PunkRockTheory.com

Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan – The Night Eternal

2012-01-11T00:00:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

From the authors of the New York Times bestsellers “The Strain” and “The Fall” comes the final chapter in their vampire trilogy. “The Night Eternal” picks up right where we left the CDC’s former head of the biological threat team Eph, his colleague and former lover Nora and the Russian exterminator Fet behind with vampires now ruling the world under the guise of nuclear winter.

The Master – an ancient vampire with enormous powers – controls everything with our freedom fighters as the only real threat. Like cattle, people are either interred in camps to breed or to be bled in order to provide sustenance for the Master’s vast army. Meanwhile Eph’s son Zack is being held by the Master and Eph is torn between rescuing his son and helping the others overturn this new world order.

Our freedom fighters do get help from Mr. Quinlan, the halfbreed offspring of the Master who is hellbent on revenge. But is it enough now that there is evidence of a traitor lurking in their midst?

The final installment in this collaboration between director Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy) and novelist Chuck Hogan works well with the combination of Del Toro’s rich fantasy and Hogan’s blistering pace. Basically it’s just one hell of a fun read you can really sink your teeth in.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.harpercollins.com

Egypt Central – White Rabbit

2011-12-20T15:39:00.002-08:00

- by Thomas

Next to the American bands that come over to Europe and that everybody knows or who at least have somewhat of a following, there are plenty of other bands that never make it over here and that no one in Europe has ever heard of. In the case of Egypt Central it becomes obvious that that is not necessarily a bad thing. By the way, raise your hands if you think this could very well be one of the worst bands names. Ever.

“White Rabbit” is apparently already the band’s second album and it’s filled with the kind of modern rock/metal that got big in the early naughties thanks to labels such as Wind-Up Records and bands such as Sevendust or Puddle Of Mudd. They’re not doing a bad job of imitating those bands who – let’s face it – weren’t exactly great to begin with. There’s a metallic sheen to all of the songs which come with big choruses that are easy to remember. But nowhere do these Memphis natives show a face of their own. Paint-by-numbers nu metal… yeah, I got over that a long, long time ago.
Score: 3 out of 10
http://www.fatladymusic.com
http://www.egyptcentral.net

The Devil Wears Prada – Dead Throne

2011-12-20T15:39:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

I’ve never really cared for The Devil Wears Prada… they were one of those Hot Topic bands for 15-year-olds I didn’t give a damn about. Their sound was inconsistent and kind of ridiculous and over the top. But even I have to say that they are pretty good at what they do on “Dead Throne”, the band’s fifth album.
Is it really that different? Nope. Innovative? Hardly. Catchy and effective? Yes! Okay, so the screams are still formulaic as fuck but the choruses with clean vocals are pretty sweet as are some of the breakdowns. There’s even room for some more use of atmospheric parts in songs like “Kansas” and “Chicago”.

I’m not sure how much producer Adam Dutkiewicz had to say about it but fact is that this is a big step forward for these guys. Now, if only we could get them to stop using those annoying screams and we might just get there.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.ferretstyle.com
http://www.myspace.com/tdwp

Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster – IV

2011-12-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

- by Thomas

I went into this one with good hopes. After all this is the band that gave us the imaginatively titled albums “II” and “III” which both are hard rockin’ party albums. And I have to say that Ma Baker’s offspring is off to a good start with the two stompers that are “In Dead We Drown” and “Save Me”. They come with that swampy, Southern style mixed in with loud guitars and the kind of bigass groove that made Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster stand out in the first place.

But then Dallas Taylor and co. break out material like “Faith Healer (Bring Me Down)” and “Open Your Eyes” for some reason. Now, if I wanted to listen to cheesy hardrock, I’d be off listening to Ratt or Poison. As if those two songs aren’t bad enough, you get more of that let’s-aim-for-the-charts dribble in the form of “Taking Me Water” and “Off To The Laughing Place”.

It truly is a shame that such a fun band as Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster manages to lose all of its appeal with one single album but somehow these guys managed to get the job done only to end in the PunkRockTheory ranking right next to Staind and Nickelback.
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.ferretstyle.com
http://www.myspace.com/mayleneandthesonsofdisaster

So Many Ways – S/T

2011-12-20T10:21:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

So Many Ways is a good name for this band. Especially when it comes to their rhythm section who seems to veer off in all kinds of directions. Two years into its existence they’ve already worked their way up to their third incarnation. Now, I can imagine that it’s hard to keep up with two guitarists shredding as fast as guitarists Jason Milbank and Murphy Welch but it comes with a very high Spinal Tap vibe.

Anyway, after getting rid of their keyboard player after EP #1 (“Real Talk”), they started fooling around with slightly heavier influences on EP #2 (“Floridian”) while still very much remaining a pop-punk outfit.

On their new self-titled EP they took it all to the next level and come off sounding technically proficient, catchy and aggressive all rolled up into one. It makes for one hell of a ride with “Murf’s Life Hints” as my personal favourite. Fans of H2O and New Found Glory should take note that there’s a new kid in town.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.mtsrecords.com
http://Www.facebook.com/somanyways

Trapped Under Ice – Big Kiss Goodnight

2011-12-20T10:20:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Trapped Under Ice already got a lot done in the couple of years that they’ve been around: a demo, an EP, a split release with Dirty Money and a full-length. And now they’re back with another pretty solid album called “Big Kiss Goodnight”.

Don’t expect anything funny or experimental, this is straight-up, pissed-off hardcore. The kind that will make you want to break someone else’s jaw. Oh wait, they already did that! Basically “Big Kiss Goodnight” is half an hour of metallic hardcore that comes with plenty of NYHC influences. Plus it packs breakdowns in all the right places and to top it all off they injected everything with just the right amount of melody. Just like this review, this album is kinda formulaic. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with that when it’s done well. I hope the band feels likewise about my review.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.iscreamrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/underdaice

H2O – Don’t Forget Your Roots

2011-12-20T10:19:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

On their latest release, H2O tackle a bunch of covers from bands that have inspired them like 7 Seconds, Sick Of It All, Descendents, Gorilla Biscuits and Madball among others. Skarhead did a similar thing a while ago and I’m glad to say that “Don’t Forget Your Roots” turned out a whole lot better.

Toby Morse and his friends give all of the songs the H2O treatment, meaning there are plenty of loud guitars and everything comes with a poppy edge. Other than those elements, these really are ‘just’ covers… they stay pretty true to the originals. Of course you can always start a discussion about whether or not albums like this one serve a purpose but hey, it’s here, it sounds pretty good and I have better things to do than start pointless discussions.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.bridge9.com
http://www.h2ogo.com

The Bombpops! interview

2011-12-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

- by Thomas

Looking for some Ergs-like pop-punk tunes with female vocals? Well, look no further than the Bombpops! who recently dropped a new EP on Red Scare. They impressed us enough to do an email interview with them so read on...

PRT: Who are you and what would you like to tell our readers about yourself?
Jen: My name is Jen and I play guitar and sing.
Poli: I’m Poli and I play guitar and sing too.

PRT: Could you give me the history of The Bombpops written in less than one minute starting… now!
Jen and I met in 2005 at a local rehearsal studio and started playing in a band together. We wanted to play punk, so we started writing Bombpop songs together, found Dylan to play drums, and formed the band in early 2007. We have had multiple bass players over the years, currently Neil is the best and hopefully last.

PRT: Was there a specific moment or an occasion when you realised all you wanted to do was be in a punkrock band?
Jen: For me it was the first punk show I went to when I was 12 years old. My mom took me to see Phoneix TX, Bad Religion and Blink 182. And I knew from that day on I was going to be in a punk band. I had been listening to punk bands for years and had been playing guitar for a about a year before that show, but after seeing it live, I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do.
Poli: I think I have always known I have wanted to play music, and there have been many moments that have made me realize this is all I want to do. Once I started playing real shows, and touring it really hit me. When I started waking up and only thinking about the band and the opportunities in the future I knew that that this is what I had to do.

PRT: For people who haven’t heard you before… if you were the lovechild of two other bands, which acts would’ve had sex and which position were you conceived in?
Jen + Poli: If No Use for a Name and Pulley tagged teamed The Ataris, we would be would the bastard child. But there is also a pending paternity test involving Lagwagon.

PRT: “Stole The TV” is your third EP and you still sound the same on it as before but it all sounds tighter and better than before. Think you’re about ready for that full-length?
Jen + Poli: Thanks, we would love to do a full length someday soon... a year after we started the band we recorded a full length and we never had the money to get it pressed, so it never got released. We figure it was a good thing though, because then we had better/newer songs, and spent the money getting those recorded and released. One day when we are running low on cash we plan to release those as some kind of “lost tracks” album.

PRT: Since your second EP, you’ve been with Red Scare… seems like a good fit, right?
Jen + Poli: Red Scare is a great fit for us. We’ve all been fans of the label since it’s beginning and we’re so stoked to be apart of the family.

PRT: With two girls in the band playing the guitar and sharing vocal duties, was it a conscious decision to get two guys to even things out? Never thought about making it a girls only kinda thing?
Jen + Poli: We never thought of making it a “girls only kinda thing”. When we started this band it wasn’t like “Ok we’re gonna start a girl band cause we’re girls”. It was just how a lot of bands start, two really good friends who write songs together and set out to find the right musicians to complete the band.
However, since the band first started we have had our fair share of line-up changes and we never considered seeking out another girl. One reason being that we didn’t know any, but mainly because Poli and I are best friends and we have a unique chemistry and sense of humor that a lot of girls don’t get. It would just be weird for us.

PRT: What’s up next for you the Bombpops? More touring, maybe Europe?
Jen + Poli: Well so far we have some awesome shows in January with NOFX, you can check out our facebook for all the details. Also, playing Way out West fest this spring, and definitely a lot of writing in between! We want to record another EP soon, maybe a full length? We are up for anything. Europe is what we are most definitely thinking and working for. It would be a dream come true to go tour there.

The Horrible Crowes – Elsie

2011-12-19T11:36:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Writing this review without mentioning The Gaslight Anthem – Brian Fallon’s other band – would be hard so I figured I’d get it out of the way right from the start. So… The Horrible Crowes is Brian Fallon’s side-project that he started along with his guitar tech, Ian Perkins. And while first single “Behold The Hurricane” does sound like something off of a Gaslight Anthem album (probably to lure the fans), opener “Last Rites” immediately shows that this is a completely different kind of thing. The songs on “Elsie” are more subdued and darker.

There’s a lot to discover on here… “I Witnessed A Crime” works thanks to that organ that’s in there alongside Fallon’s spoken word delivery. “Sugar” and “Black Betty And The Moon” are just plain beautiful and closer “I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together” will get you choked up with its story about two lost souls finding each other.

“Elsie” is the kind of album that plays well on a dark night, when it’s cold outside and warm inside. I already knew that Fallon was a good songwriter but it’s nice to see that he break out of his ‘formula’ and come up with equally heartbreaking tunes.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.sideonedummy.com
http://www.thehorriblecrowes.com

Fountains Of Wayne – Sky Full Of Holes

2011-12-19T11:35:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Named after a store selling garden ornaments, Fountains Of Wayne have been cranking excellent tuneage since 1996 without changing a whole lot in their sound. And why should they? Like I said, they know how to write excellent tunes. Or don’t you remember “Radiation Vibe”, “Leave The Biker” or “Stacy’s Mom”?

“Sky Full Of Holes” is yet another powerpop album full of stories that come complete with punchlines and ridiculously catchy choruses. This time around they did however slow things down a little with more emphasis on acoustic songs (“A Road Song”, “Firelight Waltz”). It only makes their character sketches come more to life which can’t be a bad thing, right? Take the hapless entrepreneurs in “Richie And Ruben” or the boozer that is longing for love on a train (“Acera”)… both are kinda sad but the lyrics come with a wink and you can’t help but sympathize.

