Talk is Poison
Condensed Humanity: The Prank EPs
Prank (2007)
At last. A fairly short-lived, late '90s hardcore band, Talk is Poison seemed to stick in the heads of connoisseurs after disbanding, leaving behind a small but dedicated cadre of fans. They produced three records - two EPs and a split with Deathreat - and after many laments about this material going out of print, it's nice to see all … Read more
Talk Me Off
Cursed
Smartpunk Records (2020)
There’s a lot to like on Cursed, the debut full-length by Richmond, VA’s Talk Me Off. But as much as I enjoy the structures, the vocal tradeoff, and the political urgency, I just can’t get over the vocals on this record. They just feel flat and robotic at key moments, which is ironic for a band named Talk Me Off.This … Read more
Talk Show Host
Mid-Century Modern
Disconnect/Disconnect, Wiretap Records (2021)
Talk Show Host is a power-pop group from Toronto. And while it’s chock-full of those pleasant, soaring melodies expected of the style, the band establishes its tone early, showing there are some teeth behind the smile with opening track “You Asshole!” Songs like the lead track, “Crisis Actors” and “Warmest Condolences” defy the idea that pop songs are empty, instead … Read more
Tall Ships
Voyages
Truth and Justice (2009)
When you review as many generic melodic hardcore bands as I do, you do whatever you can to try to find things that make one band stand out from another. Believe me, it wasn't easy to as I listened to Voyages. Tall Ships sounds like just another hardcore band going through the motions of being a new school hardcore. They … Read more
Tame Impala
Lonerism
Modular Recordings (2012)
This review is part of my coverage of the 2013 Progressive Music Awards, on 3 September. Australian quintet Tame Impala (whose name I insisted on pronouncing as "TA·may im·PA·la" for the longest damn time) don't seem very eager to fight off the stereotype about bands from down under. (You know, the one that they're all batshit crazy?) And we should … Read more
Tangorodrim
Justus Ex Fide Vivit
Southern Lord (2007)
So what are we to think of this "pure, unholy black metal from Israel"? Well for starters, taking into consideration their country of origin doesn't mean a whole lot. Whether you're from Israel, South Africa, New Zealand or Paraguay, if you're black metal, you'll probably still sound Norwegian. Originality, you see, isn't one of the tenets of the black. Everyone … Read more
Tar...Feathers
Make Way for the Ocean Floor to Fall to the Surface
Release the Bats (2006)
How many Swedish bands do you listen to? Wouldn't your friends think you're way indie if you told them you're diggin' on this sick Swedish band that produced their album on a laptop? You guessed it, my obscure band-loving friends, Tar...Feathers is straight out of Göteborg, Sweden and yes, they recorded Make Way for the Ocean Floor to Fall to … Read more
Team Sleep
Team Sleep
Maverick (2005)
When I was 15, I remember thinking Korn was the greatest band on the face of the earth. I was angry. I was rebellious. I felt alienated just like Jonathan Davis. But in all fairness, Limp Bizkit was a close second. And while bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit refused to change their nu-metal riffs, and their "Are you ready?" … Read more
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Living with the Living
Touch & Go (2007)
Like a well-deserved punch to the face, a breath of fresh air in a smog-ridden city, or indeed, a good musician amongst a plethora of bad ones, Ted Leo and his illustrious Pharmacists have returned with their Touch & Go debut, Living with the Living. At just over an hour long, the record beats Leo's previous offering, 2004's Shake the … Read more
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead
Lookout! (2003)
Ted Leo and his Pharmacists are sweeping the nation's rock and roll scene. People first began to take real notice of Mr. Leo with the release of his second LP, The Tyranny of Distance, however a few may remember Leo from his days with Citizens Arrest and Chisel. With a growing fanbase and critical acclaim to fuel their creative DeLorean, … Read more
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
The Brutalist Bricks
Matador (2010)
Their first record for Matador; their first record featuring new bassist Marty Key: The Brutalist Bricks is a record of firsts. It's the band's second shortest record, however (2004's Shake the Sheets is a couple of minutes briefer, at 39:52), and a departure from the drawn-out, exploratory songs of 2007's Living With the Living.Opener 'The Mighty Sparrow' is classic Leo, … Read more
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers
Pretty Good For A Girl Band
Domestic La La (2022)
There is a tendency, I think, to label any loud band, any loud female band, as Riot Grrrl. Reducing a band to a genre they’re not and plugging your ears while they show you why they’re not that genre is damaging- both to the band in question and to the Riot Grrrl genre. That’s how you get New York Post … Read more
Teenage Bottlerocket
American Deutsch Bag
Fat Wreck Chords (2014)
I never learned German in high school, but Teenage Bottlerocket must have because their latest 7’’ is a nod to the punk side of the German language. It's been nearly a year and this is still the most currently release from Teenage Bottlerocket. People didn’t seem to expect much from it, and still don’t, unless you’re one of those middle-aged … Read more
Teenage Bottlerocket
Freak Out!
Fat Wreck Chords (2012)
I’ve been hearing about the new wave of pop-punk for a while—how bands like Menzingers and Teenage Bottlerocket are reshaping the genre, building off predecessors like The Ramones, Screeching Weasel, The Queers, etc. while bringing something new to the table. It’s personally taken me a while to get around to checking them out myself, but with the release of Freak … Read more
Teenage Bottlerocket
Stealing The Covers
Fat Wreck Chords (2017)
Many have commented about loving the idea behind Teenage Bottlerocket's all-covers record Stealing The Covers, and even though cover albums usually have everyone sending the puke emoji as a review, I have to agree with the majority on this one. Bottlerocket aren’t a parody band and they aren’t as disillusioned as people think; this record was a super clever idea … Read more
Teenage Bottlerocket
They Came From the Shadows
Fat Wreck Chords (2009)
I really wanted to like They Came From the Shadows. I did. And to an extent, I do. There are some very catchy pop-punk songs on this album. But this will definitely not be seen as one of the stronger Teenage Bottlerocket albums in the future. Opening the album is "Skate or Die," which brought me high hopes for this … Read more
Teenage Bottlerocket
Warning Device
Red Scare (2008)
Bark Like a Dog by Screeching Weasel was the first punk rock album that I ever fell in love with, which means (in theory) that any album that reminds of Bark Like a Dog will serve me as a romantic rehashing of why I fell in love punk rock. This means that by the absurd logic I just put forth … Read more
Tegan and Sara
Heartthrob
Warner Bros. (2013)
Canadian sisterly duo Tegan and Sara Quin seem to think they’re fools in relationships. Just look at some of their song titles—“Fool to Cry,” “I Was A Fool,” etc. Something they’re not fools about? Making synth pop perfection on their latest full-length album, Heartthrob, their first since 2009’s Sainthood which was a huge commercial success for them. After an album … Read more
