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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
TOWER OF ROME:
All Is Lost, All Is Lost, All Is Yet to Be Found: CD
This looked so emo that I picked it up just to trash it. But things don’t always work out the way you want them to. What comes out of the speakers is far from sweaters, thick glasses, and Dashboard Confessional tour shirts. It’s a bombastic blend of power violence, blast beats, grindcore, and plain and simple screaming. The only emotion here is being pissed. The drummer bangs so fast, I almost mistook it for a drum machine. The guitar and bass chords are played so fast and fuzzed out with distortion that they melt into one and it becomes one big wall of white noise. The slow parts make you feel like you are being dragged in slow motion through a river of mud. You lose your equilibrium. Eleven songs in a little over nine minutes. A severe beating that you never saw coming and once it’s over, you can not identify the attackers. All you can think is, what just happened?
–Donofthedead (Hewhocorrupts Inc.)
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TOILET BOYS:
The Early Years: CD
Snotty, shrill, loose, lo-fi and definitely New York, this retrospective covers the band’s ‘96-‘97 releases, live performances, and a novel cover of everyone’s glam favorite, “Talk to Dirty to Me.” The Toilet Boys demonstrate the sound that dominated the late ‘90s punk underbelly with scores and scores of fantastic bands like the Registrators, the Beaters, the Stitches, and the Stiletto Boys. Visually, it’s Dr. Frank N. Furter fronting the Strokes. Sonically well orchestrated but thank you, I’m full.
–Jessica Thiringer (Ozit Morpheus)
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THINGS FALL APART:
Self-Titled: CD
Sounds like emocore in my book. A mixture of the new Only Crime output, The Bronx or Blood Brothers.
–Donofthedead (Crustacean)
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THESE LIES:
More Than They’ll Ever Know: CDEP
Mid-tempo punk rock with a hardcore singer. Not mind-blowingly good, but it ain’t bad for what it is, either.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Rodent Popsicle)
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THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES:
The Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home: CD
Arty, discordant rock in the vein of Drive Like Jehu and Gang of Four. “Angela’s Secret” dissects a person who just works to exist and has no other purpose in life. “Greetings from the Great North Woods” shines a blinding light on the working class again with lines like “Daddy brought home the bacon/ the bacon was in the backyard baby.” “Darlings of New Midnight” is the standout song on here. It actually has shades of Fugazi tucked inside—definitely not a bad thing. This record may take a few spins to get inside your head but once it does it probably won’t crawl out anytime soon.
–Sean Koepenick (Jade Tree)
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THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES:
The Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home: CD
This review could alternately be called Fuck Me, They Put Out a Full Length?, or Sorry Ma, I’ve Got More Things to Shoot At. I could care less what bands these people used to be in; all I care about is the music. It’s angular, vaguely electro-clash, post-punk-inflected pseudo-dance-rock, and that’s a Dagwood of a sentence—what it boils down to is that this band plays noisy, groove-driven songs that people might dance to. Comparisons? Sure, but I didn’t like Girls Against Boys either.
–Puckett (Jade Tree)
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TAXI:
Who’s To Blame b/w Down By Love: CD-R version of a 7”
The more i listen to this the more i loathe it utterly: The a-side is the kind of pointless midtempo pseudopunk that used to be held up as a shimmering example of the genre by MTV™ and similar overground know-nothings when they tried to advance a theory that the Hair Metal Of The Day was merely “Punk plus X!” (buy into that at your own peril, kids); the b-side might fit somewhere onto the end of one of the first few UK Subs albums were it outfitted by Charlie Harper’s vocals, but, alas, it is merely outfitted with the presumably unintentionally goofy vocals of some Italian guy singing en Anglais, so cross that one off your Christmas list as well. Seriously, if this is what’s supposed to pass for good punkrok in this day and age, the enlightened consumer might wanna think about taking a few years off from punk-dom and using that time to explore previously unscratched itches involving exploration of the classical, jazz, or techno realms. I mean, there certainly ain’t nothin’ to see here. BEST SONG: “Down by Love” BEST SONG TITLE: “Stone Age Woo” by Nervous Norvus FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: As a final indignity, i didn’t even get the vinyl to review, just a CD-R. Are there not rules in place to keep me safe from such horrors???