It’s good to see that 15 years in Fountains Of Wayne are still going strong on album number five and still know how to charm the listener. Here’s to fifteen more!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.yeproc.com
http://www.fountainsofwayne.com

Saves The Day interview

2011-12-19T11:21:00.000-08:00

- by Thomas

It's Saves The Day people... who the fuck needs an introduction! Check out their new album. It's called "Daybreak" and it's out now on Razor & Tie.

PRT: In an old interview from 2001 they asked you what Saves The Day is all about. You stated that you simply like to play music. Ten years down the line, is that still what it all boils down to?
Chris: Yes, it's always been about the joy of making music for me. Financially it's an unpredictable occupation, so you really have to love what you're doing in order to persevere through the lean years. I love listening to music, writing songs, jotting down words, bringing the songs to life in the studio, and taking the music on tour around the world. It's a gift in my life to be able to follow my passion for music.

PRT: “Daybreak” is the last part in a trilogy that started with “Sound The Alarm” and “Under The Boards”. Do you feel like you’ve come full circle with the release of the new album?
Chris: I feel like I've finally come home to myself. The trilogy was my way of directly confronting the issues in the depths of my mind which were holding me back from being the best person I can be, and Daybreak is about learning to accept yourself and the world at large no matter who you are or what the world has become.

PRT: How did you come up with the idea to make a three album trilogy in the first place?
Chris: In 2004, I was in a dark place, fighting against the world around me and trying desperately to change without knowing where to start. Our country had just gone to war for reasons beyond my comprehension, the world economy was beginning to crack, and people were angry and looking for things to blame. At the same time, I was about to become a father and I knew it was time to learn how to live in the world without fighting against it so that I could be a positive role model for my daughter and our family. So I dove into the darkness of my mind, the angry cynical maniacal delusions and paranoia and I started writing about what was there as a way to get to the bottom of my pain, as a way of letting it all out. My intention was to pull myself out of the darkness and bring myself back to life so I could find peace in the midst of a complicated world. I realized early on that it was going to become a monstrous sprawling project detailing the deconstruction of my emotions and my eventual rebuilding, and it would be a multiple album arc. Sound The Alarm is about the anger and the pain. Under The Boards is the transitional album about the realization that things need to change. And Daybreak is about learning to accept ourselves and the world as it is so that we can respond to the challenges of life not with anger but with compassion.

PRT: It seems that this time around the lyrics are more accepting and even positive. Is that the new Chris Conley or is it just the first time you’ve felt like expressing yourself that way?
Chris: I have felt varying degrees of happiness in my life and written about it in the songs, but I have never known inner peace before Daybreak. The positivity and acceptance on Daybreak is a reflection of my new found sense of stability and structure, and the music and lyrics on our albums are always an honest portrayal of my inner life.

PRT: The first song is split up into five parts. What’s the idea behind that?
Chris: The second side of Abbey Road by The Beatles is one of my favorite musical pieces, and I've been fascinated by irregular song structure in pop music for quite some time. The epic opening track on Daybreak is my response to the musical suites that have moved me, and it's a fun exploration of music outside the normal bounds of expression.

PRT: There’s a couple of songs where the title is just a letter (“E”, “Z”, “U”, “O”). Can you tell me a bit more about that?
Chris: The letters in the original Greek Alphabet are symbolic of humanity's spiritual ascent and also pertain to numerology which has its own scientific and metaphysical symbolism. I don't want to give away the significance of the lettered titles from Daybreak, but you can find out quite a bit of information by visiting your local library and investigating the symbolism of the ages.

PRT: The least you can say is that your sound has evolved over the years. I feel like there’s something to be said for that but equally for bands who simply stick to what they know. Have you always known you’d fit into the first category or is that something that happened gradually and naturally?
Chris: While I'm obviously aware that the band changes from record to record, I've never thought about the band's evolution when writing new material. When I'm working on songs, I'm just enjoying myself, playing guitar, and venting my emotions through the words. It's as simple as that really. I have no awareness of the outside world as I'm writing, it's just me and the guitar, the chords and the melody, my feelings and my words. I'm proud that our band has continued to be viable without straining to have commercial success. In this day and age of music, it's a remarkable feat.

PRT: You’ve had quite a number of line-up changes over the years. Are you secretly a bit of a dicator?
Chris: Yes, I am secretly a bit of a dictator, but I'm benevolent, and all I'm looking for from my bandmates year to year is quality musical output and a good work ethic with the ability to be a team player setting aside any selfish musical tendencies for the benefit of the group as a whole. Now that I have a solid lineup with Arun, Rodrigo, and Claudio, I can relax into the music and focus on the future, knowing we will be together for years to come.

PRT: And does it feel now like you have a solid line-up?
Chris: This is the most solid the band has ever been. We all enjoy each other's company, and we love playing together on stage and in the studio. We can't wait to make the next album and take our music on tour across the globe and into backyards the world over.

PRT: I read that you recorded the new album on your own without having a label behind you. Is that the way things work now?
Chris: Ideally, we would have a label to fund our recordings, but when we made Daybreak, we had to work on our own waiting till the album was finished to find a label to release the album. Hopefully in the future we will have financial backing when we enter the studio so we don't have to pay for the recording out of our own pockets.

PRT: Having been around in the music industry for quite some years now, what’s your opinion on how things have evolved?
Chris: When the band first started, there was no notion of stardom in the underground music scene, you made music because you loved it and you loved the connection with your fans and the bands you played with. In the early 2000's the whole scene blew up and became centered around success and celebrity. The music lost its sincerity as bands came out of the woodwork looking for instant fame and fortune. Thankfully, the lack of money in the music industry is forcing some of the less talented groups out of the limelight making room for more dedicated harder working bands with passion and heart.

PRT: In the past you’ve had a not so good experience with a major label. Would you ever consider signing with one again?
Chris: Probably not, but only because most major labels do deals which encompass the entirety of the bands' financial intake, as opposed to solely taking a percentage of the bands' record sales.

PRT: Looking back on 17 years of Saves The Day, is there anything you would’ve done differently?
Chris: Just briefly I have to mention that Saves The Day began in 1997, so it has actually only been 14 years of the band as of now. I started playing in bands in '94, but we didn't turn into Saves until '97. Having said that, there isn't a single thing that I would change about the band's history, since I learned from every twist and turn along the road, and I value the knowledge I've gained along the way.

PRT: Enough about the past… what does the future look like for Saves The Day?
Chris: I do an acoustic tour in January/February of 2012, and then the band heads to Australia shortly thereafter for the Soundwave Festival before headlining the States in the Spring. We're hoping to come back overseas next summer for the festival season and then perhaps a support tour in the Fall, and then we'll head back into the studio to start work on our next album in the Winter. Stay tuned, tell your friends, and come rock with us at the shows!

The Breakers – S/T

2011-12-18T10:10:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

The Danish rockers that make up The Breakers have a new self-titled album out, their third already. Little Steven Van Zandt saw good things in them and not only signed them to his label but also produced the whole thing and even co-wrote a couple of the songs. Interested what that sounds like? I was.

While they’re not doing anything new with (just following the sticker here) a Stax-like rhythm section, Stones-y guitars and a vocalist who sounds like a dead ringer for a younger Rod Stewart, these guys have all the right ingredients to write some tasty songs. And they do. From stompers like opener “Start The Show” to more soulful ballads like “Union Street”, The Breakers have all the bases covered. And while they are pretty good at what they do, they do still very much remain a retro band that lacks that special something the originals had.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.wickedcoolrecords.com
http://www.thebreakers.dk

Kid Loco – Confessions Of A Belladonna Eater

2011-12-18T10:09:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Kid Loco is the alter ego of French musician, DJ, remixer and producer Jean-Yves Prieur, who has previously spent time in several punk outfits before going all hip hop and reggae on his fellow Frenchies.

With “Confessions Of A Belladonna Eater” he’s veering off in yet another direction. It’s lavishly arranged pop music that reminds me of Belle And Sebastian and Air among others. Prieur handles most of the vocals himself but occasionally gets help from two girls… which is a good thing because the guy doesn’t have much of a singing voice to be honest with you.

I can see what he’s going for and I have to say that he does a pretty good job. But there’s something that sets him apart from the abovementioned bands and that’s just plain good songwriting. Everything sounds great (the guy is a producer after all) but the songs just don’t stick. And a crappy cover of Iggy Pop’s “The Passenger” doesn’t exactly help things move forward either.
Score: 5 out of 10
http://www.pias.fr
http://www.kidloco.com

Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong

2011-12-18T10:08:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

The rootsy indierockers that make up Dawes are back with the follow-up to “North Hills”. This one is called “Nothing Is Wrong” and on it they use the same elements that made their debut a standout release. It’s the combination of vocal harmonies, sweet guitar sounds and a Hammond organ alongside Taylor Goldsmith’s warm vocals that does me in.

If you’re into The Jayhawks, The Band, The Eagles, Neil Young and Jackson Browne (who even sings along on “Fire Away”), you’ll be wanting to hear songs like opener “Time Spent In Los Angeles”, “My Way Back Home” and closer “A Little Bit Of Everything”… they just prove that good music is timeless.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.loosemusic.com
http://www.dawes-theband.com

John Wesley Harding – The Sound Of His Own Voice

2011-12-18T10:07:00.002-08:00

- by Thomas

John Wesley Harding sure knows how to pick his friends… on “The Sound Of His Own Voice” he is backed up by the Decemberists, Peter Buck, Rosanne Cash and Scott McCaughey among others. Not that he needs all those big names to draw attention to his songs, the songs more than speak for themselves.

As happy and poppy as they may sound, the lyrics are not. But they’re smart and sometimes they sting a little. It’s a winning combination and with this album he’s crashing right into Elvis Costello’s backyard. Just have a listen to “Captain Courageous”, “There’s A Starbucks (Where The Starbucks Used To Be)” and the bittersweet “The Way We Weren’t” and try not to be won over.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.yeproc.com
http://wesleystace.com

Tom Freund – The Edge Of Venice

2011-12-18T10:07:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

You may have already heard of Tom Freund and his hat without even knowing it. He’s worked with Ben Harper on 1992’s “Pleasure And Pain” and has had bass duty throughout the nineties for The Silos. He has since then moved on to a solo career with “The Edge Of Venice” already being the good man’s seventh album.

Produced by John Aagia (John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews), Freund made an album of carefree pop sounds that come with an alt-country kinda vibe. I bet Tom Petty would approve of this. There are no multiple layers here, no experimenting… just solid songwriting that makes sense, the kind that hits just the spot.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.continental.nl
http://www.tomfreund.com

Hooray For Earth – True Loves

2011-12-18T10:06:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Hooray For Earth already spreads a positive vibe with its very name and that positivity can be found all throughout “True Loves” as well. It’s a strange mix of slick melodies, dreamy vocals, heavy bass sounds and a lot of synthesizers. A whole lot.

It’s pop music for the new millennium and for once I am a fan. Because no matter how goofy or bombastic things become, I find myself thoroughly enjoying this one. It’s kinda like what you were hoping MGMT’s “Congratulations” to sound like and it leaves me with a big smile plastered all over my face.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.memphis-industries.com
http://www.hoorayforearth.net

Ty Segall – Goodbye Bread

2011-12-18T10:05:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Ty Segall (or Eric Bauer as his parent know him) already made something of an impression with last year’s “Melted”. Instead of resting on his laurels, the man is already back with a new album called “Goodbye Bread”. Gone are the uptempo rockers of “Melted” (except for “California Commercial” which still comes with a strong Sonics vibe), please say hello to Beatlesque harmonies and T. Rex comparisons. Oh, and the Black Keys are never that far away either.

