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Record Reviews1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 | 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| < Prev Section | Next Section >  RSS Feed
MUGGERS, THE:
Self-titled: CD
Ten study-at-home lessons right out of the Punk Rock 101 curriculum. The Muggers play sneery, energetic ‘77 style ham-and-egger punk with vocals that bend nicely out of tune in spots. The emphasis here seems to be more on having fun than trying to be dangerous. They sound a little bit like Green Day before they became MTV darlings. Probably a lot of fun live.
–aphid (Radio)
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MUGRE:
En Estos Tiempos: EP
Apparently, these guys have been kicking around in Los Angeles for more than a few years now. Yet, this is my introduction to them. It’s totally my loss. I’ve always said that the less melody in hardcore, the better. While I do love me some Tragedy, I’m always more in favor of dark, crushing heaviness than an acoustic interlude. No unplugged instruments here, folks. All a hardcore band really needs to do to leave a lasting impression is play raw, fast, and pissed. And that’s exactly what you’ll get with this record. Straight-up "We're not here to fuckin' amuse you" hardcore. There’s an endless string of bands with a similar approach to this sound. But Mugre, seemingly without effort, stands out amongst the clones. Or should I say stood out. I write this the night after they played their last show ever less than a mile from where I stay. Bummer. Let this record be the final shovel full of dirt on the makeshift grave of yet another highly underrated Los Angeles hardcore band.
–Juan Espinosa (Lengua Armada, no contact info.)
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MUGSHOTS:
House of the Weirdos: CD
Don’t believe the “horrorpunk” genre label, but do believe the inferences to the Damned and Eddie Murphy film soundtracks. Heavily Euro, synth-goth, prog rock and dark wave, I can’t take another minute. Okay, I cave—I’ll believe the horror bit. I just got the creeps. And a wave of nausea.
–Jessica Thiringer (Lombroso)
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MUGSHOTS:
House of the Weirdos: CD
Don’t believe the “horrorpunk” genre label, but do believe the inferences to the Damned and Eddie Murphy film soundtracks. Heavily Euro, synth-goth, prog rock and dark wave, I can’t take another minute. Okay, I cave—I’ll believe the horror bit. I just got the creeps. And a wave of nausea.
–Jessica Thiringer (Lombroso, mugshots.it)
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MUGWUMPS, THE:
Do Time with the Mugwumps: 7”
First question: Is this band’s name a reference to the 1880s anti-Gilded Age Republican political activists of the same name? If so, I salute them! Mid-period Ramones-influenced (in a good way!) punk rock. The press release compares it to Too Tough to Die, and, oddly, for the first time I think I agree with a press release. Good stuff! If this were a cereal, it’d be Trix. Tasty, but not quite up to the level of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (early-period Ramones’ influenced punk could accomplish that!).
–Maddy (It’s Alive)
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MUGWUMPS, THE:
Banana Brain: LP
I am trying
really hard to preserve my partisan leanings! I do not want to speak ill of my
fellow pop punkers in the year 2008! This is decent pop punk, but no Lucky
Charms here! I liked their last 7” better. Totally Queers-influenced pop punk,
as evidenced by the not-so-subtle reference (intentional?) to Joe King’s Munki
Brain record! Photos
of the band on the record indicate a T-shirt-based preference for Teenage
Bottlerocket and the Riverdales, which makes me wonder... are we at the
beginning of a surge of bands influenced by the Bottlerocket gang? Are we going to have to start
saying, “Well, they’re influenced by Teenage Bottlerocket, who are influenced
by the Riverdales, who descended from Screeching Weasel, who were influenced by
the Ramones?” When did pop punk get so complicated?! If this were a
cereal, it’d be Kix. Nothing new here, but not bad, either.
–Maddy (Bachelor)
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MUJERES:
Demo: CD-R
Since they thanked cocaine and the blues on the insert, I was expecting some crap in the vein of Led Zeppelin. How thrilled I was to find out that this Spanish quartet didn’t go that route. This demo has five tracks that sound like they could’ve come straight off the Nuggets box set. Total garage psychedelia! If you’re into that sort of stuff—and I don’t blame you if you are—you won’t go wrong by giving Mujeres a chance. (My girlfriend tells me that their name means “women” in Spanish.)