–Rev. Norb (Dead Beat)
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TARANTULA HAWK:
Self-Titled: CD
For some weird reason, I’ve really been loving doomy prog metal lately (even though I’m still not too interested in Neurosis) and this is in the same dark vein. Epic, droning dirges that sound like marching orcs in the Lord of the Rings—yeah, that may have sounded kind of lame but these plodding songs are spooky, filled with keyboards that sound like they came straight out of Phantom of the Opera. They’re filled with dread, not the vague suspicion that something bad might happen sooner or later, but the absolute certainty that everything is going to be very fucked in short order. They have a tribal, almost jazz-like, groove at times, all syncopated drumbeats and what sounds like the metal equivalent of snare drum chatter. With all that said, this may actually be too well-produced for doom metal fans (the sound isn’t murky and this album doesn’t seem to have been recorded through a tin can) but may not sound clear enough for Dream Theater fans. However, to my ears, this sounds damned cool and I can’t wait to hear more.
–Puckett (Life Is Abuse)
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TAKEDOWNS, THE:
Self-Titled: 7" EP
I was gonna be a smartass and badmouth this just ‘cause they were local boys, and there’s nothing we punkers from the ‘hood like to do more than cap on each other for shits ‘n’ giggles, but I just can’t quite bring myself to do it. Not because I’m incapable of doing it, mind you, ‘cause I could swear a blue streak about damn near anything if I had the gumption, as evidenced numerous times over the course of this mag’s existence, but because it’s good. Really good. We’re talking “boy, them elitist Hollywood fucks would’ve been green with envy had this come out in ‘77” kinda good. The lyrics and hooks are kept simple, the THUD factor is upped exponentially and the attitude is cranked to eleven, resulting in some kick-ass tunes sure to spoil your mama’s quinceañera. Even more impressive is that they’ve managed to pack nine tunes on a seven-inch, and these are not short songs, mind you. Of course, I’m gonna call ‘em and tell ‘em this wasn’t bad for a group of tone-deaf amputees with more Justin Timberlake singles in their collection than most people should legally own, but, just between you and me, this is probably thee best record I’ve heard in quite a while.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Bridgecityrockerrecords@yahoo.com)
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SYZSLAK:
Destroy the Light: 7"
Hyper sludgemetal of the highest class, and by a threesome, no less. I don’t remember them standing out on the label’s recent Genrecide compilation, but I must have had my whole ass in my face if that song was anywhere near as goat-getting as this set. Five songs, clear vinyl, guitar man looks like a Vulcan, bass lady is a lady, “Shove your tie up your ass.”
–Cuss Baxter (Worldeater)
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SWITCH, THE:
Surviving the Transition: CDEP
The first release from this Long Beach-based band. It consists of former members of Madison Bloodbath and Midway. It’s very solid and tight and leans toward comparisons of Jawbreaker, Samiam, or Knapsack, although vocally it’s more grainy. Every song has a buildup or breakdown. Lyrically, there’s a sense of reflective optimism through years of failure. I’m glad to see this band around. They rule.
–Buttertooth (Something in Ohio)
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SWIMS:
Snackfood Junction: CDEP
It’s in a 7” sleeve and the label says “CD Version Included” but there’s no record. Weird, huh? Almost as weird as the pencil-and-marker artwork. The music however isn’t all that weird; just standard pop-psych-garage fluff. Nice but not necessary.
–Cuss Baxter (Prison Jazz)
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SWEET J.A.P.:
I’m Only Moonlight/Found There “No Go”: 7"
Had to do a little research to see what this band is all about. First off, this is a Japanese band transplanted to Minneapolis. Interesting choice. I see they are compared to Teengenerate, Registrators and Guitar Wolf, all of whom I have never listened to but have heard of the names. So here I go again and have to do this going in blind. Noisy, buzz filled, dirty three-chord rock mixed with a punk nastiness. The songs are a mixture of ‘60s garage punk toughness and yet they still paint a fun-filled ride. Glad they didn’t go for the low–fi sound because the power would have been lost. I also like the fact that the songs seem to be barely over a minute each. With such a small dose, you feel like you need more to finally reach your high.
