Fennesz
Venice
Touch (2004)
My inner monologue: "Okay, this is your first review for the site. I should probably sound cool so I can get everybody's attention. Maybe I should start off by saying something really offensive. Yeah, let's do that. That always works. Hey, but remember that time you wrote that really offensive article on why you think the Asian diet consists purely … Read more
Feral Kizzy
Slick Little Girl
Eliterecords (2015)
Feral Kizzy’s new album Slick Little Girl was easy for me to like. I am a big fan of new wave, glam rock, and dark ‘80s music, so I was easily seduced by our obviously shared tastes. I immediately caught the Lou Reed reference of the title (lyrics from “Make Up” off the Transformer album). I love me some Lou, … Read more
Feverdreams
Words and Music
Fitual (2007)
From what I understand, Feverdreams is a solo project. The press sheet lauds the album, Words and Music, for its mysterious soundscapes and noisy drone. However, I found something quite different. The "soundscapes" - I'm still not sure they are mysterious. I hardly heard the "drone." A little confused by this, I decided to empty my head of the press … Read more
Few and the Proud
Stampede
Organized Crime (2006)
Few and the Proud really needs no introduction other than the fact that they are, and always will be, straightedge. The lyrics insert makes the claim that "a new era has begun," but more on that later. The record begins with the intro "Trampled." And by the time it was over, I was sure this record was going to be … Read more
Fiancé
Please, Ambitious, Please
Independent (2008)
Denver-based quartet Fiancé has put forth a pretty catchy follow-up to 2007's, The Girl From the Ivory Coast. With 2008's Please, Ambitious, Please, Patrick Maguire (vocals, piano), Michael James (guitar), Tyler Reschke (bass) and Chris Sturniolo (drums) have produced a compelling little offering. The instrumentation is beautiful and quirky, and ultimately provides a satisfying listen. At times the lyrics are … Read more
Fields Of Regret
Fields Of Regret
Bassick (2022)
Fields Of Regret is the brainchild of musician Filip Van Lysebeth, a producer based in Belgium. This self titled five track EP, released through Bassick Records on November 18th 2022, unveils Fields Of Regret's blend of horror fuelled gothic and industrial metal crossed with punk rock and a carnival style theme. In a statement from Bassick Records the EP is … Read more
Fight Amp
Hungry for Nothing
Translation Loss (2008)
Fight Amp (recently shortened from Fight Amputation) is a punk/hardcore outfit that plays a distinctly noisy, bottom heavy brand of punk with vocal chord shredding yelling and screaming going on over top of the morass of sound that relentlessly pummels listeners, and that is just in the live situation. The band tours frequently and this is the latest in a … Read more
Fight Like Hell
Demo
Independent (2005)
Let me just give all of you a big fat heads up: Blood Money Records sold out of this demo, so if you were thinking it wasn't hot shit, or that because you aren't from Denver and haven't heard of Fight Like Hell, you are very mistaken. Turns out, anybody with good taste in music already owns this demo. Probably … Read more
Fight Pretty
Blood Migration: The Year One Collection
Sleep Walk (2006)
Discography releases are a great thing, when they are deserved, that is. When a band has only released material on vinyl or defunct labels and it has long since gone out of print, a discography release on CD is great. On the other hand, if a band has only been around a short while and their releases (vinyl or CD) … Read more
Fighting Kites
Self Titled
Variant (2012)
North London four piece Fighting Kites started life in 2009, their brand of intimate instrumental rock immediately setting them apart from the arty crowd that usually inhabits the post-rock tag. Delicate structures of gentle and sweeping beauty permeate this debut record, opener “Chuck Close” a subtle composition of lightly struck notes and slow introductions to a range of noises. As … Read more
Fightstar
Grand Unification
Island (2006)
Sunday March 12th, 2006 An open letter to Charlie Simpson of Fightstar. Dear Mr. Simpson, Does the name Skua mean anything to you? Let me jog your memory. Skua is the band that Paul Cattermole left S Club 7 to play in. You know, the one he was in right before he disappeared from view entirely? That one that would … Read more
Filter Distortion
Transition
Independent (2015)
Yet another group that, like Trust, CHVRCHES, or any of the artists featured on the Neonautics compilation, is mining the world of ‘80s synth rock in search of inspiration, British four-piece Filter Distortion seem like an alternate version of Perturbator with vocals, replicating the vintage electro sound very accurately. Driven by bouncing synthesizer lines and punchy rhythms, the group’s songs … Read more
Final
What We Don't See
Room40 (2024)
Justin K. Broadrick's prolific output keeps giving, and may it never stop! The latest release is one of Broadrick's earliest projects, Final, which started in the power electronics tradition but since its resurrection in the early '90s, it is solidly standing in the ambient realm. Final's new full-length What We Don't See continues on the same trajectory, relishing drone's minimalistic … Read more
Final Fight
Half Head, Full Shred
Gobias Industries/Panic (2009)
Final Fight finally return with their second full-length. After releasing the acclaimed Under Attack in 2005 the band signed to Deathwish Inc. with promises of new recordings. They soon released a split 7" with Life Long Tragedy but then the wait for the band's next studio effort seemed to last forever. After parting ways with the label, Final Fight finally … Read more
Final Fight
Under Attack
Straight On (2005)
Lack of sleep, Influenza A virus and a spike through your chest, among other things, cause people to get sick. When you get sick usually taking medicine is the cure. Lately I've been getting sick of "amazing-core". It's essentially hardcore pop: vague lyrics that every hardcore kid and hot topic consumers can connect to paved atop over-the-top polished "HXC jamz." … Read more
Fingers Cut, Megamachine
Fingers Cut, Megamachine
Thick (2005)
Osker was well known as being the most hated band on Epitaph in their brief stint as a band. Being roughly around the age of 18 when their final album, Idle Will Kill came out, they managed to release a pop-punk masterpiece having hardly entered adulthood. Now Devon Williams, lead singer/songwriter of Osker, is back in the spotlight some odd … Read more
Fiona Apple
Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Epic (2020)
If there is one artist and one album that doesn't need my judgement of their art for validation (well, okay this applies to all artists), it's Fiona Apple and her new album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters. After 8 years, Apple is back with her most expressive and experimental album yet. "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" isn't just the title, it's the … Read more
Fiona Apple
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
Epic (2012)
Fiona Apple's brutal honesty can be summed up in one lyric: "Every single night's a fight with my brain." She keeps howling this on "Every Single Night," the introductory song to The Idler Wheel.. (there's more to that album title, but I'm not attempting to type that all out).Because she possesses this honesty and because she is able to express … Read more