While still maintaining the sloppiness that seems to be a must with lo-fi recordings, this is a guy who knows very well where he’s going. Songs like “” and “” are pretty friggin’ good. Unfortunately there is also a way lesser song on here for every good one. That’s because Mr. Segall likes to lose himself in psychedelical experiments from time to time that only lead to failure.

“Goodbye Bread” is a good album but not one that will bring him into the spotlights. To really stand out, he should lose the experimenting streak on his next album. Which will probably come out in a couple of months?
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.dragcity.com
http://www.ty-segall.com

Sixteen Horsepower – Yours, Truly

2011-12-18T10:04:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Throughout the nineties and up until 2005, Sixteen Horsepower has always managed to impress with their mix of rock, religion and more traditional Americana sounds. Since their demise we’ve already had two live albums and one with leftovers but up until now there hasn’t been a retrospective.

“Yours, Truly” is made up of two CDs. The first one is called “People’s Choice” and its tracklisting is made up entirely by the fans. Seems like “Secret South” is the fans’ favourite album because it’s represented on here with five songs. This in stark contrast to “Hutterite Mile”, the only song off of “Folklore”, the band’s last album.

The second CD is “Rarities” and is filled with just that. Demos, a remix, B-sides and three covers including one of CCR’s “Bad Moon Rising” and The Gun Club’s “Fire Spirit”.

This one serves as a solid introduction to those of you who have never had the pleasure of submerging yourself in the world of 16 Horsepower while longtime fans will have more fun with the second album. It’s a little bit for everyone and it comes wrapped in a pretty slick packaging.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.glitterhouse.com
http://www.16horsepower.com

Jeffrey Foucault – Cold Satellite

2011-12-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

- by Thomas

Jeffrey Foucault is an American singer-songwriter who has been writing some pretty stellar tunes for a couple of years now. Earlier this year he dropped “Horse Latitudes” and after that one got a good reception, they decided to give the previously digitally released “Cold Satellite” a CD release as well.

Based on the work of a young American poet named Lisa Olstein, Foucault put the words to music with the help of Billy Conway (Morphine, Twinemen) on drums, Jeremy Moses Curtis (Booker T) on bass, David Goodrich (Chris Smither) on electric guitars and Nashville session veteran Alex Mccollough on pedal steel. The result is a beautiful Americana album with a country polish and the occasional loud guitar outbreak that could give Crazy Horse a run for his money.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.continental.nl
http://www.jeffreyfoucault.com

Brand New – Your Favorite Weapon (Deluxe Edition)

2011-12-16T10:28:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Triple Crown joined forces with Razor & Tie for the 10 year anniversary edition of “Your Favorite Weapon”, the album that put Brand New on the post-hardcore map. It was a great album then and it’s still a good album now that it’s been remastered. There is a lame joke to be made about a band called Brand New re-releasing a 10-year-old album, but let’s not and say I did. The deluxe edition comes with new artwork and a bunch of demos, three of which you’ve never heard before.

The Brand New you’ll hear on “Your Favorite Weapon” is obviously not the same as the evolved and matured Brand New of 2006’s “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me” or 2009’s “Daisy” but this is still worth listening to and not only because of nostalgia.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.razorandtie.com
http://www.brandnewrock.com

Ghost Robot Ninja Bear – S/T

2011-12-16T10:24:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

After the demise of Nakatomi Plaza, I was worried that I’d have to keep making do with their old albums. Luckily it didn’t take Oscar A. Rodriguez long to start a new band. His new pet project is called Ghost Robot Ninja Bear and after the releases of two EPs, he recently dropped a first full-length.

Sticking with Nakatomi Plaza’s sound for the largest part, this self-titled debut immediately sounds familiar with plenty of big guitars that go from soothing to all-round destruction in mere seconds while the rhythm section is tight and loud with Rodriguez belting over it all. Opener “The Curtain Call” serves as the perfect introduction of things to come with bigass riffs washing over you before a catchy chorus kicks in. They keep this up throughout most of the album but will occasionally throw in something a little more mellow like “I Can’t Decide” which comes with a Dinosaur Jr touch.

Whatever kinda vibe they’re going for, Ghost Robot Ninja Bear always pulls it off. It takes a couple of listens to really get into this album but after that it’s hard to stop listening to it and it’s to see that Rodriguez is still around making quality tuneage.
Score: 9 out of 10
no label
http://www.ghostrobotninjabear.wordpress.com

Cobra Skulls – Agitations

2011-12-16T10:23:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

The dudes that make up Cobra Skulls are back with their third album. This one’s called “Agitations” and on it you’ll hear more of that Against Me, Dead To Me, The Lawrence Arms kind of punkrock that these Nevada natives have made a name with for themselves over the past couple of years.

They’re off to a great start with the one-two punch that is “Six Degrees” and “Iron Lung”. A track like “On & On” is another solid punkrock tune with its catchy chorus and a driving rhythm. The problem with “Agitations” is that there are a couple of songs that are just too run-of-the-mill to make much of an impression, something that is accentuated only more by Peralta’s slightly monotonous voice. It doesn’t make “Agitations” a bad album but I thought there was gonna be more to love.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.fatwreck.com
http://www.cobraskulls.com

Aiden – Some Kind Of Hate

2011-12-16T10:22:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

For the second time this year, the guys in Aiden put on their make-up and spent hours combing their hair. The follow-up to “Disguises” is called “Some Kind Of Hate” and sadly this one is no improvement over the last one. Everything my buddy Jan said about that album can be applied to this one as well, so go ahead and read it there. That way I don’t have to waste any more time listening to this piece of crap.

Just wanted to add one point Jan didn’t mention in his review… how terrible is Wil Francis’ voice? Seriously! It’s flat like a 6-year-old girl’s chest (hey, I guess that’s their fanbase!) and more than once seriously off-key. Which makes it even funnier that in the liner notes he himself writes: ‘my mother used to tell the neighbors that it sounded like I was killing cats on account that I couldn’t sing hardly at all’ (sic). Newsflash… you still sound that way buddy!
Score: 2 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/aiden

Make Do And Mend – End Measured Mile

2011-12-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

- by Thomas

After two EPs, the guys in Make Do And Mend felt ready to drop their first full-length. It’s been out for a while on Panic Records already and Shield Recordings took it upon themselves to release “End Measured Mile” over here. For which I would like to thank them because it is a fucking great album.

Opener “Unknowingly Strong” takes you right to Hot Water Music’s “Caution” days and show that melody and being abrasive can very well walk hand in hand. The sheer power with which they knock songs like “Ghostal” (with guest vocals by La Dispute’s Jordan Dreyer) and “Transparent Seas” out of the ballpark are a dead giveaway that these guys have their roots in the hardcore scene. And if you couple that energy to great guitar leads and James Carroll’s gritty voice, well then you’ve got yourself a damn fine album that deserves to be played over and over again.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.shieldrecordings.com
http://www.makedoandmend.me

Counterparts – The Current Will Carry Us

2011-12-16T10:19:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

“The Current Will Carry Us” is the name of Counterparts’ second album and it’s a no-frills kinda hardcore affair where they crank out the heavy and get the job done in just over half an hour. Contrary to a bunch of other bands on the Victory roster, these Canadians rely on passion and anger rather than technical prowess and experimenting with different styles.

Songs like “MMVII” and “Jumping Ship” are dirty and frenetic hardcore tunes with melodies that lurk in the darkest corners and quite simply, they will kick your ass. When you play in a hardcore band, you’re not going to reinvent the wheel… but I doubt that’s what Counterparts is about. Just like their countrymen and labelmates in Comeback Kid, these are guys that want to plug in, play loud and get the fuck out. If this was Facebook, I would ‘I like’ this album right away.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/counterparts

Dead To Me - Moscow Penny Ante

2011-12-16T10:18:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

2009’s “African Elephants” was a love it or hate it kind of an album with Dead To Me incorporating a fair amount of dub and reggae into their snotty punkrock. I never really got into it but I was still curious to hear what they would come up with next. Luckily for me they went for the loud guitars again on “Moscow Penny Ante”, an album full of punkrock anthems.

Producer Matt Allison did a great job (as always), making everything sound all nice and crispy. Chicken takes lead vocals on most of the songs on here with new guitarist Sam Johnson (VRGNS, New Mexican Disaster Squad, No Friends) chipping in every now and again. The other new guitarist responds well to the name Ken Yamikazi (Western Addiction) does a nice job of dropping melodic riffs over a gritty foundation.

With less “African Elephants” and more “Cuban Ballerina”, “Moscow Penny Ante” is a return to form for these geography-loving punkrockers. Just like The Dopamines or Banner Pilot, Dead To Me aren’t reinventing the wheel here… they’re just about writing fun punkrock songs that can whip a sweaty basement crowd into a frenzy in one minute or less.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.fatwreck.com
http://www.myspace.com/deadtomesf

Nothington – Borrowed Time

2011-12-16T10:17:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

“Borrowed Time” is lucky number three for Nothington. Their first two albums weren’t bad either but they never really stuck with me. This time around however, Jay Northington and his buddies wrote a bunch of songs that are far more agreeable.

Chris Matulich handles a lot more of the vocal duties than on “Roads, Bridges And Ruins” and it’s that interaction between him and Northington that makes “Borrowed Time” way more fun to listen to. Their Lucero meets Social D kinda punkrock didn’t change all too much with the hard-hitting rhythms, loud guitars and catchy hooks still in place.

Listening to songs like “End Of The Day” and “Hopeless”, I have to say that this really is the band’s best work to date and I can’t find anything that can still hold them back this time around!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.redscare.net
http://www.myspace.com/nothington

Elway – Delusions

2011-12-16T10:16:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

After a mellow intro that also serves as a throwback to the band’s past (10/4 Eleanor is their previous name), they kick out the jams with “Passing Days”. One thing that becomes clear from the get-go is that even though these guys are from Colorado, they sound like a bunch of great Chicago-based bands. Yup, think Larry Arms and Alkaline Trio for your RIYL.

Gruff yet melodic and with more whoa’s than you can shake a stick at, that’s Elway in a couple of words. Songs like first single “Passing Days” or “Song For Eric Solomon To Sing” now have a little place in my heart (hey, it’s almost Christmas… I’m allowed to be corny!) and Elway show they deserve to have their own spot in the poppunk scene, saturated as it may be.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.redscare.net
http://www.myspace.com/elway

Close Your Eyes – Empty Hands And Heavy Hearts

2011-12-16T10:15:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Last year Close Your Eyes already surprised me with “We Will Overcome”, an enjoyable album if you’re into melodic hardcore. Without wasting any time, these Texans got their asses back in the studio and recorded the follow-up. They haven’t changed much on “Empty Hands And Heavy Hearts”… just more of the same hook-laden hardcore that sounds like a mix between Comeback Kid and Ignite.

Opener “Hope Slips Away” sets the pace right from the get-go and they keep on racing at the same speed through the rest of the album while throwing catchy choruses and tasty breakdowns on top of each other. There are hints of A Day To Remember and Take It Back here as well and basically it’s wholesome hardcore all around.

Simply put, you can’t really go wrong with this one if you’re into any of the abovementioned bands.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/closeyoureyesmusic

Gameday Regulars - … But It’s Hell In The Hallway

2011-12-16T10:03:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Gameday Regulars are three dudes who obviously share a love of sports and while one might expect them to live in Gainesville and sport beards listening to their debut EP, these guys are actually from NYC.

“… But It’s Hell In The Hallway” comes with six songs that would make Chuck Ragan & co proud… driving rhythms, loud guitars injected with plenty of melody and vocals so gruff that you could use them to scrape anything off of your shoes. “Hearts And Bones” and closer “The Whiskey Keeps Us Young” sound like two songs Hot Water Music just hasn’t gotten round to recording yet. If this is just their debut, I can’t wait to hear what they’ll come up with next!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.mtsrecords.com
http://www.gamedayregulars.net

Mixtapes – Hope Is For People

2011-12-16T10:02:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Can anybody still keep track of all the Mixtapes releases that keep popping up? I sure can’t! This Ohio outfit sure is a busy bunch, something that is also reflected in their upbeat happy brand of pop-punk.