–Vincent Battilana (hombrebuenodiscos.blogspot.com)
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MULLENS, THE:
Tough to Tell: CD
These maddaddy musical miscreants kick out the jams and then some with high-energy rock'n'roll intensity ala The Rolling Stones (before they became biliously boring old farts wrapped in a repetitiously nonfunctioning swirl of chord progression redundancy), the New York Dolls, and The Damned (pre-goth glam glumness). Yep, The Mullens effortlessly epitomize beer-guzzlin' barroom-brawlin' rock'n'roll robustness at its blisterin' ball-bustin' best (as it should be!): wild, carefree, steady, fast, loud, belligerent, and fun! Pouty, flirtatiously sinful vocals, stylishly cool Johnny Thunders-knuckledustin'-Keith Richards guitar-slingin' swagger, and a juicy, stomping, nicely well-rounded rhythm section of earth-crumblin' fury all make "Tough to Tell" an irresistible ear-scorching platter of rock'n'roll crunch well worth your undivided audial attention. I religiously recommend it!
–Guest Contributor (Get Hip)
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MULLENS, THE:
It’s Hard to Imagine…: CD
There’s a definite reliance on mid- ‘60s rock in evidence here, but discerning listeners can also pick out snatches of Bowie and Dolls influence buried in there amidst the Love, Kinks, and Strawberry Alarm Clock. The recording is clear, the production clean, and careful to avoid the now-hackneyed “budget rock” production values, which has never really gone well for the untold millions of bands who’ve incorporated it without truly getting it.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Get Hip)
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MULLTUTE:
Self-titled: 7”
Primal, guttural German hardcore. Though they don’t really sound like ‘em, this brings back fond memories of early Midwestern U.S. punk bands the Fix and Negative Approach.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Mülltüte)
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MULTICULT:
Self-titled: LP
Super-disjointed rhythms, chaos everywhere, nothing seems to flow right, and yet it all somehow makes a song. Obvious comparisons would be bands like Birthday Party and Scratch Acid, but Multicult is not dark or nihilistic. At least they don’t sound that way to these ears. Sounds crash, space opens up then is filled with more noise. A lot to take in in one sitting. There’s so much going on that not one thing stands out besides how busy and cluttered everything is. A little more space would make a difference.
–Matt Average (nskrobisz@gmail.com)
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MULTICULT:
Open Fire: 7”
Noise rock—dense, atonal, and, well, noisy.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Amplified Noise, myspace.com/amplifiednoiserecordings)
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MULTICULT:
Spaces Tangled: LP
Out of Baltimore, this trio has let their second full length fly. In “Stop Calling,” post grunge builds on noise rock with sharply strummed chords and battle cry vocals. “Groteske” showcases their ironic lyrics with a shout out to Gerard Depardieu and almost sounds like it’s played at 35 RPM instead of 45 with its slow-as-molasses crescendo. I kept anticipating the rest of the melody and wanting to pull the song along—not a bad thing! “Billows” is the most straight forward grunge’n’roll track constructed on a couple of fuzzed-out, alternating guitar hooks. Pulling from At the Drive-In’s pure energy and others like Bad Brains and New York’s Manual Zombie, Multicult has handpicked some of the best components of post punk in attempts to assemble a new patronage. I’m all in. Recommended.
–Kristen K (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia, sleepinggiantglossolalia.com)
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MUMBLER:
The Winter of Our Discontent: 7"
Weird things lead me to pull records out of the slush pile. I saw the title of this one, which could either be a self-indulgent, whiny emo title, or could be a reference to one of Steinbeck’s greatest novels. Then, when I see it’s on a record label that’s most likely named after Steinbeck’s hometown, I’m sold. Well, the good news is that it’s not emo. Not even close. It doesn’t really have anything to do with Steinbeck, but the first song is called “Free Brewery Tour,” which is good in a whole other way. So what does it sound like? At first listen, it came across as pop punk, but there was something in it that kept me listening. Something a little more raw and a little more sincere. The vocals are nerdy and gruff at the same time, and the drums really power the songs ahead. It’s like these guys learned that the secret behind Screeching Weasel had something to do with Dan Panic’s drums, and they decided that, if they were gonna borrow from the pop punk masters, then they’d have to look to the back of the stage. This is their first release, and it’s not a bad one at all.
–Sean Carswell (Salinas)
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MUMIY TROLL:
Comrade Ambassador: CD
Quirky, catchy Russian rock music.
–Jimmy Alvarado (wwwmumiytroll.com)
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MUMMIES OF THE INSANE:
Self-titled: CD
I’ll bet you these guys smoke a SHITLOAD of marijuana. I wish I was into smokin’ weed—it mighta made listening to this a little less tedious, though it is good for a few laughs. “Civilized Existence” boasts the line “Sit upright, you damn dirty ape!” and “Parasite” sounds like the music to a video game on the technologically cutting-edge Atari 2600. “Fuck Your Mummy,” despite the great title, is little more than R2D2 noises and a rhythm section too fucked up to play together. Lots of needless instrumental farting around, taking their cues from Sebadoh’s Freed Weed but without any of the redeeming indie qualities of that record. Avoid this stinker.
