Legs Up / My War
Split
State of Mind (2004)
Split releases are a breed that can be difficult to review. Do I review each band's portion separately, or do I give the entire release one score? It's a tough call, but I think you have to treat each split album differently. This time around, mostly for Legs Up sake, I am going to review these two bands apart from … Read more
Lemuria
Get Better
Asian Man (2008)
Regardless of how terrible life can get, there is truth in the statement that things will Get Better. While most people are looking for success, happiness, and love to make them complete, it's the small things, the particulars, which make life so wonderful. Get Better is an album of the moments where the little things are absent, but it's hard … Read more
Lemuria
Lemuria
Art of the Underground (2005)
I have a bottomless love for Discount that no one I've ever met has matched. Together with Lifetime, they were the band that defined my high school years - I took up songs like "Disappointed" and "On the Counter" and made them my own; they were the soundtrack for my adolescent late nights. If I had been in a wistful … Read more
Lento
Live Recording 8-10-11
Denovali (2012)
When a band releases a live album, there's usually some great importance behind it, whether it be documenting an important performance, showing off some otherwise unreleased material. or just the band sharing a once-in-a-career quality set. Live recordings released for the sake of releasing a live recording otherwise tend to be bland, boring, and unnecessary, and if they're not handled … Read more
Leprous
Coal
Inside Out (2013)
Leprous have an odd claim to fame—they serve as the live backing for fellow Norwegian metalhead Ihsahn (who, in turn, is known for his time as the vocalist for Emperor). But as their own band with a modest discography under their belts, Leprous play a much more subdued, near-rock version of progressive metal, and the stylistic difference is readily recognizable … Read more
Les Discrets
Ariettes Oubliées...
Prophecy Productions (2012)
France's Les Discrets have been active for nigh on nine years, yet are only on the cusp of their second full length release. Driving force Fursy Teyssier has had a hand in one of the greatest exports of the majestic French scene, Amesoeurs (unfortunately a band no longer in existence), and once upon a time toured with Alcest as their … Read more
Les Georges Leningrad
Deux Hot Dogs Moutarde Chou
Alien 8 (2004)
Apparently the title of Les Georges Leningrad's latest translates to "Two Hot Dogs Mustard Cabbage." Whatever. I don't actually own this record. I downloaded it, and for some reason, the titles are different than what how the group's website lists them. I don't feel shame for downloading, but I'd like to state that I do regret not having this on … Read more
Les Lullies
Mauvaise Foi
Slovenly (2023)
I’m not going to pretend I know any French, but I can tell you that the rhythm of the language is perfect for Les Lullies. Mauvaise Foi (“Bad Faith,” according to google), begins with the title track, a barn burning guitar rocker with big licks and a repetitive chorus in 4/4 time. It’s immediately familiar in that garage rock way, … Read more
Les Savy Fav
3/5 (Reissue)
French Kiss (2006)
The shakedown: In 1997, a five-piece post-punk rock outfit based out of Brooklyn released ten songs on an album titled 3/5. The album title is more relevant to the band today then it was when they first released it. Back then the band had five out of five of the original line-up. Today, only three out of the five members … Read more
Les Savy Fav
Inches
French Kiss (2004)
Dear Tim Harrington, I don't know if you remember, but when you played at the Great American Music Hall the night before Thanksgiving last year, there was a tall guy with glasses and a moustache. Well, specifically that tall guy with glasses was me. Do you remember giving me a high five after you touched your ass? I certainly do, … Read more
Les Yeux De La Tête
Mosca Violenta
Head Records (2013)
Jazz metal three-piece Les Yeux De La Tête’s (translation: The Eyes Of The Head) second full-length release, Mosca Violenta, is a vicious 11-song steamroller of sludgy riffs, raucous drum patterns, and avant-garde saxophone lines. For a guitarless, sparse album, MV is surprisingly theatrical and fascinating.The trio’s doom jazz masterpiece opens with the demonic ska song “Fubar.” “Soutane Of Swing” is … Read more
Lesbian
Forestelevsion
Translation Loss (2013)
Talk about false advertising. As far as I can tell, the self-described "PsychoProgDoom" band Lesbian is based out of Seattle, not the Aegean island. Putting geographic misrepresentation aside, their latest album Forestelevision is truly a monster to behold.If you couldn't gather from their self description, Lesbian are a notoriously difficult band to pigeonhole. They have the psychedelic guitars straight out … Read more
Less Than Jake
In With the Out Crowd
Sire (2006)
I'm a huge Less Than Jake fan. Hello Rockview is one of my favorite albums ever recorded, so when I heard that the band would be working with Howard Benson (who produced that stellar record) to record In With the Out Crowd, I was pretty excited. The band commented on the record saying that the material would be leaning more … Read more
Let it Die
Stick to Your Guns
Spook City (2004)
The city of Detroit has a bad reputation on the streets of, well, the entire United States. It's known as a dirty, crime-ridden city full of despair and wretched individuals. While I am sure there is some truth to this, it is likely nothing more than a generalization blown way out of proportion. Nevertheless, the city has spawned some fairly … Read more
Let Me In
The Bag
Penthar Music (2011)
When I was asked to write a review for the band Let Me In’s debut album, The Bag and they were categorized as an Italian pop/punk band I was a bit intrigued. One thing that jumps at the listener from the start of the record is that these guys know how to rock. Italy isn’t known for producing pop-punk bands … Read more
Let Me Run
Meet Me at the Bottom
XOXO (2009)
Hailing from New Jersey, Let Me Run is the latest in a series of bands walking the line between the punk, rock and roll, and the blues. The cues that Let Me Run take are some that many other bands before them have also had - Springsteen, The Clash, and Hot Water Music - but this four-piece find a way … Read more
Let Planes Circle Overhead
Let Planes Circle Overhead
Motivesounds (2005)
Tantric music has its charms, but more often than not, it's boring as shit. What's tantric music you ask? Well I'll tell you, you nosey bastards. We all know what tantric sex is and the music works on the same principle. It starts out soft and mellow, keeps building and building, gets harder and harder, but never busts a nut. … Read more
Leviathan
Scar Sighted
Profound Lore (2015)
It has been quite a journey for Jef Whitehead, aka Wrest, and for his solo project Leviathan. The longevity of the band is quite astonishing when you consider that its inception dates back to the late ‘90s, releasing myriads of demos through the years before the debut album, The Tenth Sublevel of Suicide, came out, with the aggressive sound of … Read more
