make their debut full length stick out like a sore thumb even among their supposed peers. The band share similar flirtations with ambiance, classical structures and Industrial sounds as projects such as Blut … Read more

More album reviews

Atreyu

The Curse
Victory (2004)

The first time I ever heard Atreyu, I started laughing. Everything about them was laughable to me; from the name of the record Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses to the overly typical "singing into screaming into mosh" formula they followed, to the already played out "fashioncore" image they displayed. However, after my laughter subsided, I also said to myself, "this … Read more

The Advantage

The Advantage
5 Rue Christine (2004)

From my childhood there are some very specific things that I can recall: the first time I had sex (in preschool I thought it was lying on top of girls and licking them), when I realized there was no Santa Clause (sorry if I ruined that for any of you), and when I received my NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). The … Read more

Pedro the Lion

Achilles Heel
Jade Tree (2004)

Of all the bands I've liked at one point, I don't think I've received quite as much flack for any as much as I have Pedro the Lion. I've never quite 'gotten' the abhorrence some have felt for the band, as vocalist and lyricist David Bazan seems to teeter just far enough between both gratingly annoying and remarkably above par … Read more

Matt Pond PA

Emblems
Altitude (2004)

I once had a substitute teacher that repeated something 10 times, because he said that people have to hear something at least 8 times before it actually gets into their head. I had to see Matt Pond PA in print 10 times before I went to buy their latest, Emblems. When I got to the store, they didn't have it … Read more

The Magnetic Fields

I
Nonesuch (2004)

Disclaimer: I am not actually going to write much about this album itself because I don't have too much to say about it, and I feel I'm entitled to at least one snarky review here. Christ, I've grown to hate the self-conscious style of writing that's so easily employed to take a way out of a review or any other … Read more

Ryan Adams

Love is Hell
Lost Highway (2004)

Well, it's been a busy year for our friend Ryan Adams: a rock and roll record, two EP's, a broken heart, and a broken wrist. This is a lot to fit in, especially considering how busy he was whining about reviews and threatening to retire from music. If there is one thing I can count on each month it's that … Read more

Secret Chiefs 3

Book of Horizons
Mimicry (2004)

For many, Secret Chiefs 3 is considered to be "Mr. Bungle minus Mike Patton." While I feel this description does a grave injustice to the band, there are those out there blind to the genius that Secret Chiefs 3 has committed to tape. This is quite unfortunate for them, and coming from the Patton super-fan that I am, this remark … Read more

Plan of Attack

The Working Dead
Organized Crime (2004)

Upon their inception a few years ago, Plan of Attack was already a cut above a lot of the hardcore bands in the Midwest. Now, a demo, a 7", and a live 7" split with Terror & The Promise later, they continue to remain a cut above most of the hardcore bands around. Perhaps it's the background diversity of the … Read more

Ween

Quebec
Sanctuary (2003)

Ween. What the fuck is Ween? I sure don't know. If someone asked me to tell them about Ween, I would probably rub jelly on my testicles and do a handstand whilst eating Captain Crunch Cereal Bars . This band is fucked up. Not fucked up like retarded midgets playing Frisbee in a pool of peanut butter, but more fucked … Read more

Crime In Stereo

Explosives and the Will to Use Them
Blackout! (2004)

I've gone off on tangents about the current state of hardcore in a bunch of other reviews, so I'll spare you the long-winded speech. We all realize that bands that would have been brushed over two years ago are starting to get a little more attention from the mainstream. And one of the hotbeds of this recent punk rock craze … Read more

With Passion

In The Midst Of Bloodied Soil
Earache (2004)

An important point in anybody's musical listening/purchasing career is when they first realize that there are LPs and EPs. The difference between the two is that the EP, extended play, is just a handful of songs, while the LP, long play, is a full complete album usually lasting between 20-60 minutes depending on the genre. What I soon realized was … Read more

Kanye West

The College Dropout
Roc-A-Fella (2004)

Each year there are only a few hip-hop discs I pick up and really enjoy. They have to be more than something I'll listen to for a month and then quickly tire of (ex. 50 Cent). The disc this year is Kanye West's The College Dropout. I first got the album way back in February, during the initial hype for … Read more

Harkonen & These Arms Are Snakes

Like a Virgin
Hydra Head (2004)

When I was in the sixth grade I had a birthday party and for some reason one of my classmates, his name was Seth, gave me a copy of Sir Mix-A-Lot's album Mack Daddy. I didn't ask for it, I guess he just assumed it was something I would enjoy. Anyways, contained on said album is a track entitled "Seattle … Read more

!!!

Louden Up Now
Touch & Go (2004)

This whole intro paragraph is going to serve as a completely unneeded expository explanation on how dance music has all of a sudden become huge with indie kids. Yeah, so dance music. It's become pretty big hasn't it? I guess there are a few kinds: shit like The Rapture, where's these sleazy kids dancing around; terrible stuff like The Faint … Read more

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