–Donofthedead (Dirtnap)
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SUBMISSION HOLD:
What Holds Back the Elephant: CD
These female vocals are trying way too hard to be pretty. Somehow it reminds me of Zounds. Of course, that is if Zounds became a terrible hippie indie rock band. The bass guitar thumps through tracks and the guitar melodies carry along so redundantly they still can’t compensate for the art they are blatantly failing to create. I can imagine their shows having interpretive dancing, incense, and mimes. Vegan mimes. The songs’ lyrics are translated into three different languages—which is a spectacular idea—but whatever language, it isn’t my cup of tea. Gabe Rock
–Guest Contributor (G7 Welcoming Committee)
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STRIKE ANYWHERE:
To Live in Discontent: CD
The impact of this CD is somewhat lessened for me, having lucked into Chorus of One shortly after its release in 2000 and also having the songs on the 7” that Fat released. And then listening to both of them for years on end. But if you’ve never heard of Strike Anywhere (who were on the cover of Razorcake #9) or just have the albums, it’s definitely a treat to be able to pick up some rarities, extras, and covers in one big scoop. In a time and place where smart political punk that confronts and investigates the world around us in ways that are valuable and meaningful (instead of just “Fuck the Man,” “Kill the Pigs,”) Strike Anywhere is a rare commodity. It’s great to see beyond a shadow of a doubt that their music isn’t as perishable as a flavor of the month and hasn’t become dated in four years. It’s a testament to how considerable the band really is. The music? Fucking awesome. Anthemic in the best sense, where heart is directly translated into soaring guitars, pummeling drums, and Thomas’ unmistakable voice. They’re one of those far-too-few bands where their integrity and message is matched by how powerfully their songs are actually arranged and played. This release also includes three covers (Dag Nasty, Gorilla Biscuits, and Cock Sparrer), an unreleased track from their Exit English session, and a song from their first demo. Highly recommended.
–Todd Taylor (Jade Tree)
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STOCKYARD STOICS:
Catastrophe: CD
This is in the take it or leave it pile. Very Rancid-like in their sound. Street punk mixed with some ska overtones. They play well and their songs are catchy. But nothing exactly won me over.
–Donofthedead (Bankshot)
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STAR STRANGLED BASTARDS:
Red, White and Dead: CD
Wow, did these guys move to Norway or something??? Don’t remember their last album being this heavy. We’re talking “Negative Approach covers Discharge” kinda heavy here, the result sounding reminiscent of both Out Cold and pretty much the entire Scandinavian region. This is gonna stay in my player for quite a while, partly because it’s so damned good, but mostly ‘cause I’m afraid it’s gonna up and kick my ass if I get too close to it.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Rodent Popsicle)
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STALINS WAR:
Rebirth from Flames: CD
I had a feeling that this was going to be an emo release. Something about the way the cover looked. But my intuition was wrong on this one. I know this is not an inventive description, but they sound like Kittie meets Shadows Fall and Good Riddance. It’s metallic hardcore that is piercing with precision and powerful in delivery. The vocalist, Moana Strom, has a deceivingly beautiful voice that is almost romantic in its beauty, but can turn on you with her shrieking vocals bursts. The production on this recording is top notch. The only thing missing is the double bass drumming. (Not to say that the drumming is mediocre. It’s not.) By addition, it would further enforce the music they are producing.
–Donofthedead (Un–Fun)
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STAGGERS, THE:
The Sights, The Sounds, The Fear, and The Pain: CD
I love it when a band confounds expectation. The Staggers are primarily—for lack of a better term—rockabilly punk. They sway. The bass is prevalent and jumpy. The singer can croon and hold a note. Although it’s obvious he’s not aping Glenn Danzig, an argument could be made that his vocal stylings are similar. Some of them have high triangle haircuts. I was all ready to listen to a band from a limited universe that’s listened to Tiger Army and the Reverend Horton Heat and regurgitate stories about hot rods, Betty Page, and burning rubber. Or maybe some ooky spooky graveyard stuff. How wrong I was. Shame on me for pegging ‘em before pushing play. They pump new life into rockabilly by using it as a springboard to cannonball into a new pool of ideas. They pull off a great western-themed instrumental. They cover Masters of the Obvious’ song, “Primeval,” fuckin’ spot-on (which is super hard, figuring on the damage quirk pop to rockabilly conversion charts are a bitch to compute). And the clincher? They take lyrics from the great kid’s book Where the Sidewalk Ends and make it a song I want to hold a beer over my head and shout along to. An unexpected, fun, and cool surprise. Also includes a soulful, enjoyable campfire acoustic set and three videos.
–Todd Taylor (Haunted Town)
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SPEND 4:
AYAYAYAYAYAYAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!: 7"
Wow. Have I just discovered the Japanese equivalent of the Grabbies?!? Holy shit. There are so many Japanese bands that I like—Guitar Wolf, Teengenerate, Crucial Section, Sweet J.A.P., Coastersride, Thug Murder—that I got my hopes up as soon as I saw that these gents hail from the Land of the Rising Sun. But this is way fucking better than I was allowing myself to hope for. Slashing, frenetic, swarming, unrelenting walls of amplified rage that you can fall in love with upon first listen. Ye Gods, as Hunter Thompson might say, this is a motherfucking scorcher.
