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Record Reviews1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 | 0-9| A| B| C| D| E| F| G| H| I| J| K| L| M | | N| O| P| Q| R| S| T| U| V| W| X| Y| Z| Below are some recently posted reviews.  RSS Feed
FUCKED UP:
The Chemistry of Modern Life: CD
Fucked Up gets a lot of positive attention from the mainstream press for being a creative hardcore band who pushes the boundaries of a stylistically conservative genre of music. I was excited to hear them. I appreciate that Fucked Up made a name for themselves by breaking the short‘n’fast songwriting rules of hardcore. But, what they did was slow down the music and lengthen the songs. That’s like saying, “You should check out this innovative pizza. It doesn’t have cheese or a crust!” So, maybe this isn’t hardcore. Maybe it’s hard rock or metal or prog rock or indie rock. It’s whatever you call sluggish, repetitive, five-minute songs with screamed vocals and indiscriminate production flourishes like woodwinds and clean, pop vocals. There’s even a song-length synth interlude that sounds like it was lifted in full from that ELO double album. These additions bring to mind the “shine to a shit” expression, but this isn’t that bad. At first, it had me pretending to be a wooly mammoth crashing through the snow. Then, after two songs, I felt like I was trying to nap with a belt sander grinding away under my bed. If Matador had sent a lyric sheet, I would look to that for insight. If Matador had sent a vinyl copy, I’d throw this album on at 45 to see if it got the blood rushing. Instead, I’ve just got this promotional CD sitting by the boombox in my kitchen, waiting to become a coaster. That’s the last time I let the New York Times tell me what hardcore bands to check out.
–CT Terry (Matador)
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FULL OF FANCY:
Every Wall in the Parlor: 7”EP
It’s been staring me in the face for awhile now. It’s so obvious, especially hearing four songs in a row. (I believe everything else I’ve heard from Full Of Fancy has been splits.) Full Of Fancy reminds me of two words. Lisa Marr: the lady behind both Cub and Buck. Smart, bubbly pop nuggets of punk that, on the surface, may sound “cuddlecore,” but have a real itchiness under the dermis, located in a place that can’t easily be scratched, which gives them a nice depth beyond the obvious whipped topping and prancing unicorns on the top. Very good stuff.
–Todd Taylor (Cold Feet)
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FULLERTONS, THE:
Analog: CDEP
Okay, there are two ways to view this. One: this CD isn’t great. These guys are trying hard to rip off Screeching Weasel and, of course, you cannot rip off Screeching Weasel. So, this isn’t the sort of thing I’m going to listen to more than once. But now! On to the potentially uplifting upside! Is the recent resurgence of Ben-Weasel-lite bands actually a positive trend, a harbinger of an increasingly large and powerful pop punk music explosion, so immense that it can afford to have a few of these bands around? For historical precedent, I point you in the direction of eighteen percent of the Mutant Pop catalog! Yes, the Fullertons might be 2009’s Klopecs! If this were a cereal, it’d be Marshmallow Maties (generic Lucky Charms) with half of the maties removed.
–Maddy (Misdated Productions, myspace.com/misdatedskateboards)
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GAY WITCH ABORTION:
Maverick: CD
This is Gay Witch Abortion’s first release. It’s easy to view the album as more of an afterthought of theirs—like making 1” buttons—since ninety-five percent of their existence has been spent playing shows, making ears bleed, girls swoon (girl, actually… one I know), running a relay, and definitely not putting out records. In a way, it’s something we should be thankful for: they have been busy playing shows that many have had the good fortune to see. And now that there is a record of it we can be thankful for that, too. It is a solid recreation, and fully captures the cephalic vibratos and punk with meth teeth of their band. If someone could make having your face lacerated by a guitar and getting gut shot by a drumstick into a jazz, they would probably call it Gay Witch Abortion.
–Andrew Flanagan (Self-released, Myspace.com/gaywitchabortion)
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DIRTYARD:
Self-titled: 7”
I applaud the DIY efforts of Dirtyard. Their 7” record sleeves are constructed from old record jackets (mine is from the band Pieces Of A Dream), the covers are silk screened, and the record comes with a crudely constructed, Xeroxed lyric booklet with a wood cutout on the cover. Cool stuff. The music is not my cup of tea at all. There’s some hardcore tendencies mixed with a bit of reggae and it sounds like it was recorded with the band in one room and the mics in another. I appreciate the spirit behind this release and hope these dudes figure out what they’re trying to do and write some better songs.
–Josh Benke (Desert Planet, no address listed)
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DILLINGER FOUR:
Civil War: CD
After so many years of wondering when the day will come that the good lord would bless us with another D4 album, that day has finally come. Before even putting this on, I made a checklist of the things that I have loved about Dillinger Four all these years to make sure that all these elements were present on the new album. Are there zany sound bytes that lead into the songs by setting a mood and a meaning? Check! Will there be song titles that are as interesting by themselves as the songs are? Check! There better be lyrics that are relatable on many levels and that really make you sit down and think about. Check! All three vocalists singing at the top of their lungs? Check! Yup, it’s still Dillinger Four, and it is still great. Now for the inevitable: comparing it to the other albums. It is a great album, but for me nothing beats or will beat Versus God and that is final. Lastly, if you think you are too cool to like the song “Gainesville,” you are wrong. It is perfectly cheesy in every way, and if you aren’t singing along by the second time you hear it there must be something wrong with you. –Noah W. K.
