Gogol Bordello
Pura Vida Conspiracy
ATO (2013)
Gogol Bordello, on their earlier releases, were one of those rare bands that everybody agreed was a must-see live band that and was able to capture a reasonable facsimile of that imperative on record. Later releases, in particular the band's 2010 release Trans-Continental Hustler, were not as successful capturing that live energy in the studio.Pura Vida Conspiracy is a step … Read more
Gojira
L'Enfant Sauvage
Roadrunner (2012)
If there's any band that defies easy description, it has to be French progressive metal band Gojira. Featuring influences and techniques from a variety of complex metal genres, incredibly technically talented band members, and an environmental fixation only a few degrees short of an actual whale fetish, these guys are anything but your standard death metallers. Add on a quartet … Read more
Gojira
Magma
Roadrunner (2016)
Gojira are an anomaly. Not because they're form France, though French metal is somewhat of a rarity - but Gojira are one of the few bands that have long held the respect of fans, peers and critics alike. This will not change with Magma, the band's sixth album. If anything, their ascension in this regard is most likely assured with … Read more
Gold
Optimist
Van Records (2017)
GOLD is the brainchild of Thomas Sciarone, known from his work with occult doom act The Devil's Blood. Having released two very good albums so far, in Interbellum and No Image, they are now carrying down on the same dark path with Optimist. GOLD is a notoriously difficult band to pinpoint sonically. Sure, they exist within a rock setting, but … Read more
Golden Bear
Golden Bear
C-Side (2006)
There's a lot of arrogance that floats around the music world, from the self-aggrandized success stories told through the eyes of pop-rappers to the sheer self-belief in the glory and romance of what the neo-punk world is doing. For sheer bombasticism, however, the award surely has to go to the popular-indie set. Full of ignoramuses strutting around and playing songs … Read more
Golden City
Golden City
Magic Bullet (2009)
This eight-song EP is completely and utterly awesome. I really wasn't expecting much from former Christie Front Drive guitar player Eric Richter since last I heard he was in the coma-inducing Antarctic. However, Golden City is just great. I'm having a hard time expressing just great these eight songs really are, but I'm going to try, really, I am. Imagine … Read more
Golden Light
Sacred Colour of the Source of Light
Iron Bonehead (2020)
Black metal has a limited association with light-emitting objects. The genre's name references a void, or space that is absent of light. Most album art features monochromatic night scenes. And lastly, its adherents tend to be pale (that is pre corpse paint application) and vitamin D deficient from an apparent lack of sun exposure. There is a Darkthrone album that … Read more
Goldfinger
Hello Destiny
Side One Dummy (2008)
Men in their late-thirties making vague statements about the future's uncertainty under the guise of it being punk rock, there's something concerning about this. It's as if their quarter-life crisis is stretching into mid-life, arresting their development into adulthood. Hello Destiny, the newest album by Goldfinger, finds the SoCal band exactly in this position, angry at the world, rehashing the … Read more
Goldfrapp
Supernature
Mute (2005)
Sitting at a bar in a pub a couple of years back is a lovely looking young lady. The hero of this fictional and highly clich'd story, Fred, strides forth. He has his game face on and is looking for love, or something similar. 'Hi,' he says, not showing the fear, 'My name's Fred. Can I buy you a drink?' … Read more
Goldie Lookin' Chain
Safe as Fuck
Atlantic (2005)
2004 was an odd year in the United Kingdom. The word 'chav' became part of everyday life, there was an extremely hot summer (the likes of which we had never seen), and a bizarre group of Welshmen came out of nowhere to become the most talked about group of the year (mainly in the tabloids). Goldie Lookin' Chain's Greatest Hits, … Read more
Gone is Gone
Echolocation
Rise (2017)
Mastodon are no stranger to side projects. Hell, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds has released two in the last year alone, with his new Legend of the Seagullmen album due in September. Brann Dailor released Arcadea, also on this years’ top 25 list, and Bill Kelliher doesn’t need your goddamn validation!Gone is Gone is the amalgamation of Mastodon bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist … Read more
Gonzales
Checkmate
Chorus of One (2009)
It shouldn't take a Johnny Cash song to make a record take off. With Checkmate, from Gonzales, that's exactly the problem. The first hook to really pull you in comes on "Ring of Fire," which sets a positive tone for everything that follows after it. Unfortunately, that's only the final three songs. At their heart, Gonzales seek to be a … Read more
Good Clean Fun
Between Christian Rock and a Hard Place
Equal Vision (2006)
I can't think of one person out there that doesn't like to laugh. However, not everyone likes to laugh at the same things. Some people think Adam Sandler is funny; I don't. Some people think Robin Williams is a hoot; I don't. Hell, some people think American's Funniest Home Videos was the greatest show in television history; I... well, who … Read more
Good Friend
Ride The Storm
Red Scare Industries (2016)
I’m a fan of a select little niche of pop punk. The cleaner the voices, the more I tend to dislike it or just not connect. However, Red Scare Industries has been capturing a nice little segment that hits right in the middle between my proffered gruff stuff with the more up-front and happier sounding ilk (on the surface, anyway). … Read more
Good Friend
The Erin Rose EP
Red Scare Industries (2020)
And the prize for hardest to search for online bandname goes to Good Friend from Belfast. Nah, just kidding, I can think of harder to find bands. No comes to mind or On. As if they don’t want you to know they exist at all. We are not discussing other bands though, we are gathered here today to discuss the … Read more
Good Old War
Come Back As Rain
Sargent House (2012)
The first time I heard Good Old War, I heard them live - probably the best way to listen to them, in my opinion. Their harmonies, melodies and musical arrangements are way more impressive that way. They were opening for Guster and after their performance of "My Own Sinking Ship," I was sold on them. (All I have to say … Read more
Good Riddance
Bound By Ties of Blood and Affection
Fat Wreck Chords (2003)
Oddly enough, this album doesn't start off with a 30 second sound clip. That being said, the album blasts off immediately with pure hardcore fury. For those not familiar with the band, do not let this description repel you. These guys belt out their hardcore with a fresh dose of pop-punk and melodic, yet abrasive vocals. In fact, their style, … Read more
Good Riddance
My Republic
Fat Wreck Chords (2006)
The opening of My Republic could easily be mistaken for the opening to just about any guitar based album from the past 30 years, with quietly plucked single notes pushing along for a moment or two. It is only as "Out of Mind" explodes into the best Bad Religion song since Mr. Brett left the band for the first time … Read more