“Hope Is For People” is a new 5-song 7” filled with catchy melodies, male/female vocals, lots of energy and a Metallica reference (“The New Ride The Lightning”). Which only adds to the coolness. Mixtapes are not about reinventing the wheel but they bring their songs with so much enthousiasm that it’s hard not to get caught up in it.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.animalstylerecords.com
http://www.mixtapesohio.com

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes – Sing In Japanese

2011-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

- by Thomas

Earlier this year the Gimme Gimmes released “Go Down Under” for their upcoming Australian tour. And now there’s “Sing In Japanese” for their… yes, Japanese tour. Doesn’t seem like they’re spending a lot of time anymore on coming up with original themese, does it? Makes me wonder what’s next… Fat Mike drops an EP with The Jam’s “Shopping” and Dolly Parton’s “The Bargain Store” next time he decides to go to Wal-Mart?

Anyway, there’s six songs on here that get the royal Gimmes treatment and I don’t know a single one of them. I’m sure “Kokoro No Tabi” and”22 Sai No Wakare” were huge hits in the land of the rising sun but when you don’t know the originals, it’s just not funny.

I’m sure they’re still having a blast playing sped up covers but I’m getting tired of them milking this one-trick pony… on a sidenote this made me wonder if you can even milk a pony? Whatever. They should just keep it in the basement.
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.fatwreck.com
http://www.myspace.com/gimmegimmes

Set It Off – Horrible Kids EP

2011-11-28T12:38:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Dammit! I was just in a perfectly good pop-punk vibe and then decided to write one more review before calling it a night. Only to then pull Set It Off’s re-mastered EP out of the pile!

These guys garnered some attention by vocalist Cody Carson uploading videos on YouTube of him covering songs by the likes of A Day To Remember, All Time Low and the likes. Guess that’s already enough in this day and age. Anyway, Equal Vision took it upon themselves to re-release the band’s “Horrible Kids” EP and while I’m sure they’re not really horrible kids, their music is the kind of mindless pop dribble that I can’t take anymore. Whiny vocals, synth sounds and way too many theatrics… it’s like Panic At The Disco all over. Get rid of ‘em!
Score: 3 out of 10
http://www.equalvision.com
http://www.setitoffband.com

The Dopamines / Dear Landlord split

2011-11-28T12:37:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Sweet! The Dopamines and Dear Landlord are two great but underrated pop-punk bands and they’ve just teamed up to hit you over the head with two songs each on this digital only EP.

Expect to hear straightforward songs that come with a start, a finish and awesomeness in between…there is a lot of energy going around here which is what you get when you throw raw honesty, distorted guitars and a whole lotta power in the blender. And while it is kinda short, it does serve as a good introduction to both The Dopamines and Dear Landlord.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.paperandplastick.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedopaminesohio
http://www.myspace.com/letslynchthedearlandlord

Transit – Listen & Forgive

2011-11-28T12:35:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Transit has already released two albums’ worth of standard pop-punk sounds that weren’t bad but not exactly standout material either. “Listen & Forgive” however changes all that. They’ve injected their sound with some 90s emo influences and it works wonders for them. Check out that American Football-inspired guitar sound and hear how well it compliments Joe Boynton’s vocals.

Songs like the upbeat “Cutting Corners” and the acoustic “Skipping Stone” show an earnest band that bleeds sincerity. And I’m not the only one who took notice of these guys seeing as they even got Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump to sing along on “All Your Heart”… even though I think Stump should be thanking them for allowing him to be a part of a decent song for once. After all it’s been a while for the guy.

Anyway, asking for forgiveness in the album title might be a tad much… their first albums weren’t shitty either. But I sure as hell am listening to this one!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.riserecords.com
http://www.thetransitwar.com

Man Overboard – Man Overboard

2011-11-28T12:34:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Man Overboard never really left the spotlight since releasing last year’s “Real Talk” with what seems like an incredibly large output in just a year. And they even found the time to write a brand new batch of songs! Normally when a band drops a self-titled album, it means something. Like, they’re going for a new sound, veering off in another direction. Here however it becomes obvious right from the start that they haven’t changed a thing. Which wasn’t exactly necessary either… they were already writing ridiculously catchy poppunk songs to begin with.

The dual vocals by Nik Bruzzese and Zac Eiesenstein are still very much in effect and backed up by nice chunky guitars and big drums. The hooks, melodies, singalong parts and so on are present and accounted for as well making this sophomoric album a must for all the fans of older Blink and New Found Glory.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.riserecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/manoverboard

The Copyrights – North Sentinel Island

2011-11-28T12:33:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

North Sentinel Island is one of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Yup, got Wikipedia to thank for that one. It’s inhabited by 400 people who reject any contact with other people. That right there is pretty punkrock if you ask me. Which is why it makes for a good album title for Illinois’ The Copyrights.

These guys aren’t trying anything new on what is already album number five but they have a knack for writing slick melodies wrapped in loud guitars, that you wouldn’t have it any other way. Take opener “Trustees Of Modern Chemistry” for example where they channel a riff that would make the Foo Fighters proud through pounding drums that leave nothing to the imagination. They then keep it up for thirteen more songs which is more than you can say about a lot of other bands.

If you’re a fan of honest poppunk a la Face To Face, early Alk 3 or labelmates Teenage Bottlerocket, then this is definitely something you’ll want to hear.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.redscare.net
http://www.myspace.com/thecopyrights

The Reveling – Tributaries

2011-11-28T12:32:00.002-08:00

- by Thomas

Following up their 2009 EP “3D Radio”, The Reveling strikes again with their first full-length. It’s called “Tributaries” and on it are a bunch of songs that will take you back to the 90s when bands like Face To Face, older Green Days and “Goddamnit” era Alkaline Trio did what they do best. They got the solid hooks and melodies down pat while loud guitars do their thing over fast-paced rhythms. Meanwhile Sean Morris’ voice keeps things more recent, bringing The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon to mind.

With a production job by Alex Newport (Frank Turner, Rival Schools, Samiam), “Tributaries” sounds amazing and it’s albums like this that make me remember every single time why I fell in love with punkrock in the first place. I’m pretty sure we’ll be hearing a lot more from this band in the future!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.theblacknumbers.com
http://www.myspace.com/thereveling

Rob Crow – He Thinks He’s People

2011-11-28T12:32:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Early next year there shall be much rejoicing when Pinback’s new album finally comes out but to tie us over Rob Crow was kind enough to drop another solo album. “He Thinks He’s People” is already his sixth and it’s another good one.

For those of you who have never heard of Rob Crow or Pinback for that matter… wow dude, where the hell have you been? Think of them as the lesser known brother of The Shins and Built To Spill. Just like on a Pinback album, Crow builds his songs with the help of guitars and a drum computer before adding his muttered vocals over them. It might not sound all that exciting but trust me, it is.

There is a definite Elliott Smith vibe in songs like “This Thread” and “Tranked” whereas “Build” is more of a punky track that I did not see coming. Hell, Crow even gets even downright funky in “Locking Seth Putnam In Hot Topic” before going back to Elliott Smith on “Purpose”.

It doesn’t become quite as cosy on “He Thinks He’s People” as it does on a regular Pinback album… guess the magic really happens when Crow collaborates with partner in crime Zach Smith. But until that new albums comes out, this will do just fine!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.temporaryresidence.com
http://www.myspace.com/robcrow

Astronautalis – This Is Our Science

2011-11-28T12:31:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

For the better part of a decade Minneapolis’ Astronautalis has been cranking out tunes that could be labeled hiphop, but which actually transcend that label. Take “This Is Our Science” for example, the man’s fourth album.

“Thomas Jefferson” is a brooding song with plaintive guitar wails and additional vocals by Riverboat Gamblers’ Mike Wiebe while “Measure The Globe” is one piano ballad you will not find on the new Eminem album. That is not to say that Astronatalis does not know how to spit some poignant rhymes over solid beats… he does. But he’s not afraid to take chances either, like on the poppy “Contrails” where he gets a little help from Tegan and Sara’s Tegan Quinn.

My biggest qualm with hiphop in general is that to me it’s just beats and rhymes that I can’t relate to. Astronautalis however writes songs and if all hiphop albums were like this, I’d be wearing oldschool Adidas and baggy pants as well! Check out “The River The Woods” and “Dimitri Mendelev” to become a fan of one of Minneapolis’ best kept secrets.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.fakefourinc.com
http://www.astronautalis.com

Frenzal Rhomb – Smoko At The Pet Food Factory

2011-11-28T12:30:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

For years Frenzal Rhomb was the only Australian band I knew outside of INXS. Well, I knew Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan but you can hardly call them a band. Anyway, it’s been awfully quiet around Frenzal Rhomb these last couple of years. Maybe one of them drank himself into a coma or had another heart attack. Whatever the case, they’re back now with an album that for some reason has been dubbed “Smoko At The Pet Food Factory”.

What that album sounds like? Same as always! I’m not saying that Australia is behind because it’s an island or anything, but fact is that these guys still play the kind of fast-paced melodic punkrock that NOFX and Lagwagon excelled at in the 90ies. Whatever though, with cuts like “Knuckleheads”, “Back To The Suburbs” and “Dead Celebrity”, it sure is a pleasure to listen to. Glad to have you back mates!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.fatwreck.com
http://www.myspace.com/gofrenzalgo

Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific

2011-11-28T12:29:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

The cleaned up version of “Resignation Day” and follow-up “Collapser” already showed the world that Banner Pilot is one of the better punkrock bands to come from the Midwest in quite some time. A fact they only confirm once more with album number three, “Heart Beats Pacific”.

The bass lines thump a little harder this time around and the guitar riffs are denser and heavier but other than that things have stayed the same. They still know how to pull hooks out of thin air and Nick Johnson still knows how to write some standout lyrics. But even though “Heart Beats Pacific” is pretty much a reprise of those two previous albums, I can’t hold it against Banner Pilot that they want to refine the sound that got them noticed.

If you are into the likes of Dillinger Four, Dear Landlord, Off With Their Heads and of course Jawbreaker, you have no option… get this album!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.fatwreck.com
http://www.bannerpilot.net

Black Box Revelation – My Perception

2011-11-28T12:28:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

For album number two, Black Box Revelation decided to take a little trip and ended up in LA with producer Alain Johannes. And while Johannes did help make “My Perception” sound great, it didn’t turn out to be the bombshell everyone was expecting. Or at least hoping for.

With songs that linger somewhere between the Stones and some Delta blues band, Black Box Revelation try to find their way throughout the eleven songs on here with mixed results. “Skin” is a damn fine song as is “Shadowman” and “Sealed With Thorns” sounds like some unearthed song that Neil Young wrote and then forgot all about. Sounds good, right?

Unfortunately there are also songs like opener “Madhouse” that spend way too much time with one single riff. And while the idea of writing one song and wanting to re-record it every ten years is a good one, “Lonely Hearts” is one of the weakest offerings on here.

“My Perception” is not a bad album but there are a couple of cuts on here that don’t really serve a purpose and they tend to drag the whole thing down. The other songs however do offer hope that we haven’t heard the best from these guys yet.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.pias.com
http://www.blackboxrevelation.com

Malibu Stacy – We Are Not From

2011-11-28T12:27:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Didn’t really know Malibu Stacy until I received their latest album. This outfit from the south of Belgium had a small hit a couple of years ago with the punkrocky “Los Angeles” which was included in “Fifa 2007”. Other than that their claim to fame has been rather limited. That could all very well change with “We Are Not From” though.

