Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
Knives Don't Have Your Back
Last Gang (2006)
Emily Haines is a diva. Okay, maybe not in the traditional sense of the word, but if the modern definition - "an extremely independent and talented female singer" - allows individuals like Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé to be considered divas, then Haines is more than deserving. Haines may be most well known for her work fronting Metric, but she has … Read more
Emily's Army
Don't Be A Dick
Adeline (2011)
It would be hard for Emily’s Army to disassociate from their bloodlines: Don’t Be a Dick is produced by Billie Joe Armstrong, shares a similarity in layout, art, and font to Green Day and the record itself is on Adeline. Yes, this is the debut from the California band featuring Joey Armstrong on drums (son of the Green Day frontman). … Read more
Emma Louise
Vs Head Vs Heart
French Kiss (2013)
Emma Louise described the cover art for her debut album Vs Head Vs Heart as expressing "the beauty that can come out of vulnerability". The cover art fittingly reflects the songs on Vs Head Vs Heart, vulnerability is seeping through every song in a flurry of initially guarded lyrics, before being torn down note by note to reveal the real … Read more
Emma Ruth Rundle
On Dark Horses
Sargent House (2018)
Where 2016's Marked for Death battled with Emma Ruth Rundle’s mortality and medical history, and allowed the artist to work through feelings of hopelessness and pain, On Dark Horses tries to take control of the shadows found in life. Instead of succumbing to the darkness, Rundle is now finding a path out of despair and using her music to piece … Read more
Emmy The Great
Second Love
Bella Union (2016)
Finding an anchor in your life is one of those inevitabilities that is constantly chattering away in the back of your head; you're trying to figure out where you should be and where you should stay. If your 20s are there to discover what you're doing with your life and which space on this planet is most homely to you, … Read more
Empire! Empire! (I was a Lonely Estate)
When the Sea Became a Giant
Independent (2007)
The key word that comes to mind when listening to When the Sea Became a Giant is light. Everything is light. The vocal delivery is a deep reminder of the roots of emo, where a different kind of melancholy built its empire (no pun intended, I lied, yes it was). The guitars let off an air of innocent intensity. The … Read more
Emptiness
Not For Music
Season of Mist (2017)
Belgium’s Emptiness have spent much of their career eschewing traditional approaches and with Not for Music they continue to imbue their singular take on black metal with wholly impure vibrations and ever more intriguing design elements. One such decision is the inclusion of Jeordie White (Marilyn Manson’s Twiggy Ramirez) on production duties and it’s this somewhat unusual choice that gives … Read more
Empty
Open Aeon
Aphotic Audio (2006)
The alternative electronic world is a strange one. In a realm of, literally, limitless possibilities, beats and effects and bound only by human imagination, there is a clique of acts that all sound the same. These acts make electronic music in the same way that punk bands make punk music. There are, of course, a few exceptions to that rule … Read more
Empty Promise
Start from the Ground
Independent (2009)
Austria, the home of some of my ancestors and one of my favorite finds of the year, Empty Promise. This four-piece melodic punk band definitely took me by surprise and are sure to do the same to more listeners. Already having an impressive demo EP on their resume, Empty Promise continue to come out strong with their debut album, Start … Read more
Empty Yard Experiment
Kallisti
Independent (2014)
Music is wonderful and is one of the few things that echoes across the world and can bring people together in unity. Of course, that’s putting the most simplistic of slants on it but when bands are forged in countries that we may not expect to hear music from, it’s difficult to not appreciate the power of sound. Empty Yard … Read more
Enabler
All Hail The Void
Southern Lord (2012)
Enabler managed to make some big noise for themselves very quickly. after 2 eps and numerous splits the band got snatched up by the newly crust leaning Southern Lord. The question is after making such a big splash with these eps could the band manage to make nearly as big of a splash in the full length medium? The band … Read more
Enabler
Year One
Creator-Destructor (2011)
Enabler play a style of hardcore that takes clear influence from crust and metal (ala His Hero Is Gone). Over their first year they managed to release two EPs. Now to help those that lack tape decks and record players, Creator-Destructor has compiled these releases for the greater public. Year One contains the EPs Eden Sank to Grief and War … Read more
End of a Season / Many Men Have Tried
Split
Refoundation (2007)
I've always enjoyed sampling international hardcore or punk. Sometimes it's nice to have a reality check. It seems like sometimes we're under the impression that hardcore is an expressively American creation or tradition, and though the genre certainly manifested itself in the states, predominantly, often times international bands have perfected it. I'd never heard of either of these bands before … Read more
End of a Year
End of a Year
Deathwish Inc. (2009)
Yes, End of a Year give us yet another new record into which we can sink our collective teeth (if one so chooses) and its three songs might just be the best work that they can lay claim (outside my favorite song of theirs still, "Harrison"). This Albany, New York, crew truly give three crisp, D.C. hardcore inspired tracks of … Read more
End of a Year
Sincerely
Revelation (2006)
I have decided that a review for End of a Year's Sincerely should mimic the album's defining characteristics. So this review will be written quickly with an abundance of energy and a smattering of thought. Sincerely is an album that is so engulfed by its own influences that it almost seems like it doesn't even exist. But it does. End … Read more
End of a Year
You Are Beneath Me
Deathwish Inc. (2010)
“To best enjoy this album… try new things” So starts one of the catchiest records this year this side of the Descendents and Rites Of Spring and maybe you do not fit the description given in this opening soliloquy set to music but that does not mean to stop listening by any means, but rather it puts you in the … Read more
End of Level Boss
Inside the Difference Engine
Exile on Mainstream (2007)
It's all about the riffs for these English lads: big, thick, rumbling and sometimes peculiar riffs. I have to say that I have always had a deep affinity and a strong weakness for this kind of music. There has always been a warm and cozy feeling to music that takes a lot of influence from the stoner and doom genre, … Read more
Ender
Ender
Darkroom (2009)
New Zealand is quite a long distance away from the United States, and whenever I hear New Zealand mentioned, Lewis Black's (the comedian and political commentator) sketch about performing there always pops in my mind " if you fly to New Zealand by plane from New York City it takes twenty-two hours if they really wanted to be more of … Read more