–aphid (Acme)
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SOUND OF DISASTER:
Lagar Och Forordningar: 7"
Some people may call this a fan club release. Some may even call this a bootleg. But what I could gather through the rumor mill is that this is a semi-legitimate release that had the blessing of one of the actual band members. So the story goes that an influential member of this legendary Swedish band did not want this 1983 demo to see the light of day, but an eccentric record collector had made contact with another member of the band and secured a copy with his blessing. So a gem has been unearthed and has been given life once again. All thirteen songs are contained here from the original demo. It has the distinctive early ‘80s Swedish buzz saw sound of bands from that time period. What may be construed as thin production recorded on a boombox constructs itself as an original sound and distinctive attack. At the time, you knew that this was definitely not from America. The first time I had heard bands like this twenty years ago, I knew I was hearing something special and different. It is so hard to recreate an era like this. I believe this has already gone out of print but many copies are still lingering around many mailorder distros. So if early Swedish hardcore is your thing, do some research and find a copy.
–Doctor Strange (Georg Becker Schallplatten, No Address)
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SOPHOMORE YEAR, THE:
You Are Here… She Is There: CD
Strike one: The utterly lame band name. Strike two: Contains a song entitled “Heartsick.” Strike three: Three of the four members start off their “thank you” list with “God.” The music: an embarrassingly weak fly into über-suckass emo-popland. You guys are outta here.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Search and Rescue)
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SOMETHING ABOUT VAMPIRES AND SLUTS:
We Break Our Own Hearts: Cd
Art, minimalist, drum machine-propelled art pop. Resulted in a resounding “eh.”
–Jimmy Alvarado (Morphius)
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SOCIAL DISTORTION:
Sex, Love and Rock'n'Roll: CD
I approached the new Social D album hesitantly, as if it were a historical lover returning to town. Turning the album over in my hands, I ruminated. What was it like last time we met? Should I bother calling? Would it be the same? Would I feel that old familiar flame? I’d heard he’d been successful, become iconic, reached all his worldly goals. News of his return had reached fever pitch across town. Had it gone to his head? The artwork and the titles are so quintessentially the “new RAB revolution.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Maybe it was me. Maybe I was the one who had changed. I set it aside, disaffected. He had gone soft, an old pander. Pangs of guilt plagued me. My anger surprised me. For over fifteen years, that voice, those lyrics, and that guitar had been the only thing that could rid me of life’s little aches and pains. About a week after dismissing the album, I fell on some hard times and reached for my cure-all—I put that album back on, turned it up and was sustained. All is as it was and as it should be. Don’t mistake the painfully optimistic song titles (“Reach for the Sky,” “Live Before You Die,” “I Wasn’t Born to Follow”) for glibness—Ness has traded his anger, remorse, spite, hate, self-loathing and pain for insightful satisfaction, stability and self-acceptance. Some things have happened in his heart, mind and soul since the band’s last studio release in 1997. Musically and lyrically, it sounds just like Social Distortion should—merely humbled and faithful instead of reckless and dejected or full of self-pity. One of many examples: “I triumphed in the face of adversity and I became a man I never thought I’d be. And now the greatest challenge is this thing called love, I guess I’m not as tough as I thought I was.” In my mind, I’ve been asking him to marry me since I was thirteen... I wonder if he’d accept now that we’re both grown-ups?
–Jessica Thiringer (Time Bomb)
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SNFU:
In the Meantime and in Between Time: CD
I was worried a little when I heard about a new SNFU record coming out. How could I possibly avoid being biased? I mean, this band was pretty much responsible for my punk rock existence. How would I take it if this didn’t live up to their near flawless back catalog? I can handle a lot of other bands losing their luster, but the mighty SNFU? I was nervous. To put it bluntly, this record kicked me square in the ass! I was not expecting to be blown away but I sure was. I can honestly say that this new record captures everything that an SNFU should be. Tight rhythms? Check. Soaring guitars? Check. Mr. Chi Pig? That’s a big CHECK! No one can write like he writes. It’s like when an abstract painting suddenly makes sense. No matter if he’s writing about his own issues, or about those around him, you know that it’s going to be clever and biting. Musically, the band has really come together. The new rhythm section fits in perfectly. The songs somehow maintain the SNFU feel while managing to sound fresh. There are many bands from the “glory days” of hardcore that continue to play today. The numbers are thinner when you count the ones that are still viable. I am happy to report that SNFU, aka “The Most Important Band in the History of the World According to Ty” are more than viable. They’re still the best!
–Ty Stranglehold (www.snfu.com)
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