On album number three one thing becomes clear right from the start: goodbye punkrock, hello Arcade Fire! As soon as “Razorback” comes around, I was sold. It sounds huge and the addition of trumpet and sax really ties everything together. The influences are obvious but fuck it, when it’s this nicely executed, then I see no reason to bitch about it. Next up is “Patricia”, a mellow song with great harmonies, an acoustic guitar, subtle percussion and a banjo. Equally charming are “The Road Is Dead” and “Gyokusai” and these guyskept me interested all the way up to closer “Lassa Lucia!”, which sounds like something you would hear in an elevator. A classy elevator. With a bellboy.

“We Are Not From” is the sound of a band that completely reinvented themselves. It takes balls to veer off in another direction but they did the right thing and came out winning.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.62tvrecords.com
http://www.malibustacy.com

Hightime – Ishi Prende

2011-11-28T12:26:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

It’s Hightime, not Lifetime! On their debut album these Adelaide natives do play fast and melodic punkrock but that’s where the comparison ends. I’m thinking there’s a fair amount of weed involved as well (which would explain the ‘high’ part in the bandname), seeing as they like to mix everything up with crazy ideas that they draw from lots of different styles. Simply put, their attitude towards music is fun and refreshing.

When they go in ska-mode, they have a bit of a No Doubt vibe going on… I guess they have frontwoman Nina to thank for that. But she can just as easily burst out in angry screams during the hardcore-oriented parts. It makes for an album that offers plenty of variety and which stays exciting up until the end. And even though I still have no idea what “Ishe Prende” means, I’m digging this one!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.peerecords.com
http://www.hightimemusic.com

Mindset – Midnight Sky

2011-11-28T12:25:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Mindset is a Melbourne-based band who have just released their debut album, “Midnight Sky”. That’s right, Melbourne as in Australia, the land where if you flush a toilet, the water spins the other way round. And the home of Crocodile Dundee. And just like that movie, this album is fun yet slightly forgettable.

Taking a whole lotta cues from acts such as With Honor, Comeback Kid and other modern melodic hardcore bands, they pound their way through the ten songs on here with plenty of thudding drums, shouted vocals and gang vox alongside the occasional breakdown. It’s all executed with plenty of energy yet nothing really sticks out and you can hardly call this original. Now, maybe if they would wrestle an alligator onstage… then we’re talking!
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.peerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/mindsethc

The Bombpops – Stole The TV

2011-11-28T12:24:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

San Diego’s The Bombpops is a relatively new name in the SoCal scene with “Stole The TV” being only their second EP. Yet I’m pretty sure we’ll be hearing a lot more from them in the future. Apparently Red Scare felt the same way which is how come they’re the ones releasing this new 4-song EP.

Expect to hear four fast and catchy pop-punk songs that slow down in all the right places and come with dual vocals by two ladies called Poli Van Dam and Jen Razavi. They also dish out some great riffage and look pretty damn cute to top things off. To even things out, they are backed up by two strong and sturdy men who have put together a solid rhythm section.

If you are into Ergs-like pop-punk, you should definitely check out the Bombpops. If only because of the fun band name!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.redscare.net
http://www.myspace.com/thebombpops

The Decline – Are You Gonna Eat That?

2011-11-28T12:23:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

I never heard of these guys before, but The Decline is an Australian punkrock band who have just released their second full-length. “Are You Gonna Eat That?” comes with a controversial yet funny cover which pretty much tells you exactly what the band is about.

The tuneage on here is fun enough yet always comes with a message about how we’re fucking up our society when we’re not too busy fucking up another relationship. It’s all very fast, very tight and very melodic and it would’ve made perfect sense on the 90s roster of Fat Wreck. So yeah, hardly original but you just don’t hear this kind of straight-forward punkrock enough these days. So kudos to them!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.peerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedecline

Psychedelic Horseshit – Laced

2011-11-28T12:22:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Fat Cat already doesn’t have the most accessible bands on their roster and their Splinter Series is reserved bands that they even consider weird. Psychedelic Horseshit is one of those bands and on “Laced” they are out to prove that you don’t need to be able to sing, play an instrument or write a song to get a record deal. Well, that can hardly be surprising.. just look at the Pussycat Dolls of the world. At least these guys are honest about it in their bandname.

Anyway, I have no idea what this is supposed to be, I’m just hearing a lot of keyboard sounds and percussion that are annoying as fuck with some dude mumbling over it like a complete fucking retard. Here’s to ten minutes of my life that I will never get back!
Score: 0 out of 10
http://www.fat-cat.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/psychedelichorseshit

World’s End Girlfriend – Seven Idiots

2011-11-28T12:21:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Mixing up different styles is cool. It’s not always done well but it can definitely spruce things up. In the case of Katsuhiko Maeda aka World’s End Girlfriend, it pretty much sucks. He throws every style known to mankind upon each other and then watches it all fall apart. Somewhere throughout these 80 (!!!) minutes you’ll hear everything from indie rock and drum ‘n bass to industrial and classical music. “Seven Idiot” sounds like the hyperkinetic soundtrack to a bad manga cartoon and I don’t think I even reached the halfway mark before deciding that this album would look a helluva lot better in my trash can.
Score: 1 out of 10
http://www.erasedtapes.com
http://www.myspace.com/worldsendgirlfriendworldsendgirlfriend

The James Cleaver Quintet – That Was Then, This Is Now

2011-11-28T12:20:00.001-08:00

- by Thomas

Despite being called The James Cleaver Quintet, there’s only four guys in this UK-based band and guess what? None of them is called James Cleaver. They released an EP called “Ten Stages Of A Make Up” last year and are about to drop their debut full-length at the end of the month.

“That Was Then, This Is Now” feels like talking a walk through the mind of a mental patient. It switches pace continually, disappears behind corners only to then pop up again in the most unexpected place possible. These guys are loud, abrasive and pretty much right up in your face and have mastered the art of letting hysterical parts segue into melodic bits with ease. Like halfway through “Don’t Just Stare At It, EAT IT!”, which is then followed by the loungy “The JCWho?” which wouldn’t look out of place on a Richard Cheese album.

If you’re into thoroughly fucked up hardcore with a melodic veneer and a sense of humor, then make sure to check out “That Was Then, This Is Now”… you won’t regret it!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.hasslerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/thejcq

Kings Go Forth @ Vooruit, Ghent // Oct. 31

2011-10-26T13:16:00.001-07:00

If you're sick of watching cheesy horror flicks, dressing up like a vampire or handing out candy to kids with the risk of being perceived as a degenerate perv, come check out the amazing Kings Go Forth at Vooruit in Ghent on All Hallows Eve... they're living proof that soul music is still alive in 2011!

Click on the flyer below to order your tickets!

Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside – Dirty Radio

2011-10-18T13:59:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Sallie Ford is Sallie Ford, a vocalist out of Portland, OR. The Sound Outside is bassist Tyler Tornfelt, drummer Ford Tennis and guitarist Jeffrey Munger. Together they form… yes, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside and they have just released an album called “Dirty Radio”.

This outfit takes its cues from the past and leans heavily on 50s rock ‘n roll along with a healthy dose of soul, gospel and blues. “Poison Milk” takes you right to the cotton plantations while the percussion-driven “Against The Law” starts off hypnotising before building up to a loud climax. “Thirteen Years Old” is a nice slow jam whereas the opening threesome offer more straight-forward rock ‘n roll.

Without Sallie Ford this album would’ve probably not gotten as much attention but it’s her voice - which brings back memories of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday - that does it. I don’t think we’ve already heard all these guys and girl have to offer, but “Dirty Radio” is a pretty solid debut nonetheless.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.fargorecords.com
http://www.sallieford.com

Seahaven – Ghost

2011-10-18T13:58:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

“Ghost” is the debut by a band called Seahaven which counts Final Fight drummer James Phillips among their ranks. The songs on here sound like everything Brand New has ever written, condensed into one EP. That’s not a diss… it sounds pretty fucking awesome actually!

They come out swinging with the two heaviest tracks on here (“Plague” and “Birds”) before taking their foot off the gas for the next songs. “Love” sees them veer off in more of a pop-punk direction and comes with guest vocals from Set Your Goals' Jordan Brown.

“Ghost” is a very strong first offering by a new band and while they wear the influences on their sleeve, they definitely transcend being a mere copycat and have managed to mold them into something of their own. I’m pretty sure we’ll be hearing more from these guys in the future!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.creator-destructor.com
http://www.myspace.com/welcometoseahaven

Victorian Halls – Charlatan

2011-10-18T13:57:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

After having released two EPs in 2008 and 2009, Victorian Halls signed with Victory Records and are now unleashing their debut full-length upon the largely unsuspecting masses. “Charlatan” is the name of the game and on it you’ll hear what the band themselves call emo disco-punk.

What that entails exactly? A lot of electronic beats and synth sounds wrapped in loud guitars… think of a party version of The Blood Brothers if you will. The music itself is decent enough even though it doesn’t make me want to dance. Then again, nothing does. But it’s catchy and it sounds good even though I would classify it as a guilty pleasure.

Victorian Halls does struggle with one problem though and that problem is called the vocalist. He sounds pretty much exactly like the hysterical girls I imagine attending the band’s shows and no, that’s not a good thing.
Score: 5.5 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/victorianhalls

These Hearts – Forever Ended Yesterday

2011-10-18T13:53:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Looking at the cover, I thought I was going to hear a mix of pop-punk and hardcore and that’s exactly what you get from These Hearts. It’s just unfortunate that it’s not a very good mix. On the one hand you get uninspired poppy parts with a whiny, high-pitched vocalist, on the other hand there are some heavy breakdowns that serve absolutely no purpose and which don’t fit the songs. At all. This is kiddie punk made for and by children and has absolutely no redeeming value whatsoever. The one point they do get is for the song title “Denial Is Not Just A River In Egypt”.
Score: 1 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/thesehearts

Chad VanGaalen – Diaper Island

2011-10-18T13:50:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Chad VanGaalen is a Canadian singer/songwriter who I imagine to be living in some cabin in the woods where his Macbook is fired up by a generator. Every now and then the man makes the trip to the big city to hand in a new disc full of cute little pop songs that come with just enough of a bite.

I never quite know what to make of his albums… the only certainty seems to be the ugly as fuck artwork. On “Diaper Island” VanGaalen opens with some harmonies that would get a nod of approval from Camp Fleet Foxes while guitars gently fuzz in cuts like “Replace Me”. And that the man has a sense of humor is proven in “Shave My Pussy”. Everything on here is melodic enough but there’s always this eccentric edge to the material that prevents me from truly getting involved with “Diaper Island”.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.subpop.com
http://www.myspace.com/chadvangaalen

Panda Bear – Tomboy

2011-10-18T13:49:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Lemme start this one off just like my Handsome Furs review… When Noah Lennox isn’t writing songs for indie darlings Animal Collective, he’s making music for his side-project Panda Bear. Under that moniker he pretty much became the spokesperson for chillwave. And you know what I learned while listening to “Tomboy”? Chillwave is boring as fuck.

Voices float in and out of focus backed up by some synth sounds that are covered by delay and reverb. I’ve read a bunch of reviews where this is being compared to the Beach Boys… if that were true and Brian Wilson and co. sounded anything like this, I doubt they would still be a reference today. Some may call this hypnotising, I just think it’s plain annoying.
Score: 3 out of 10
http://www.paw-tracks.com
http://www.myspace.com/pandabear

Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital

2011-10-18T13:48:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

When Dan Boeckner isn’t writing songs for indie darlings Wolf Parade, he’s making music with his wife Alexei Perry for side-project Handsome Furs. “Sound Kapital” is already the couple’s third album and once again we are treated to a bunch of electropop tunes.