–Guest Contributor (Fat)
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FUCKED UP:
II: Cassette
This tape is so very, very great. It just blows my mind. I bought it when they played in Tijuana, in a room with no ventilation or windows above a café whose owner forced us to keep the door closed to control the noise. This tape will always remind me of that night. Listening to this on the drive home, it actually felt like they were live on air. They cover a Nirvana song, they talk mad shit beautifully, get interviewed in Spanish, and just rule as only they can. ¡Ghostface does a spot! This showcases their wild range, not only of musical ability, but of taste as well. It’s like a podcast from all around the world. There isn’t a band out there that can bring the brutal assault that these guys are still carrying around in that crowded van.
–Rene Navarro (Deranged)
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DELICATE NOISE:
Filmezza: CD
The bio for this release from Delicate Noise states, “warm and sentimental songs wash in and out with lullaby-like melodies, augmented with disembodied voices of children playing.” And while I like the sound of the first part I wasn’t real down with the “disembodied voices of children playing.” That’s mainly because, while I love my nephew, I don’t like a lot of other kids and to hear them on various tracks saying things repeatedly as it’s synced with a repetitive beat just kept reminding me of when little kids say “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” repeatedly until they get their mom’s attention. Except, in the case of this album, I couldn’t tell what the kids were saying. I’ll admit, as someone who doesn’t want children, I’m probably the worst possible person to review this. That being said, this album would’ve been a lot better if it had just been the music and not any vocal accompaniment at all (child or otherwise). And by better, I mean for someone who actually likes electronica music. I’m probably the worst possible person to review this for that reason, too.
–Kurt Morris (Lens)
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FROM THE DEPTHS:
Germinate: CD
I honestly thought this day might never come. After the quiet dissolution of Requiem, whose Storm Heaven LP remains one of my favorite crust records of the past ten years, I feared there might never be another post-Catharsis project to quench my thirst for melodic, melodramatic hardcore. Then, on one of my increasingly less-frequent trips to the Crimethinc Ex-Workers Collective website I saw it: a new music release. There was little time between realizing Brian’s involvement in this new project and my purchase of Germinate. And while From the Depths takes a decidedly Crass-ier approach than Catharsis or Requiem, the essential elements are still in place. The theatrical, poetic lyrics; Brian’s seething growl coupled with soaring female vocals; typical, melodic D-Beat portions; it’s everything I could’ve hoped for. Essentially, if you liked Requiem, I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Likewise, if you’ve got a Flux Of Pink Indians patch on your filthy jacket, you’ll probably be pretty stoked. I certainly am.
–Dave Williams (Crimethinc)
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DEEP SLEEP:
Paranoid Futures: EP
Tuneful hardcore with the obvious early ‘80s influence from bands like Jerrys Kids and Descendents, as well as more current bands like Dillinger 4 (especially the chorus to “Static Void”). This isn’t bad, but, at the same time, this lacks the edge to make it stand out and be memorable. The songs tend to blend into one another with largely the same tempo, and there’s no real spark in any of the songs. Maybe live they’re a different beast?
–Matt Average (Grave Mistake, www.gravemistakerecords.com)
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FRIENDLY FIRE / BOUND TO BOLT:
Dog Years: Split cassette
Friendly Fire’s side is filled with four high-energy emo pop numbers, in the vein of Jawbreaker. This is by no means corporate music and their side of the tape is entertaining but…all the over-dramatic heart-on-your-sleeve-isms did get tiring by the final track. Bound To Bolt’s side of the tape is hook-laced indie rock. It’s full of quirky, free-spirited sing-a-longs the last of which, “Springfield,” makes me smile every time I listen to it. It’s just silly, stupid, lighthearted, fun.
–N.L. Dewart (myspace.com/friendlyfireva / www.myspace.com/boundtobolt)
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FOREVER:
Self-titled: CDEP
This is an alt-country EP. It starts out slow with the song “Oh Distant Heart,” but things speed up by the fourth and fifth tracks. “Who?s Haunting Me?” (note: the question marks are intentional) is my personal favorite song for its pounding drums and catchy chorus. If you’re into girl-fronted indie scenester music à la The Vivian Girls, then you’ll probably like this.
–N.L. Dewart (HHBTM)
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FLINK:
Feel My Feeling: CD
No. I will not feel your feeling. I barely even want to review this CD—it’s that shitty. And not shitty as in poor production but shitty as in that this is a great example of that generic, jangly indie pop band you had to suffer through before you could hear your friend’s band play. Compound that with vocals that are often off-key (and not in an endearing fashion) and I’ve already started sharpening the chopsticks so that I can puncture my eardrums.
–Kurt Morris (http://myspace.com/flinkband)
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FIRST OFFENSE:
The Faith to Stand Your Ground: CD
I remember liking a single by this band that I was given to review. Straight up oi stuff, with no frills or gimmicks. What you see is what you get. Same deal with this full length. Good tunes for the most part, although I’m getting pretty tired of the same old themes (“Fallen Soldiers,” “The Fight Must Go On,” and “Laced for Battle ’07,” for instance). It would be nice to change it up once and a while.
