She Said Destroy
Bleeding Fiction
Mas-Kina (2012)
Let's face it: a lot of the music we listen to is just plain ol' forgettable. Of course, every once in a while, an album will come along that sticks in your mind solely because it makes you wonder just what godforsaken orifice the band pulled it out of. Even more rarely will come the occasion when you make the … Read more
She Spread Sorrow
Mine
Cold Spring (2017)
Alice Kundalini is releasing the second album under the She Spread Sorrow monikier, following the her debut full-length, Rumspringa. Forged in the death industrial heritage of Cold Spring records, she continues to implement fierce power electronics over her bleak ambiance. The form she takes in Mine is a continuation of the sound of Rumspringa. Dark and pensive in its narrative, … Read more
She/Her/Hers
She/Her/Hers
Don Giovanni (2022)
I’ll start by saying I have a love/hate relationship with folk-punk. Done right, it’s one of the most authentic styles out there. But it has a lot of genre tropes that annoy me too. Fortunately, She/Her/Hers plays it right, because the genre is also a great fit for the theme of this record. She/Her/Hers began as a solo project from … Read more
Shehehe
Namedroppers
Say-10 (2024)
Shehehe, from Athens, GA, deliver a powerful sound that’s part rip-roarin’ rock ‘n’ roll, and equal part Ramones. It’s as classic as it gets in a way, while still feeling like a unique band that’s doing their own thing. Throw in a dose of DIY grit, and you’ve got their general sound. It’s punk rock from the heart, where you … Read more
Shell Shag
Forever
Don Giovanni (2013)
Shell Shag put it all on the line in opener “Face to Face.” It’s an autobiographical song, about the two-piece band, their y-shaped microphone, and their art and their travels. When the record continues into the second track “Sweet Hoodie,” there’s a feeling that recalls 1980s pop, but the honesty overrides the hokiness of some of the reference material. Okay, … Read more
Shell Shag
Fuck Society
Mauled by Tigers (2012)
What if you could have all the great hits of the early 90s on one record: Liz Phair, INXS, Archers of Loaf all on one easy-to-manage collection? Okay, so this cover set from Brooklyn’s Shell Shag also includes DIY punk like Underground Railroad to Candyland and AK77, as well as songs from The Descendents, The Wipers, Warsaw, and The Undertones. … Read more
Shellac
Excellent Italian Greyhound
Touch & Go (2007)
The first Shellac record that I bought was Terraform in college. I popped it onto my record player and shortly thereafter fell oddly in love with Shellac's minimalist crushing sound. Todd Trainer (drums) and Robert Weston (bass) provide a heavy tight rhythm while Steve Albini (guitar) lays over a tin can like tone, or lack there of some might say, … Read more
Shellshag
FUTQ
Independent (2020)
Shellshag, a duo from Brooklyn, play a unique style of fuzzy stoner punk. Live, Shell and Shag play drums and guitar, standing face-to-face and sharing a Y-shaped microphone stand (pictured on the album cover). It’s personal -- just look at the name – and feels alternately intimate, yet communal -- it has that impossible-to-define punk spirit that involves the audience … Read more
Shere Kahn
Get Fucked
Rock Vegas (2005)
I was really excited when I put this CD on. For years there have been rumors of a Goonies sequel popping up here and there in the media. It always made me wonder what happened to the cast. Whichever Cory it was had been in and out of rehab and the tabloids, before discovering his true calling as a (failed) … Read more
Shevils
Miracle Of The Sun
Independent (2021)
Once upon a time I picked an album to review based on its cover art. It was an album by a Norwegian band called Shevils. That artwork was completely bonkers with Cthulhu dressed as a cowboy riding a manta ray and much, much more. This was back in 2013. I liked that album so much it made my yearlist. In … Read more
Shipwreck A.D.
Abyss
Deathwish Inc. (2007)
Let's be honest about things. Deathwish has hardcore locked down and Shipwreck A.D. is a key part of their commanding roster. After two self-titled 7" releases that have fueled the band with a fair amount of hype - which isn't always a bad thing - Shipwreck A.D. have brought forth their debut full-length, Abyss. Abyss begins with "Squall," a song … Read more
Shitty Weekend
Shit Week
Secret Pennies (2014)
This thing is all over the map, from freak-out jazz-punk one minute (“Geneva”) to a track of haunting old man ghost noises laid atop a galloping horse, and then band to spastic punk. I mean that in a good way.Shitty Weekend is made up of members of Transient and The Taxpayers and call Portland home. They’re a six-piece band with … Read more
Shockwave
The Ultimate Doom
Facedown (2004)
There was a time during my childhood when my after-school hours were dominated by sitting in front of the television to catch the latest episode of Transformers. It was my love for the show that prompted me to spend every penny I earned buying up Transformers toys. Fortunately I am able to relive those days vicariously by listening to The … Read more
Shook Ones
Body Feel
Revelation (2018)
Shook Ones are a nostalgic band for me, they were the most active during my teenage years and I associate them with that time period. I’m sure like most of their fans, I was surprised they released a new full length given that it’s been five years since they’ve released any new music. The band never officially announced they were … Read more
Shook Ones
Facetious Folly Feat
Revelation (2006)
2006 has seen the release of plenty of outstanding records from melodic hardcore bands, and as the year is coming to a close you might think the best of the best have already graced us with their presence. If so, then think again. Shook Ones' Facetious Folly Feat has defied all expectations and lands at the top of the heap … Read more
Shook Ones
Slaughter of the Insole
Revelation (2006)
In 2005, Shook Ones quietly released their debut LP Sixteen on Endwell Records. Okay, so maybe quite a few people noticed, but I'm just trying to cover my ass for not reviewing it when I damn well should have. As a result of that stellar release this Washington state group ended up signing with Revelation Records and subsequently released this … Read more
Shook Ones
The Unquotable A.M.H.
Paper + Plastick (2009)
Now on their third album, Shook Ones already have a pretty solid reputation. After the melodic hardcore masterpiece that was Facetious Folly Feat, I thought it would be difficult to make another record that was as fast and energetic as that one. Well, what does the band do instead? How about make one of the catchiest records of 2009 while … Read more
Shorebirds
It's Gonna Get Ugly
Rumbletowne (2008)
When you consider the potentially high profile of Shorebirds, it's surprising how quietly they operated. Singer/guitarist Matt Canino was in the much-loved Latterman and bassist Chris Bauermeister played in Jawbreaker. With all the hype this could have created, Shorebirds instead laid low, putting their records out on Canino and co-owned label and establishing almost no presence on the Internet. And … Read more