Unfortunately the beats and synth sounds on here don’t sound all that different from the soundtrack to one of the computer games I used to play in the early nineties and as cute as it sounded then, it’s just plain boring now. And not even the naked lady on the cover can redeem that fact.
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.subpop.com
http://www.handsomefurs.com

Mazes – A Thousand Heys

2011-10-18T13:43:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Mazes is yet another new UK band that draws inspiration from the slacker movement of the nineties. Think Pavement, Sebadoh, Teenage Fanclub. There’s nothing original to be found on “A Thousand Heys”… just sloppy yet poppy tunes that will charm the hell out of you. And kudos to them for managing to make it all sound fresh despite the lack of new ideas thanks to nice mix of harder and more mellow tunes coupled to solid hooks.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.fat-cat.co.uk
http://www.mazesmazesmazes.com

Wet Paint – Woe

2011-10-18T13:42:00.003-07:00

- by Thomas

‘Woe is me’ is an expression that pops up in my head every now and then when I’m listening to yet another shitty album, wondering why the hell I ever began a zine. Not so during Wet Paint’s second album, which is actually worth listening to.

Former Absentee guitarist Babak Ganjei started this band and on their sophomoric album they sound a helluva lot like Pavement/Sebadoh/ Sonic Youth. They won’t be winning any prizes for most innovative band that way, but it does lead to some pretty decent slacker tunes that will please all the nineties nostalgics out there!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.recordsrecordsrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/wetpaintwetpaint

EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints

2011-10-18T13:42:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

EMA aka Erika M. Anderson used to be in a noisefolk outfit called Gowns with her former boyfriend, Ezra Buchla. When both the band and the relationship imploded, Anderson was ready to pack up and head back to South Dakota. Luckily she recorded “Past Life Martyred Saints” first because it turned out to be one motherfucker of an album.

On it you’ll see lo-fi and hi-fi hooking up in opener “Grey Ship” while “Milkman” is as catchy as noise can possibly be. While the light in Anderson’s life seems to be turned off permanently, there are still enough pop influences to keep things bearable in spite of her brutally honest lyrics. Throw in some things that go bleep in the night alongside the distorted guitars and you have an album that is as painful as it is beautiful. Think Cat Power meets Sonic Youth and you’re there!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.souterraintransmissions.com
http://www.cameouttanowhere.com

Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams

2011-10-18T13:41:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Time to get your shoop shoop on! The Dum Dum Girls are back and while their second album mostly deals with the passing away of frontwoman Kristen Gundred’s mother, it is a real pleasure to listen to.

Dee Dee, Jules, Bambi and Sandy still sound like the daughters of The Ronettes and The Ramones, but they’ve shaped up their songwriting skills considerably since 2009’s “I Will Be”. This might’ve taken away some of the reckless abandon of their bubblegum-garagepop, but you are treated to more depth in return. Make sure to check out “Teardrops On My Pillow”, “Hold Your Hand” and my favourite, “Bedroom Eyes”. Or shit, try on “Just A Creep” for size with that cute little surf guitar line!

If your autumn is still looking for a soundtrack, these Phil Spector aficionados will provide it.
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.subpop.com
http://www.dumdumgirls.com

Skarhead – Dreams Don’t Die!!!

2011-10-18T13:40:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

I doubt anyone was waiting to hear Lord Ezec cover everyone from Outburst, Killing Time, Warzone, Sick Of It All, Cro-Mags, Murphy’s Law, SOD, Leeway and Bad Brains right down to Cindy friggin’ Lauper, but here you go anyway!

“Dreams Don’t Die” is the name of this completely unnecessary album and it comes with lots of Lord Ezec’s cronies contributing vocals… Terror’s Scott Vogel, Leeway’s Eddie Sutton, Sheer Terror’s Paul Bearer and a bunch of noble unknowns such as Ivan Murillo, Stress The Whiteboy, Adlib and someone or something called Eye-Ra-Haze.

Nothing on here is original… well, logically seeing as they are all covers… but even the song choice isn’t surprising and a hardcore cover of a hardcore song doesn’t leave much room for interpretation and innovation. Feel free to skip this!
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.iscreamrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/skarheadmusic

The Walkabouts – Travels In The Dustland

2011-10-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

“Travels In The Dustland” is the first new Walkabouts album in six years but it was well worth the wait. “Travels In The Dustland” is a collection of songs about the desert and on the album Chris Eckman and his friends sound like the bastard child of Calexico and Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds.

With a bit of pedal steel here and some organ there alongside plenty of string arrangements that are draped over various songs, The Walkabouts take you on a trip through vast landscapes and open skies. Eckman sings on most of the songs here but there are a couple of goosebump moments that come courtesy of Carla Torgerson as well. And while the dustland does not seem like a very hospitable place, even downright gloomy at times, it does deliver some heartbreakingly beautiful songs with “They Are Not Like Us” as the absolute highlight.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.glitterhouse.com
http://www.thewalkabouts.com

Scott H. Biram – Bad Ingredients

2011-10-13T11:10:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Scott H. Biram – the devil’s one man band – is back with a new album filled with songs about cursing, drinking, fucking and more drinking. Or killing a chicken. On “Bad Ingredients” Biram played pretty much every instrument himself and recorded the whole thing in his own studio. It’s a lo-fi motherfucker that sounds like Left Lane Cruiser (“Victory Song”) one minute and like all hell broke loose the next (“Dontcha Lie To Me Baby”). In between Biram shows his mellow side in “Open Road”. And that’s just four songs in!

Later on we’re treated to the heartfelt waltz that is “Memories Of You Sweetheart”, the R&B-ish “I Want My Mojo Back” (with a guest saxophonist) and the raucous “Killed A Chicken Last Night” in which his stomp board is flat out destroyed. This is real music written by a guy who spits as hard in the face of adversity as his guitar amp spits out fuzz and feedback.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.bloodshotrecords.com
http://www.scottbiram.com

Blink 182 – Neighborhoods

2011-10-13T11:09:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Eight years after Blink went on an indefinite hiatus, the boys are back and out to prove they have become men in the meantime. On “Neighborhoods” there are no more poop jokes like on “Dude Ranch”. And while there’s certainly something to be said for more mature lyrics, it’s weird coming from Blink 182. It’s like watching the cast from American Pie reunite only to then have them play in a new adaptation of “Sense And Sensibility”.

All would be well though if they hadn’t touched the music. Unfortunately they have. And so the majority of the songs on here do not sound like they could’ve come off of “Dude Ranch” but more like a continuation of Angels & Airwaves or of Blink’s way too serious self-titled album. It’s a shame because what Blink did best was writing unpretentious and fast pop-punk songs. “Heart’s All Gone” is one of those songs that takes me back to 1997. But even there they felt the need to add a completely unnecessary interlude. Maybe it’s some burning desire to prove that they are ‘serious musicians’? I don’t know but it simply doesn’t work.

Maybe I’m old enough to be a nostalgic, but I would’ve preferred to hear another album full of short blasts about being dumped or taking a dump instead of this. Not a complete clunker like other reunion albums but no instant classic either.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.dgcrecords.com
http://www.blink182.com

The Mattless Boys – The Mattless Boys

2011-10-13T11:08:00.003-07:00

- by Thomas

The Boys have been surfing the punkrock wave since ’77 with even the likes of Paul Weller giving them the thumbs up. When several members of the band started a side-project in 2009 without guitarist/songwriter Matt Dangerfield, they adopted the Mattless Boys moniker (ha!) and they’ve now released their self-titled debut after having played several shows in the second half of 2010.

Expect to hear a bunch of entertaining punkrock songs that are quite catchy and come with plenty of rock ‘n roll influences. I doubt it will make any ‘album of the year’ lists but it’s entertaining enough if you’re into the likes of well, The Boys.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.drummingmonkey.de
http://www.myspace.com/themattlessboys

Cryssis – Simple Man

2011-10-13T11:08:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

When two guys called Dick York and Vom Ritchie met back in 1981, they started a band called Cry Dyann and wrote a bunch of pop-punk songs. Those never saw the light of day thanks to a shitty management and the band then called it a day in 1983.

Years and years later the two of them ran into each other again and seeing as history has a tendency to repeat itself, they started a new band. This time around they call themselves Cryssis, which is just a terrible, terrible name if you ask me. Anyway, on “Simple Man” you’ll hear a bunch of rather unremarkable songs with simple riffs and plain vocals that won’t hurt anyone to listen to but that won’t impress anyone either.
Score: 5 out of 10
http://www.drummingmonkey.de

Turbowolf – Turbowolf

2011-10-13T11:07:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Turbowolf is one of the latest bands to rise up from the UK underground. They recently signed with Hassle who will be releasing the band’s self-titled album next month. These guys have already been tearing up stages with everyone from Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and Pulled Apart By Horses to Korn and Dimmu Borgir. Enough with the facts sheet… onto the music!

These guys have managed to heap together an impressive amount of different sounds and climbed out on top of them. It’s like listening to Gallows playing CKY covers while trying to sound like a 70s rock band. Throw in some keyboards along with a firm grasp on pop aesthetics and you’ll find yourself listening to killer tracks such as “Seven Severed Heads” and “The Big Cut”.

It’s not really a question of whether you’ll like this album or not, the hardest thing is trying to decide whether you want bang your head or dance or look like a complete spazz trying to do both at the same time.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.hasslerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/turbowolfband

Bridge And Tunnel – Rebuilding Year

2011-10-12T11:45:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

The commuters that make up Bridge And Tunnel are back with the follow-up to 2008’s “East/West”. For this one they teamed up with J Robbins and came out with another winner called “Rebuilding Year”. Opener “Synchronized Swimming” is a six-minute long trip that engulfs every aspect of Bridge And Tunnel’s sound… beautiful, messy, rocking, chaotic, mathy... it’s all present and accounted for. “Outgrowing Pains” shows a faster, grittier side of these guys. And girls! There’s two girls in the band, adding even more variety with their vocal contributions.

If you’re looking for some fine melodic indierock tunes that occasionally bare their teeth, “Rebuilding Year” is not a bad place to start out.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.noidearecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/bridgeandtunnelmusic

Living With Lions – Holy Shit

2011-10-12T11:44:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Living With Lions’ follow-up to “Make Your Mark” originally came with artwork referring to the bible as the poo testament and picturing Jesus as a turd. This sparked quite a bit of controversy in Canada with people criticizing the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recordings (FACTOR) for helping fund the album, causing Living With Lions not only to change their artwork but also to completely refund FACTOR and release the album as a non-FACTOR supported project. Freedom of speech? My ass! But it did get the band some extra publicity.

Anyhoo… “Holy Shit” is a fine poppunk album that in spite of the original artwork and album title does not say a helluva lot about religion, but all the more about girls. Think older Blink mixed in with a gruffer Rise Against vibe… the vocals are great thanks to new vocalist Stu Ross (formerly of Misery Signals), the guitars are loud and there’s plenty of catchy melodies to get hooked on.

We’ve already had quite a number of solid pop-punk releases this year (The Wonder Years, The Swellers,…). Feel free to add “Holy Shit” to that list!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.redfield-records.de
http://www.facebook.com/livingwithlions

Dub Trio – IV

2011-10-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

Dub Trio is called Dub Trio because they play dub (mixed in with metal) and there’s three of them in the band. Sometimes things just aren’t that far-fetched. Mike Patton is a fan and I liked their previous album as well. They’re back now with a new album called “IV”, thus named because it’s their fourth album. They sure do like to keep things simple.

I’m not sure what happened to them in between albums but this new one sounds more than ever like a bunch of different parts slapped haphazardly together. The biggest mistake on here is called “Ends Justify The Means”, a song (and I use that term very loosely) consisting of nothing more but a bunch of sounds pasted together. It’s incredibly boring and the same can be said about most of the album.

