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July 2006 - Issue 211

All That Remains
The Fall of Ideals
Metal Blade
Street: 07.11
All That Remains = Killswitch Engage + As I Lay Dying + Trivium
All That Remains have never exactly been cutting edge, though who am I to say so? The band is obviously doing things right, scoring a slot on this summers Ozzfest. The band features in its ranks Phil Labonte, ex-Shadows Fall vocalist. This time on the bands third album it seems they have watered down their metalcore faade with emo tendencies. They incorporate similarities of the Swedish melodic death-metal movement into their homegrown thrash sound. ATR has the songwriting capabilities and playing skills to create something worthwhile. For the most part they achieve what they are obviously going for, catchy songs with sing-along melodies, at the expense of true expression. Not surprised by the change the band has made, one cannot help but wonder if it comes from what the artists truly feel, or if the band is motivated by other means. Bryer Wharton

Angel City Outcasts
Deadrose Junction
Sailors Grave Records
Street: 06.06
Angel City Outcasts = Social Distortion + The Briggs + Street Dogs
It has been almost four years since Let It Ride was released, and even I was becoming skeptical about the boys of ACO releasing anything new. Luckily, theyve found time to record something amidst touring practically non-stop since 2002. Their sophomore release is just as energy-packed as their first, which must have been no easy task. Deadrose Junction maintains the same style as their previous release, but manages not to sound like a boring repeat. The songs range from fast-paced punk anthems like Cut Throat to the more rockabilly influenced Horns n Halos. Angel City Outcasts has 14 more great songs to play at their live gigs, and that is something that no fan will be disappointed about. Hopefully the third album wont take as long to make. My favorite track was Down Spiral which captures some of the same energy as Im an ACO. Cheers to this album; it is hard to follow up on a first album on which every song is good, but ACO has managed to do it. Jeanette Moses

Archie Bronson Outfit
Derdang Derdang
Domino
Street: 04.03
Archie Bronson Outfit = Silver Apples + Michael Yonkers + Old Time Relijun + Mule
So the cover of this pup shows three bearded coffee shop types with pawn shop instruments bashing away inside of a cramped little, grainy black and white photograph housed inside of a big colorful flower lookin like it could be a stained glass window. And thats about what this sounds like, too. That practice space looks mighty small, this shit sounds mighty sweaty and those swirling psychedelics are the rubber band keeping it all together. The sounds being created here are of no specific time or place and thats great. Derdang Derdang is brimming over with pulsating tribal jig rhythms and droning Kimbrough-ish guitar lines; however, these scruffs somehow managed to squeeze a producer into that little room of theirs in between all that equipment and let the guy polish the hell out of these sonic doodles where a mere four-track recorder wouldve done the job just fine. It sounds like Mr. Producer went to the task of running Ivory Soap through the mixing board leaving behind the necessary amount of grit & grime that good rock nroll requires. Next time boys... keep it DIY. -Jared Soper

The Autumn Offering
Embrace the Gutter
Victory Records
Street: 05.16
The Autumn Offering = a reversal in the role of modern American metal
Now here is a conundrum, an American band that played melodic metalcore with clean vocals making their sound heavier and less melodic. It seems these fellows from Florida decided to reverse the current situation of bands watering down their sound and grew a pair of balls. The sound utilizes a highly European style making their debut sound wimpy, without totally disembarking from their previous style. Heavy and ferocious yes it may be but motivating no. I can think of many bands playing similar styles and doing it much better, though they have made a turn for the better. Hit or miss, Ill let listeners be the judge. Lets just say if you enjoy heavy music with a European edge minus the clean vocals The Autumn Offering should slightly moisten the underpants. Bryer Wharton (07.14, Ritz Club)

Between the Buried and Me
The Anatomy Of
Victory Records
Street: 06.13
Between the Buried and Me = an unexpected cover album
When a band makes a cover album it usually suggests that they have run out ideas to create original music. This is not the case for Between the Buried. They are still at the peak of their success and going strong. A slot on this summers Ozzfest and critical acclaim only partially describe their success. The Anatomy Of is meant as a means for the band to showcase their influences. Covers range from bands like Metallica, Queen, Blind Melon and Depeche Mode. The band also showcases their varied musical skills playing the covers extremely true to the originals, not just taking them and making metal versions of the songs. There are a slew of well-sung vocals, guitars and keys not displayed on any BTBAM album to date. Hearing vocalist Tommy Rogers do his best to resemble Vince Neil of Motley Crue or Freddie Mercury of Queen, cover tunes have always been fun and a means for bands to pay homage to their roots. This one was a surprise all around. Bryer Wharton

