Lingua Ignota
Sinner Get Ready
Sargent House (2021)
It is an act of courage to redefine oneself. Especially when the initial recipe and direction has been exciting and challenging. Yet, when a project is as intricate as Kristen Hayter’s Lingua Ignota there should not be any surprise when evolution is afoot. Hayter started in the underground, releasing the first two records of her project independently. Through the raw … Read more
Linkin Park
Minutes to Midnight
Warner Bros. (2007)
Like their peers Limp Bizkit, Korn and Slipknot, Linkin Park occupies the mysterious musical category of "Oh, they're still around?" In 2007, with the nu-metal genre almost completely replaced by nu-emo, the lumbering rap-rock of these late 90s behemoths is missing and presumed dead. So where does that leave Linkin Park? In the commercial musical world, it's evolve or die, … Read more
Lion of Judah
Soul Power
Lockin Out (2005)
Despite the obviously hippie-drawn, almost Narnian cover art, and a band name perhaps more likely to evoke visions of reggae or, even worse, Christian rock, Lion of Judah sound much more interested in the likes of Bad Brains and Fugazi than Bob Marley or Creed. Putting the DC back in hardcore - rightfully making it "harDCore" once again - Lion … Read more
Lion of Judah
Universal Peace
Youngblood (2006)
Youngblood Records has always been a good consistent label that specialized is putting out albums by fast pissed off straightedge bands like Carry On, Far From Breaking, and Desperate Measures. You always knew what you were going to get when you picked up a Youngblood release and I never put up a fight because I happen to like fast pissed … Read more
Lionize
Superczar and the Vulture
Pentimento Music (2011)
I rarely listen to music that isn't at least fifteen minutes long per song or lacks internal movement titles, so when I received Lionize's Superczar and the Vulture, understand I was stepping pretty far outside of my normal purview--I was pretty much giving this album a chance based on the incredibly intriguing title alone. Much to my surprise, I wound … Read more
Lions Lions
To Carve Our Names
Hollywood Waste (2012)
Lions Lions are a band you should be listening to, but probably aren’t. Regardless of the years spent developing in the local New England scene in a myriad of other very talented bands (including Vanna and Therefore I Am), Lions Lions continue to fly under the radar amongst the throngs of typical pop-punk bands now clogging up a new generation’s … Read more
Lipona
Pigeonholed
Independent (2009)
In what's already been a solid year for punk releases, Lipona's new self-released EP, Pigeonholed might fall under the radar to most listeners but if you do come across it, I would strongly suggest giving it a listen. Pigeonholed is a short but sweet EP of some nicely executed punk rock with a bit of a hardcore edge. The lyrics … Read more
Liquid Limbs
Orquid
Sound Study (2008)
I've never understood the concept of two-piece rock bands. Okay, smartasses, I get it; it's two people in a band. However I never grasped the concept of why these two people choose to call themselves a band when obviously the musical term to describe their joint venture would be duo. When a person thinks of a band a picture at … Read more
Liquids
More Thana Friend EP
Drunken Sailor (2017)
English record label Drunken Sailor Records released this sweet and short EP. For some reason that made me believe Liquids are an English band. And that’s not only because this EP is released on an English label. The band sounds like they could be from that funny little island. I was wrong though. Dead wrong. Liquids hails from Indiana. And … Read more
Lisasinson
Un Año De Cambios
Elefant Records (2023)
When we talk about pop-punk I, and I suspect you do this too, think about bands like Green Day and may drift off to Sum 41 and more bands like that had their prime in the late nineties and the early noughties. Spanish band Lisasinson play something that can only be described as pop-punk, but their sound has little in … Read more
Lithops
Mound Magnet Pt. 2: Elevations Above Sea Level
Killer Pimp (2008)
To those who have been diligently searching the internet for more exposition on the new Lithops project: Finally! Here it is! I have some bad news for you! This review is being written by a dude who calls this stuff techno and wears flannel. Deepest apologies to serious fans: I am just going to look at this as music. As … Read more
Little Brazil
Son
Anodyne Records (2009)
Musician Landon Hedges spent the better part of the late nineties/early two thousands playing along side Saddle Creek's most prominent singer/songwriters Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes. Desaparecidos) and Tim Kasher (Cursive, The Good Life). Looking for a more personal creative outlet, Hedge's began writing songs under the moniker Little Brazil. While originally planned as a solo project, Little Brazil quickly evolved … Read more
Little Sister
Split Up
Independent (2015)
Little Sister is an East Bay post-punk group with a passionate and well-deserved local following. The trio consists of Monbon and Erica, who both pull double duty on bass, guitar, and vocals, and Nada responsible, according to the album credits, for “drums, perc, beard and sunglasses.” Blues, soul, garage rock, early punk and, unless I’m mistaken, even salsa are among … Read more
Liturgy
Immortal Life
Unfun (2008)
Describing a band, group, or musical project as transcendental is a dangerously brash decision Without getting into the actual philosophical background of what transcendental means, labeling oneself as such could come off as high self praise. Liturgy is a one man (driven by one Hunter Hunt-Hendrix) black metal project from New York in the States which describes itself as pure … Read more
Liturgy
Renihilation
20 Buck Spin (2009)
Liturgy is part of what may be referred to the new school of hipster black metal. Sure this is an unfair assessment in reality but when Xasthur gets noted time and again on Pitchfork of all places it may benefit to note what type of black metal each release is. So in any case, Liturgy is from Brooklyn and they … Read more
Live for Today
Taking it Back
Our Pride/Positive Outlook (2006)
No pun intended, but good Lord, how gosh darn posi can one band be? I know straightedge hardcore is supposed to be a positive outlook on one's life and choices, but how much glee club positivity can one muster up and still consider themselves hard? Everything on Northern California's Live for Today debut EP Taking it Back is not just … Read more
Livimorket & Sequences
Voidness
Sunyata (2011)
Do you know why I find collaborative efforts so appealing in musical and other such sonic arenas (besides that they signal more work by artists that I follow / collect / obsess over)? There is an element of wonder and anticipation surrounding what exactly the final work will sound like once either collaborators or sets of collaborators work their respective … Read more
Living Hell
The Lost and the Damned
Revelation (2007)
Revelation Records has made quite the turn-around in the past two years. Besides mainstay Shai Hulud, the once hardcore-proud label has returned to its roots following a divergence in the indie-rock realm - Elliot, Christiansen, Since By Man, etc. The label has recently released several top-quality hardcore albums: Shook Ones, Down to Nothing, and Sinking Ships. Living Hell's debut full-length, … Read more
