Betrayed
Substance
Equal Vision (2006)
I just finished watching the trailer for the book-to-film documentary American Hardcore and it got me thinking. Anyone that claims to be a fan of hardcore/punk is bound by an unwritten law to have read that book, as well as Get in the Van. Many - mostly the older blokes - feel that those times documented in those books were … Read more
Between the Buried and Me
The Anatomy of
Victory (2006)
I like Between the Buried and Me, a lot. But The Anatomy of is a perfect example of a covers album gone bad. I really like the idea of paying homage to the bands that inspired you to play in the first place, but there is a productive way to go about doing that and there is also a filler-creating … Read more
Between the Buried and Me
The Parallax II: Future Sequence
Metal Blade (2012)
Following 2011s “precursor” style EP, The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues, Between the Buried and Me (hereafter known as BTBAM because it’s way easier to type) continue their foray into ever increasing curiosity. Whilst personally I’ve never been a hugely into this band - they always seemed to err just on the wrong side of pretentious wanker territory - The Parallax II: … Read more
Between the Buried and Me
The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues
Metal Blade (2011)
It's hard to describe the nature of Between the Buried and Me's new project, The Parallax. It is kind of like a double album, except not quite. It's divided into two releases, an EP and a future full-length album, that together tell a story about...well, honestly, I'm not quite certain. It's written pretty obtusely. But that certainly won't stop me … Read more
Between the Wars
Death and the Sea
Think Fast! (2007)
Everyone has his or her favorite guitar virtuoso. For some it might be the finger-tapping charmer Eddie Van Halen or maybe they go way back and think of the blues inspired violin bow using wizardry of Jimmy Page. There are even some people out that really know their collective six-string shit and cite Yngwie Malmsteen as their favorite axe man. … Read more
Beware Of Safety
Leaves/Scars
The Mylene Sheath (2011)
Beware Of Safety are a Post-Rock band. Sounds simple and plain enough. As they do reside in a genre known for aping their forefathers in a near religious way does little for any band that chooses this route. Many of these bands rely on what the first 3 Mogwai albums taught them. Start calm, build with some heavy parts, climax … Read more
Big Big Train
English Electric
English Electric (2013)
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a progressive rock band in possession of a good reputation must be in want of a double album. They're something of the gold standard of progressive music--proving that you have the chops to write over eighty minutes of music without it beginning to suck is such a truly monumental and respectable feat that … Read more
Big Black Delta
BBDLP1
Coming Home (2011)
How the hell do you take a genre as overworked as pop music and make it interesting? If your name happens to be Jonathan Bates, then you do this “by purposefully doing everything slightly wrong.” The result is his debut album, Big Black Delta's BBDLP1.This stems mainly from Bates's insistence on mixing styles in ways that don't always make sense. … Read more
Big Black Delta
Big Black Delta
Master Of Bates (2013)
Jonathan Bates is quickly becoming a musician who can't be ignored. Working under the moniker Big Black Delta, Bates has created some incessantly (and confusingly) catchy releases whose quality demands attention. What's more, his latest release, 2013's eponymous Big Black Delta, is his best offering yet.The album is still confusing for a couple of reasons, not the least of which … Read more
Big Black Delta
IFUCKINGLOVEYOU
Master Of Bates (2012)
Jonathan Bates, aka Big Black Delta, made me entirely rethink what pop music could be last year with the release of his incredible debut, BBDLP1. He took the standard pop music formula and twisted it so far on its head that I'm pretty sure it exited from its own ass, and I mean that as a true compliment. It was … Read more
Big Business
Head for the Shallow
Hydra Head (2005)
In the late 80's and early 90's, Seattle was the place for any musician to be. A brief yet socially relevant counterculture was spawned, not too dissimilar to punk in the early 80's. The movement, being simply music or something more, had no name but was knighted "grunge" by the media. Much of the music was dirty, aggressive, brooding, and … Read more
Big China & Little Trouble
Black Blood of the Earth
Magic Bullet (2008)
Score one for the witty band name and reference to the cult movie of similar name, and score another for the ridiculously long album title. Black Blood of the Earth Parts 1 & 2 + Fur & Teeth actually is a collection of several releases by this collaboration between Brent Eyestone (Aughra, Forensics, Waifle, etc) and Mike Haley (Proprietor of … Read more
Big China & Little Trouble
Lo-Panning
Magic Bullet (2011)
Have you ever seen the schlock masterpiece that is Big Trouble In Little China with its crazy martial arts story about an immortal Chinese Ghost sorcerer searching for green eyed girls and a muscle bound Kurt Russell trying to save his green eyed girl from that crazy Lo Pan (portrayed by the estimable James Hong who also played the role … Read more
Big Chungus
Big Chungus
Wet Cassettes Records (2020)
You have to appreciate a concept that’s primarily focused on making you uncomfortable; where’s the fun without a healthy dose of shock and awe? Young Philadelphia-based label Wet Cassettes is built on those foundations, describing themselves as torchbearers of “weird dirty music for weird dirty people,” a concept that deserves to be saluted from where I’m sitting. Their latest project … Read more
Big City Rock
Big City Rock
Atlantic (2006)
As the saying goes, honesty is the best policy. Honestly, if Big City Rock continues to produce albums like their self-titled debut, they better stick to their day jobs. Lead vocalist Nate Bott must have been a Bon Jovi fan because he sounds like his reincarnate, adding a dramatic "uh" to the end of every line with a low, raspy … Read more
Big D and the Kids Table
Strictly Rude
Side One Dummy (2007)
Ska is dead. Is ska dead? For many of us the answer is yes. I'm sure several of you reading this are doing so simply for nostalgia's sake - a trip down memory lane - having dismissed your love of ska in high school in much the same way you stopped wearing JNCO jeans past middle school. Both, now, are … Read more
Big Eyes
Almost Famous
Grave Mistake (2013)
Seattle is made out to be such a dreary place. Big Eyes released a largely positive-sounding debut in Hard Life and the reviews basically talked about the band’s relocation from Brooklyn to Seattle. Now, with the release of sophomore full-length Almost Famous, the press sheet says things like “a bit of Seattle seeps in,” no doubt referring to some of … Read more
Big Eyes
Stake My Claim
Don Giovanni (2016)
As much I knew I’d like this record after spending some time with Almost Famous and seeing the band live a few times, I was hesitant to review it. There are certain sounds I have trouble describing. So while I enjoyed Almost Famous, it had this hard to summarize element where I felt vocalist Kait Eldridge’s lyrics blended into guitar … Read more