Granted, it’s already harder to keep things interesting when you’re an instrumental band but that can’t be an excuse for a piece of crap like this.
Score: 3 out of 10
http://www.roir-usa.com
http://www.dubtrio.com

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Lenses Alien

2011-10-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

When Lou Reed was asked to describe The Velvet Underground’s sound, he said they sounded like cymbals eating guitars. Hence, the band name. On album number two, Cymbals Eat Guitars take a bit from 90s alternative acts such as Pavement (mixing louder with mellow parts and plenty of unexpected twists and turns) and mix it up with progressive parts to arrive to songs like 9-minute opener “Rifle Eyesight (Proper Name)”. There are definitely parts in the song (and in the other tracks) that have their merits but overall this is just too much. There are too many tempo changes, psychedelic parts that suddenly switch to pure noise before vocalist Joseph D'Agostino goes falsetto on our asses with the rest of the band joining in to keep things fun. It’s like watching an overexcited puppy pee on everything. It’s all fun and games until he starts pissing all over your legs. Experiments are cool and all but if an album takes so much work as “Lenses Alien” to get into, then it’s just not one for me.
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.memphis-industries.com
http://www.cymbalseatguitars.com

Wolf Gang – Suego Faults

2011-10-10T13:45:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

Wolf Gang isn’t much of a gang seeing as it it’s just one guy called Max McElligott who does pretty much everything. Knowing that, it’s easier to think of that other Wolfgang dude rather than a bunch of tough-looking guys. But comparing McElligott to Mozart might be taking things a bit too far. Sure, “Suego Faults” is filled with the kind of pop ditties that sound retro and fresh at the same time and that will make you think of acts such as MGMT with a bit of Killers kitsch mixed in. And granted, the guy does write catchy as fuck pop songs that sound great thanks to producer Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips), but let’s face it… “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” this is not.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.warnermusic.com
http://www.wolf-gang.co.uk

Des Ark – Don’t Rock The Boat, Sink The Fucker

2011-10-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

Des Ark’s second album comes with a title that immediately made me like this release. It even has the word ‘fucker’ in it. People just don’t use fucker enough. Fuck? Sure! Fucker? Not so much. On top of that “Don’t Rock The Boat, Sink The Fucker” comes with some pretty swell tunes. Which is good because apparently it took three years to write the fucker. If it would’ve sucked after three years of working on it, I would’ve felt bad thrashing the album. But seeing as there’s no need, you’re talking to one happy fucker.

The songs on here don’t exactly reflect the album title though. The gentle and sweet sounds that emanate from this shiny little disc don’t seem to have much use for the word ‘fucker’. There is room for an ‘asshole’ though in “Bonne Chance Asshole” but she’s wishing him good luck which is kinda sweet. And then there’s “FTW Y’all!!!”… so okay, the word ‘fuck’ is present there but technically speaking, it’s hidden in the abbreviation.

Anyway, enough about the cursing. The rich arrangements on here coupled to Argote’s delicate guitar sounds and ditto voice are simply a pleasure to listen to. Most of the songs trickle along gently with a great sense of melody and when the song demands it, she has no problem unleashing a storm to drive her point home. Like in “Ashley’s Song” for instance, one of the better indierock songs I’ve heard in some time.

This is definitely a captivating album that makes me wish my copy didn’t arrive with scratches on it making it impossible to hear the last couple of songs. In any case, if you’re into indierock you need to check out this fucker!
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.lovitt.com
http://www.myspace.com/desark

Troubled Coast – Letters

2011-10-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

Whereas Troubled Coast’s earlier work was a get in, get the job done and get the fuck out kind of approach to hardcore, “Letters” shows a much more restrained band that has grown tremendously over the course of just two years. Plain shredding and pure speed have been mostly traded in for more atmospheric parts and cathartic screaming. That’s not to say they’ve forgotten how to hit the gas, they still apply speed when it’s called for like in opener “Amends”.

With “Letters” Troubled Coast has definitely earned its place in the post-hardcore scene alongside acts like La Dispute and early Thrice. One to look out for? I like to think so!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.creator-destructor.com
http://www.myspace.com/troubledcoast

At Our Heels – Misanthropy And Godlessness

2011-10-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

“Misanthropy and Godlessness” is At Our Heels’ debut and as you can tell by the title, happy music this is not. This California-based duo plays the kind of darkened hardcore made popular by most of the Deathwish roster. Which in my eyes is still a good thing.

Expect to hear 13 short blasts of pissed hardcore with a healthy (or unhealthy) dose of depression mixed in. There’s your straightforward, fast-paced cuts (“Unholy”, “Sink With Me”) right alongside sludgy slow burners (“Graves”, “Nom Sum Qualis Eram”), making for a fairly varied offering. All in all, “Misanthropy And Godlessness” is a very decent debut by a band you should keep an eye on.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.creator-destructor.com
http://www.myspace.com/atourheels

Reckless Kelly – Good Luck True Love

2011-10-10T13:41:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Like Monty Python once said… and now for something completely different. Reckless Kelly is an Austin, TX-based band that I had never heard of before. Apparently “Good Luck & True Love” is already their seventh album and the follow-up to last year’s “Somewhere In Time”, a tribute to honky-tonker Pinto Bennett.

Yes, that’s right… I said Texas and honky tonk, that means we’re talking country here. These guys don’t sound quite so reckless on “Good Luck & True Love” but if you’re looking for some solid country tunes, then you’ve come to the right place. Vocalist Willy Braun has the perfect voice for this kinda music with just the right amount of grit mixed in while carrying a melody. Meanwhile, the rest of the band is delivering the goods on the driving “She Likes Money, He Likes Love” or the mellow “New Moon Over Nashville”, the latter of which comes with a nice fiddle. Time to get your boots on!
Score: 7 out of 10
No Big Deal Records
http://www.recklesskelly.com

Maria Taylor – Overlook

2011-10-10T13:40:00.002-07:00

- by Thomas

Four albums into her solo career, Azure Ray’s Maria Taylor still isn’t easy to classify. On “Overlook” she sounds all soft and sweet one minute, a little grittier the next. The songs are mostly folk and roots oriented but there’s room for some fooling around with electronic sounds and a couple of experiments.

The songs themselves are nice enough… easy to listen to, at times a little dreamy. Taylor moved to Alabama a while ago and she lets us know that the nights can be cold there in “Happenstance”, a short but oh so sweet song and “Like It Does” is another slow one that won me over.

But opener “Masterplan” takes too long to lead up to a disappointing climax, “Matador” comes with a solo that sounds like they gave a guitar to a retard and told him (or her – I don’t want to discriminate when it comes to retards) to improvise. And the whole second half of the album is simply too weak to leave much of an impression.

I’m sure Maria Taylor can do a whole lot better and because of that, “Overlook” just isn’t good enough.
Score: 5 out of 10
http://www.affairsoftheheart.de
http://www.mariataylormusic.com

Ten Second Epic – Better Off

2011-10-10T13:40:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Writing a solid poppunk song is not as easy as it seems. Most people think you just need a bag of power chords, a couple of melodic hooks, lyrics about girls and a vocalist with a whiny voice. While they are right about the first three things, one thing you do not need is a girly singer. That’s something Canada’s Ten Second Epic understands perfectly well and so they found themselves a good set of pipes in the form of Andrew Usenik. While the rest of the band excels at using power chords and writing melodic hooks, Usenik is penning lines about girls. And that’s how come ten years down the line, Ten Second Epic sound better than ever on “Better off”.

Right from opener and first single “Young Classics” up until closer “Northstar”, these guys managed to write an album’s worth of entertaining poppunk. Fans of Sugarcult are free to rejoice.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.hasslerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/tensecondepic

The Icarus Line – Wildlife

2011-10-10T13:39:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

The Icarus Line these days is pretty much just frontman Joe Cardamone. So much so even that the working title for “Wildlife” was Joe Cardamone versus The Icarus Line. Anyway, the man’s desire to keep on going is admirable but unfortunately “Wildlife” doesn’t hold up next to the band’s earlier work.

The repetitive nature of the songs may be fun for once but don’t exactly invite repeated listens. At best the material on here sounds like some sort of polished demo and it reminds me from time to time of what a band like Middle Class Rut is doing. Unfortunately for Cardamone, Middle Class Rut is doing a better job.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.cobraside.com
http://www.myspace.com/theicarusline

Cage The Elephant – Thank You Happy Birthday

2011-10-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

A dumb band name, an even dumber album title and ugly-ass artwork. Yup, this one does not have a whole lot going for itself on first sight. Luckily I’m objective as hell (cough) and so I started listening to Cage The Elephant’s second album.

Opener “Always Something” isn’t all too convincing with Matthew Shultz’ bored vocals. But hey, “Aberdeen” sounds like a Pixies leftover and has me nodding along every single time. “Indy Kidz”, “Sell Yourself” and “Sabertooth Tiger” are all pretty raw songs that go boom, whereas the band’s poppier side shines through in songs like single “Shake Me Down” and “Rubber Ball”.

It’s not that this is a bad album but they never manage to drag me into their angsty world and leave me feeling very unattached.
Score: 5.5 out of 10
http://www.virginrecords.com
http://www.cagetheelephant.com

Enabler – Year One

2011-10-10T13:34:00.002-07:00

- by Thomas

Enabler is a sick Wisconsin-based outfit that means business on “Year One”. Having previously served time in outfits such as Trap Them, Todays Is The Day and Dead To Fall, they already learned the ropes and waste no time getting down to the nitty gritty.

“Year One” is pretty much the band’s discography up until now on one shiny disc, including the “Eden Sank To Grief” and “War Begins With You” releases. With a friggin’ relentless mix of punk, hardcore and grindcore, Enabler will pummel your ass into oblivion as they dish out menacing riff after menacing riff alongside blastbeats, chugga chugga shredding and badass vocals. Think of Nasum, Napalm Death and Cursed rolled into one and you’ll get the gist of it. Not exactly the kind of songs you’d play to get a party started.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.creator-destructor.com
http://www.myspace.com/enablermilwaukee

The Ladybug Transistor – Clutching Stems

2011-10-10T13:34:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Indie poppers The Ladybug Transistor are back with another batch of songs. “Clutching Stems” is the band’s first new material in four years and it’s basicallymore of the same from this band around Gary Olson. They’ve been through a bit of a rough patch when their drummer passed away but decided to forge on with the help of a new drummer alongside several other newbies.

None of the songs on here are bad, they’re all pleasant enough and easy on the ears. But they never really jump out and grab you. Olson still sounds like a light version of Morrissey (I’m sure there’s a joke about Morrissey’s weight in there) but they seriously need to spice things up in order to even slightly impress.
Score: 5 out of 10
http://www.fortunapop.com
http://www.theladybugtransistor.com

V/A – The Revival Tour

2011-10-10T13:33:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

The Revival Tour is becoming something of a tradition. Started by Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan in 2008, the tour has been promoting folk music ever since with a revolving cast. This year they’re coming to mainland Europe for the first time and it’s fair to say I’m spyched!

Joining Chuck will be The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon, The Loved Ones’ Dave Hause and Alkaline Trio’s Dan Andriano, all of whom will be backed up by Jon Gaunt on fiddle and Joe Ginsberg on upright bass.

If you already want to know what the shows are going to be like, there’s now an 8-song comp with two contributions from each of the players. Whether it’s the harmonica-enhanced “Bedroll Lullaby” or the lap steel guitar on Dave Hause’s “Pray For Tucson”, it’s all good!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.therevivaltour.com

Jukebox The Ghost – Everything Under The Sun

2011-10-10T13:32:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Following up their 2008 debut, Philadelphia’s Jukebox The Ghost is back with another happy happy joy joy album full of twitchy rhythms and hyperactive piano tinkering. “Everything Under The Sun” is filled with energetic and melodic pop tunes that unfortunately don’t leave too much of an impression.