–Josh Benke (Slutfish)
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MUMMYDOGS:
Self-titled: CD
Wow, this is the first new record I’ve seen on Frontier in literally decades. I guess Lisa Fancher managed to scrape up some extra money or something. Unfortunately, it does zippo for these ears. Mellow indie rock with a guy trying to sound like Leonard Cohen or something. Hell, I’d subject myself to that Flyboys record again before listening to this a second time.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Frontier)
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MUNDO MUERTO:
Rompe el Silencio: 7”
An exciting new band from the Southern California area—which I have had the pleasure of seeing a few times this year—that has really caught my eye and ears. Featuring a collection of members from Mala Sangre, The Homewreckers, and Svarta Tankar, this band has an early ‘80s sound that takes pieces from South America and Mexico and make it sound relevant today. Songs sung in Spanish are backed by a sonic push of lightly distorted guitar sounds that give the music a raw edge but hook you with their strong melody. It makes you want to just dance in the pit or pogo in your room. First time I heard the music, I got energized with excitement that I’m really going to have fun listening to this instead of the usual appreciation of music through anger. I can’t wait to see what more is in store from this foursome.
–Donofthedead (Mundo Muerto, myspace.com/mundoxmuerto)
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MUNG:
Off the Mark (A 7 Year Boil 1991-1998): CD
Decent enough modern punk/hardcore from a band that broke up four years ago. Although by no means my cup of tea, this definitely has some things going for it, not the least being a few damn snappy tunes. The Beastie Boys cover, while an inspired idea, leaves a lot to be desired in execution.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Rodent Popsicle)
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MUNG:
Off the Mark (A 7 Year Boil 1991-1998): CD
Rodent Popsicle put out this posthumous release that scans the musical history of this Boston based band. While not breaking any new ground, Mung played solid punk reminiscent of Naked Raygun and a few of the Epitaph bands. There a few songs that have deja vu effect, but no complete ripoffs. Good release. –Mike Dunn
–Guest Contributor (Rodent Popsicle)
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MUNICIPAL WASTE:
Massive Aggressive: LP
The best metal band on earth. Hands down. I loved Waste ‘Em All. Hazardous Mutation blew my brain balls. The Art of Partying kicked the rad up yet another notch, and now Massive Aggressive takes things in a slightly different direction without sacrificing any of the Among The Living-esque riffery or RKL-esque skate punk catchiness. The “different direction” of which I speak is a step back in terms of the “party” motif in favor of a decidedly more “metal” aesthetic. Prior to hearing the record, this notion made me somewhat nervous, The Waste being my go-to drunken basement mosh band, but any worries were dashed upon first listen. While both lyrics and music are noticeably more “serious” sounding, not for a second does this stray from classic Waste territory. It’s simply a heavier, more (for lack of a more clever adjective) aggressive record, which I’m certainly not going to complain about. Fucking rips. Wowy.
–Dave Williams (Earache)
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MUNICIPAL WASTE/BAD ACID TRIP:
Split: 7" EP
Municipal: Hyper-speed hardcore band pays tribute to Kurt Russell. Fast and tight musically, but was kinda put off that they didn’t pay homage to the man’s career with Disney, which included starring roles in such unforgettable films as The Absent Minded Professor, Follow Me Boys and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. Bad Acid: Although the grind influence is still in full effect, it actually sounds like they’ve slowed down a bit. Strangely, they remind me of early Bulimia Banquet on a couple of tracks.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Municipal Waste)
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MUNITION:
The Black Wave: CD
Started off promising, although a little poppy and just went downhill from there, ultimately ending up wallowing in that wretched netherworld where bad hardcore and bad emo meet, mate and go to die. What a waste.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Failed Experiment)
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MUNLEY & THE LUPERCALIANS:
Petr & the Wulf: CD
A Slim Cessna member offers his take on a tale most famously recounted in a symphony by Prokofiev and a Disney cartoon. The music here is dark, rootsy, and banjo-driven, with each tune offering a soliloquy of sorts for each of the characters in lyrics angled more at adults than children. This is apparently the first of an effort that will unfold over multiple discs.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Alternative Tentacles)
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MUNLY & THE LEE LEWIS HARLOTS:
Self-titled: CD & DVD
Much more sunken and skeletal in appearance than even Hank III yet manically alive, Munly (& the Lee Lewis Harlots) has been oft labeled simply "Gothic Country." Imagine the Rachels (the Quarterstick ones), the Handsome Family, Nick Cave, Bauhaus, and 16 Horsepower spending darkened hours passing around a bottle of XXX, telling languorous and remorseful spook tales before gesticulating frenetically and knocking over the lantern, thus burning down the barn. Whirls fantastically like a dervish and is as creepy and weepy as a poison sumac rash.
–Jessica Thiringer (Alternative Tentacles/Smooch)
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