–Ty Stranglehold (http://www.stepupoi.com/)
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DEEP SHIT / HAVE FUN:
Split: 7”
A brutal tag team of Midwestern powerviolence by Have Fun from northern Illinois and Deep Shit from Madison, Wisconsin. Of the two, Deep Shit is the harsher of the acts with crude and confrontational songs and production values, which works for them. Have Fun dishes up the powerviolence at a more conventional midtempo pace and is not ashamed to reveal their solid melodic instincts. Not essential, but thirteen above average songs of basement hardcore for the kids. –Jake Shut
–Guest Contributor (Give Praise)
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FINAL FIGHT:
Half Head, Full Shred: CD
“Full Shred” was the last thing I was thinking when the first song started. Melodic guitars not unlike Leatherface, while great sounding, didn’t bring to mind a hardcore onslaught. Ten seconds or so later, that all changed. Final Fight exploded into the shrapnel of some kind of hardcore pipe bomb. Heavy, fast and melodic, these guys brought to mind Goat Boy or I Spy (I know, I know always with the Canadian band references). I really got into this record for a few songs before the screamy vocals became too much for me. Great in small doses, though.
–Ty Stranglehold (Gobias Industries)
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FATTER THAN ALBERT:
The Last Minute: CD
Ska punk. By the time they tried to push through a variant of “Armagideon Time” under the title of “Panda King,” including a thrash breakdown right in the middle, I was again cursing Operation Ivy for unleashing this scourge upon the world.
–Jimmy Alvarado (http://www.communityrecords.com/)
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FAILTHLESS SAINTS:
Sweet Sacrilege: CD
Sweet Crispy Christus, what kind of world do we live in where a kid can’t even gauge the potential quality of a goddamned disc by the upside-down cross on the back cover? First tune was ska punk, remainder firmly footed in pop punk. You can bet your boots I’m gonna write a strongly worded letter to the quality control folks over at the Satanic Musicians Union about this.
–Jimmy Alvarado (http://www.myspace.com/faithlesssaints)
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DEATH IN THE PARK:
Self-titled: CD
This sounds like radio music to me. That’s right, Death In The Park, I’m on to you. Very produced recording and seems like a band you could find off a comp put in your bag from some skate/surf shop in the mall. This CD is only five songs and you folks who like that top forty kind of rock can look forward to the full-length coming out in ‘09 sometime. In the meantime, I’m probably just going to drop this off at the nearest middle school for some teenager to dote over.
–Corinne (End Sounds)
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DANGERBONER:
Enter the Bonerzone: CD
Dumb band name, dumber album title, kinda “eh” sleaze rock stuff with a grunting vocalist.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Devil’s Tower, www.devilstowerrecords.com)
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EXPLOITED, THE:
Punk’s Not Dead/Onstage, Troops of Tomorrow/Apocalypse Tour 1981: 2 x CD, 2 x CD
These perennial punk releases get yet another reissuing, this time in two-CD sets. I’m figuring there are few reading this not well acquainted with this long-standing buncha Scottish punkers, but just in case, spread on these two releases are their first two LPs plus assorted singles cuts, and two early live albums. The music remains as angry and fresh as when it was first unleashed, and it’s clear how and why so many of the current crop of parrot punks have drawn influence from them. While it’s been some time since I’ve found much of anything by Wattie and crew interesting or particularly pointed, this stuff still sounds plenty mean and gets the blood boiling in all the right ways.
–Jimmy Alvarado (http://www.cherryred.co.uk/)
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EXCUSE THE BLOOD:
Self-titled: CD
Fairly faceless hardcore with a bit o’ chugga in the geetars. Though no one’s quite achieving Al Barile-like gymnastics, some nice pics of the band members jumping around are included.
–Jimmy Alvarado (http://www.excusetheblood.com/)
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EUDEMON:
Self-titled: CDEP
There are some interesting things to be found here and there on this—odd rhythms, dissonant guitars, stop/go breaks—and they are definitely able to play their instruments, but nothing’s really catching and sticking to the ribs, and there isn’t much punch to the delivery. This’ll no doubt garner them some attention, though, and maybe even signed to a major’s “alternative” imprint, although I’m not sure all the interesting bits would survive such an event.
–Jimmy Alvarado (http://myspace.com/eudemon)
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CUTDOWN:
Self-titled: CD
I haven’t listened to hardcore like this since my days in middle school. But to the best of my memory, this band sounds exactly like what at the time new band Terror was doing. This stuff is just a bit too brutal for me. Maybe I am just getting older, but if I was back in middle school you’d see me in the pit during one of this band’s set. –Noah W. K.
–Guest Contributor (Full House)
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ERUPTORS, THE:
Microwave Massacre: CD
Fairly meat and potatoes rock/punk here, one part trashy rock, one part Misfits, and not a whole lotta effort put into it.
–Jimmy Alvarado (mail@fixingahole.sakura.ne.jp)
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