Now, of course I’m already a cynical asshole by nature so I find overtly happy people kind of suspicious. If however you like the idea of an ADHD version of Billy Joel, then the brassy “Nobody” or the singalong-y “Carrying” might be just the thing for you.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.yeproc.com
http://www.jukeboxtheghost.com

Now, Now – Neighbors EP

2011-10-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

- by Thomas

Formerly known as Now, Now Every Children, Now Now recently dropped their first release through No Sleep Records after having spent some time on Afternoon Records. It’s my first encounter with the band and it’s a good one.

The five songs on “Neighbors” are a treat to listen to, not in the least thanks to vocalist Cacie Dalager who delivers her lines in a very lush yet sweet kinda way. The two guys in the band back her up in the most efficient of ways, letting the songs meander slowly and letting enough room to breathe. Opener “Rebuild” is an instrumental cut that could be used in a future Sofia Coppola movie before the band shows a ‘louder’ side of themselves with “Giants”.

It’s not that the songs are overtly catchy. There’s just something about them. They get you in a dreamy kinda state, a state I like to be in. And on top of that they recorded the whole thing by themselves. So kudos to them!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.nosleeprecs.com
http://www.myspace.com/nownoweverychildren

Design The Skyline – Nevaeh

2011-10-10T13:29:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Wow, these guys sound about as bad as they look ridiculous! Previously known as Extra Large Kids, Design The Skyline is a Texas-based band that tries to mix deathcore, metalcore and all other kinds of –core with whiny emo singing and lots of keyboards. I think I’ll just call this crapcore. It doesn’t exactly help things that they seem to have the attention span of a hamster and that their material is all over the place. Hell, “Destroyer” even sounds like a runaway Cradle Of Filth song… yikes! And because an image says more than a 1000 words…. well, here ya go…

Score: 2 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.facebook.com/designtheskyline

Jungle Rot – Kill On Command

2011-10-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

As soon as opener “Their Finest Hour” kicked in, I found myself looking around for something or someone to trash. My choice fell on my elderly neighbour. Unfortunately she didn’t understand the concept of moshing which took away a little of the fun. While smacking her around, I was trying to explain to her that these guys have been playing mid-tempo death metal with a bit of hardcore mixed in since the early 90s.

By the time “Demoralized” came around, I drew blood for the first time while I was in the midst of pointing out that Jungle Rot’s material comes with a ton of groove and that their riffage is highly effective despite being kind of simple. I then proceeded by bringing out my baseball bat during “No Mercy (From The Merciless)” to show her what I meant with ‘blunt force trauma’.

I’m still not sure if she was still conscious when “Life Negated” came around but it didn’t really matter. I was psyched enough for the both of us. Now, let’s get her to the hospital and see about that new hip.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/junglerot

Forty Winks – Bow Wow

2011-10-10T13:27:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

At first I thought someone sent me the new Lil Bow Wow album who had matured, dropped the Lil part and gone through some severe stylistic changes. But no sirree, “Bow Wow” is actually the name of Forty Winks’ latest album. I’m not even gonna go into the album cover but let me just say that it didn’t exactly make me want to listen to the album.

Despite all those prejudices, I popped in this disc and instantly started a one-man party. Booty-shaking rhythms, flaky guitar riffs, catchy keyboard sounds, thumping bass lines and an the kind of happy-go-lucky vibe that you’d normally associate with ska permeate this album and make it incredibly easy to listen to. “One Last Round” sounds like a lost Less Than Jake song, “I Feel Dead” comes with a sweet surf vibe and closer “Ain’t Good Enough” is just a solid punkrock song. I’m pretty sure these guys have been listening to a lot of music from the 70 before deciding to write a bunch of ridiculously catchy songs. The result is called “Bow Wow” and it will most likely be one of the most underrated albums of the year.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.endsounds.com
http://www.myspace.com/fortywinks

Samiam – Trips

2011-10-10T13:26:00.002-07:00

- by Thomas

Five years after “Whatever’s Got You Down”, Samiam is finally back with a new album. This one’s called “Trips” and it sounds surprisingly fresh for a band that’s already been around since 1988. Doing a band part-time helps take off the pressure I guess and if it delivers an album that’s as fun as this one to listen to, then I’m all for it.

It’s that trademark mix of solid riffs, up-tempo rhythms and a good sense of melody that does me in every single time. These guys stem from a time when emo wasn’t a dirty word yet and they don’t hesitate to inject their punkrock with it. Add a crisp production and some damn fine songwriting and you’re looking at a very solid album.

Check out the opening combo of “80 West” and “Clean Up” to get you going and then just move on down the tracklisting from there. “Freetime” is Samiam at their most anthemic and “El Dorando” may be five minutes long, it never gets dull. Not even for a second. If these guys keep on releasing albums like this, I don’t have a problem with the fact that I have to wait five years for the next one to come out.
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.hopelessrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/samiam

Pearl Jam – Twenty

2011-10-10T13:26:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

When Cameron Crowe is making a 2-hour documentary about Pearl Jam out of 20 years of barely used footage, you can consider me psyched! I’ll have to wait a bit longer to actually see the movie but now there’s already the soundtrack to tie me over.

It comes in a nice digipack… one disc with the music from the movie and another disc with a bunch of rarities including a demo of the 1990 Temple Of The Dog song “Say Hello 2 Heaven”. Even when going for a Pearl Jam classic, Crowe went out of his way to deliver it in a version that would stand out. Like the live version of “Alive” from one of Pearl Jam’s first shows ever.

And then there’s “Betterman”, recorded at Madison Square Garden. Vedder is completely drowned out as the crowd takes over and belts out the words. It’s for those fans that this soundtrack and documentary are made. Here’s to 20 more years of kickass rock ‘n roll!
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.sonymusic.com
http://www.pearljam.com

Kevin Devine – Between The Concrete & Clouds

2011-10-10T13:25:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Kevin Devine has been a pretty busy guy over the years. When he wasn’t releasing solo albums in which the spirit of Elliott Smith lived on, he was collaborating with members of Brand New or recording an album with Manchester Orchestra under the Bad Books moniker. And now he has a now solo album out that isn’t really solo anymore. Whereas he was merely flirting with a full band on “Brother’s Blood”, he’s gone all out this time around. There isn’t a single song on “Between The Concrete & Clouds” that’s just Devine and his acoustic guitar. Instead we are treated to some most excellent indie tunes like “The First Hit” and the title track, which bring up welcome comparisons to Nada Surf and Death Cab.

All of the songs on here are mellow and breeze by… not in a carefree, uneventful kinda way. The songs are just so well arranged and well-written that they form a very cohesive album that is a treat to listen to. Longtime fans might feel let down by the direction Devine is heading in with his ‘new’ sound and his ‘simpler’ lyrics but meanwhile I’m enjoying the shit out of this album!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.razorandtie.com
http://www.myspace.com/kevindevine

Kasabian – Velociraptor!

2011-10-10T13:24:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

The band that sounds so much like Oasis that even the Gallagher brothers like them is back with “Velociraptor!”, their fourth album already. On it they build further on what they achieved with “West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum” without repeating themselves.

So expect to hear rock n roll anthems with a fair amount of ennui mixed in (“I Hear Voices”, the title track), some flirts with hip hop rhythms courtesy of producer Dan The Automator (“Days Are Forgotten”) and a couple of ballads (“Goodbye Kiss”). Sounds good up until now? Well, I’ve honestly never been a fan of the band… if the guys in the band already sound bored with the music they’re playing, why the hell should I get excited about it? And there’s a fair amount of clunkers on here as well… “Acid Turkish Bath” sounds like a Kula Shaker leftover and single “Switchblade Smiles” has a bit too much of a Republica vibe going on to be considered pleasant.

I guess that leaves me still not being a fan of Kasabian… the British press might not agree with me but they just don’t leave much of an impression
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.columbiarecords.com
http://www.kasabian.co.uk

Ghost Knife – Kill Shelter, Yes!

2011-10-10T13:23:00.002-07:00

- by Thomas

As if the Riverboat Gamblers wasn’t enough work yet, vocalist Mike Wiebe felt the need to start another band called High Tension Wires. For most people that would be enough but since neither band had the ability to jump at the chance whenever a show came up, Wiebe found the solution. Start another band!

With the help of the former rhythm section of J Church, Ghost Knife came to life and you can hear what that sounds like by listening to their debut, “Kill Shelter, Yes!”. Or you can finish reading this review. Duh!

Ghost Knife differs from Wiebe’s other bands by sounding more like a garage-y indierock band rather than a punkrock band. You’ll hear echoes of The Pixies in the band’s laidback approach but there’s no denying that producer Mark Ryan (Marked Men, Mind Spiders) got his say as well by letting the band sound all warm and loose. Just pick up this album… that’s basically what it boils down to. There’s no way you’ll regret it.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.endsounds.com
http://www.myspace.com/ghostknifemusic

Mariachi El Bronx – II

2011-10-10T13:23:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Hardcore punks playing mariachi music… you have to admit it sounds like a joke. But on their debut these LA natives already showed that there was no punchline involved, just some very good songs. And apparently there’s just no stopping them because album number two is even better.

With the addition of Ray Suen on violin, Mariachi El Bronx’ sound is fuller than the first time around. You can also hear that they’ve grown even more comfortable in their roles… the arrangements are amazing, Matt Caughtran sounds better than ever and that trumpet just does me in every single time. Whether you’re talking about opener “48 Roses” or the mellow “Revolution Girls”, it’s all good. Hell, they even have a theme song now! Time to get out the sombrero, the tequila and let’s have a party!
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.atorecords.com
http://www.thebronxxx.com

Polar Bear Club – Clash Battle Guilt Pride

2011-10-10T13:19:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

On “Clash Battle Guilt Pride” Polar Bear Club seems to have experienced a major growth spurt. From cub to bear so to speak. Their first two albums were already some of the best post-hardcore albums I’ve heard in recent years but this time around they’ve really upped the ante.

Opener “Pawner” starts off in a way unlike any other Polar Bear Club song … just some strummed chords on a lonely guitar with Jimmy Stadt belting over them, before bursting wide open towards the end. They then segue right into the catchy “Killin’ It” which comes with big guitars and plenty of singalong parts.

On the new album, Polar Bear Club has shifted even more towards heavy indie rock without losing sight of their hardcore upbringings. With cuts like “Screams In Caves”, “My Best Days” and “Life Between The Lines”, this has turned out to be a very solid album. Even better than what I expected from them. Contender for Album of the Year? Hellz yeah!
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.bridge9.com
http://www.myspace.com/polarbearclub

Thrice – Major/Minor

2011-10-10T13:18:00.001-07:00

- by Thomas

Standing still equals dying fast. It’s something that the guys in Thrice must really believe in because they keep on releasing albums at a frenetic pace without ever sounding the same. From their hardcore beginnings to the experimental “Vheissu” or to the let’s-just-try-it-all project that was “The Alchemy Index”, Thrice never ceases to push themselves.

So it can’t really be a surprise that “Major/Minor” is once again different from the stripped down blues-rock of “Beggars”. Maybe the changes are not as radical as they have been in the past but they’re there. They’ve dropped the bluesy influences and replaced them with some good old-fashioned grunge guitars and added a ton of groove. As a result, songs like opener “Yellow Belly” and “Blinded” rock a lot harder. Echoes of “Vheissu” and “The Alchemy Index” are present as well in “Anthology” or “Broken Lungs”.

“Major/Minor” finds Thrice in a comfortable position and they seem to be content with where they are. They’ve nailed down their sound, they play as tight as is humanly possible while still maintaining this raw feel and the album sounds amazing. I’m not sure how things can get better from here on out. Then again, that’s what I think every single time I hear a new Thrice album!
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.vagrant.com
http://www.thrice.net