Saul Williams
The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust
Fader (2008)
It's been over sixteen years since the death of Robert Lee Maupin, otherwise known as Iceberg Slim. An African-American author and poet responsible for works such as Pimp: The Story of My Life and Mama Black Widow: A Story of the South's Black Underworld, hHis works, while revolutionary at the time, have since been co-opted over the years to become … Read more
Saves the Day
Sound the Alarm
Vagrant (2006)
It's been noted that the names of New Jersey's Saves the Day's records have been somewhat contradictory to the bands' career: Can't Slow Down, Through Being Cool, and Stay What You Are. The release of 2003's In Reverie was marked by a critical panning and a fan reaction that was far from, well, reverie. In some ways, it wasn't surprising … Read more
Saves the Day
Under the Boards
Vagrant (2007)
Part two in the trilogy of concept (small C) albums, Under the Boards sees Saves the Day back on a quick release schedule. This follow up to Sound the Alarm took only a year to release, compared to the three that passed between Sound the Alarm and the critically-panned In Reverie. With a third record, Daybreak, already in the works … Read more
Saviours
Crucifire
Level Plane (2006)
I had been listening to this record for almost three weeks trying to place the sounds and get some kind of footing for writing about Crucifire. After completing some minor bit of research, I was shocked to learn that this album is the product of members of Yaphet Kotto, Bread and Circuits, and others. Saviours do not sound anything like … Read more
Say Anything
...is a Real Boy
Doghouse (2004)
Sometimes a simple idea for a record can be injected with such brutal honesty and wit that all simplicity is somehow lost in translation. As far as I know, ...is a Real Boy was intended to be a rock opera of sorts, but somewhere along the lines the idea sort of went awry. Either way, the songs on ...is a … Read more
Say Anything
Anarchy, My Dear
Equal Vision (2012)
Say Anything are a band who does the opposite of what you think they're going to do. For example, when they have an album titled, Anarchy, My Dear, you'd think it would be eleven tracks of fast, 3 guitar chord melodies that talk about disorder and chaos. Instead, frontman Max Bemis is again singing love songs to his newly betrothed: … Read more
Say Goodbye
Misanthropy
Western Front (2005)
Say Goodbye isn't one of your run of the mill, "fast pissed off hardcore bands." These guys give something more that makes them stand out in the style of hardcore they play. This is the third release for Say Goodbye, and I was very excited to hear this record. But I had high expectations for this record since I liked … Read more
sBACH
sBACH
Suicide Squeeze (2008)
Like his Hella counterpart Zach Hill - well, his original counterpart prior to the band's recent additions - Spencer Seim has recently ventured out on his own. Working under the moniker sBACH, Seim offers up his first compilation of solo recordings. As one listens through sBACH it becomes rather apparent that Seim has either played a major role in the … Read more
Scale The Summit
The Collective
Prosthetic (2011)
I don't know about you, but a band with a name like 'Scale the Summit' evokes some pretty specific musical imagery for me--huge guitar lines, tons of stylistic shifts, and a definite sense of grandeur all come to mind. What's cool is that's exactly what the Texan instrumental progressive metal quartet sounds like. If you're not following me here, try … Read more
Scale The Summit
The Migration
Prosthetic (2013)
To understand why Scale the Summit's newest release The Migration is so fascinating, you first need a bit of background:Scale the Summit's first couple of releases (Monument, Carving Desert Canyons) codified the same formula the band works by today; they play a brand of instrumental progressive metal that, through epic melodies and huge construction, is intended to invoke a sense … Read more
Scanners
Violence is Golden
Dim Mak (2006)
You, faithful SPB readers as I, listen and tend to prefer music that can best be described as "heavy". This is quite possibly the music you exclusively listen to. Perhaps you put on The Locust and Gorgoroth when you want to get pumped and juiced and rocked and whatever proactive analogy you can think of and then, when you're done, … Read more
Scarling
So Long, Scarecrow
Sympathy for the Record Industry (2005)
It's going to sound silly, but in recent months, Scarling has taken on Moby Dick-like proportions in my life. They were that band that everyone told me I absolutely had to listen to, and each time I heard this, I grew a bit more reluctant to bother for no solid reason other than the fact that I hate to be … Read more
Schammasch
Contradiction
Prosthetic (2014)
Existence is a series of challenges – ones that force you to adapt, to change and to create sides of yourself that you show to the world, ones that are more appealing and accepted, ones that help you feel more at ease and able to cope with the journey we call life. Those ideas are at the heart of Contradiction, … Read more
Scissorfight
Victory Over Horseshit
Tortuga Recordings (2006)
I'm going to jump right to the point; if you don't like rock-n-roll music, you're not going to like Scissorfight. This New Hampshire outfit plays gritty rock music - this is music for the blue collar working man. So if that is you, grab a case of your favorite beer, crack one open, and turn up the volume. Victory Over … Read more
Scorpions
MTV Unplugged in Athens
Sony (2014)
In the interest of full disclosure, this reviewer would like to go on record as saying that he loves The Scorpions. They are exceptional musicians and have a catalog of hard rock classics that go far beyond the power-ballads they became synonymous for in the 80's and 90's. There's been the odd misstep over the years (see Eye II Eye) … Read more
Scott Walker
The Drift
4AD (2006)
Scott Walker - to those who know and love his music - is one of those towering figures of American culture that is as much the stuff of legend as an actual person, like Roky Erickson or Thomas Pynchon. Walker spent the late '60s recording four astonishing LPs of lush, overwrought continental melodrama, entitled Scott through Scott 4. These are … Read more
Scraps And Heart Attacks
Still Sick
Triple Crown (2004)
These guys were incredibly hyped a little over a year ago when they had their demo out. However, then they were known as The Heist and their 7" was about to come out on Dead By 23 Records. Then they had to change their name, their record was delayed, and everything seemed to sort of die down for them. When … Read more
Screaming Females
Desire Pathway
Don Giovanni (2023)
The lead song and first single on Desire Pathway” is “Brass Bell,” a fine song that’s indicative of Screaming Females’ general sound. That said, it’s really the second song, “Desert Train,” which gets this album rolling for me. It’s a fierce guitar song that’s hard and driving. Just like its name, it’s steeped in classic rock but with modern twists. … Read more