Bldhag
Hell Bent For Letters
Alternative Tentacles
Street: 05.23
Bldhag = the inventors of edu-core
Seattle has a knack for producing interesting artists. Bldhag have terrible fun doing what they do. The music isnt all that innovative; think of it as a cross between Sepultura, Napalm Death and an English speaking Brujeria. It is in the lyrics and concept where the real excitement lies. Claiming themselves to play a style dubbed edu-core, the band puts a huge emphasis on literature. The songs on Hell Bent For Letters are all titled after various authors. The bands motto explains everything: The faster you go deaf, the more time you have to read. Live shows contain education lessons from the band as well as free books thrown to fans. The record is raw and brutal as metal should be, leaving little breathing room. One can imagine that the live show embodies an energy unseen on the actual album. You will never have more fun rocking out and learning at the same time. Bryer Wharton

Blue Velvet
Four Songs
Phratry Records
Street Date: 05.30
Blue Velvet = a sextet of semi-proficient musicians
Those familiar with David Lynchs movie Blue Velvet wont have a difficult time understanding the music by the band of the same name. The movie and the music can be described as experimental, drony, repetitive, angular, eerie and no-wave. At first listen, their very short EP Four Songs (the disc is barely over 10 minutes) seems very empty and underwhelming. The songs have a very simple sound structure and rely on building repetition from the six members of the band. Their take on sound is more of a purist nature; it is blatantly obvious that they do not use any effects or post production and that they record their songs live. Unlike the movie, Four Songs does not plunge into the eerie depths that were possible and leaves the listener feeling like there is something missing. The band should be applauded however for taking on the challenge of producing music that is not tainted by electronics. Andrew Glassett

Cataract
Kingdom
Metal Blade
Street: 05.23
Cataract = Slayer + Hatebreed
These guys have been around for roughly eight years now, so experience is on their side and producing a record much more polished and faster than their last outing should be expected. The Scandinavian group does well to keep things simple. Slayer riffs are dissected into Hatebreed-style chugga breakdowns. There is no question that Cataract is heavy. For a few songs it is entertaining and fun to envision ferocious pits with the kiddies doing mosh-a-robics. There is a lot lacking; in this day and age it is hard to make yourself known by just being heavy and fast. Lots of bands play that way, and generally they dont go very far with it. Sometimes they will luck out, i.e. Lamb of God, but most of the time they just shatter and fade or fester off into other bands. The fate of Cataract is unknown, but as of now the future looks grim or dull, however you want to put it. Bryer Wharton

Catch 22
Permanent Revolution
Victory Records
Street: 06.27
Catch 22 = Ska/punk that isnt total crap
Ill be the first to admit that ska/punk is the last thing I would choose to listen to of my own volition right in front of achy-breaky-heart country music. Reluctantly, Ill admit that Catch 22s Permanent Revolution is not complete crap like 99 percent of other bands of the like. As I put the album in for its first run I was prepared to get out a bottle of Tylenol to help the headache that would come from 30 minutes of cringing, but instead found that I wasnt cringing or becoming irritated. Permanent Revolution is a concept album about the rise and fall of Leon Trotsky, leader of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. While concept albums are becoming boring and generic these days, the vocals are clean, crisp and the music and lyrics beg to be listened to closely and should be. If you like ska/punk youll love it, if you dont, you might. Jeremy C. Wilkins

Cex
Actual Fucking
Automation Records
Street: 07.04
Cex = the hardest working man in showbiz
From IDM wiz kid to aluminum fronts, MC to glitchy, pensive emo-folkster to harbinger of industrial fusion, Rjyan Cex Kidwell approaches each album as if its his first and last a potentially career-crushing move if Kidwell wasnt such a capable, clever Bowie-esque chameleon who manages to more or less pull off whatever it is he attempts. With help from members of Joan of Arc and Dismemberment Plan, Kidwell rocks through his most disparate release to date. On the opener, Baltimore, the band employs an enormous variety of organic percussion and moody atmospherics alongside even moodier voices (Kidwells and former Milemarker chanteuse, Roby Newton aka Kidwells wife), finally climaxing with a cut-and-pasted Frankenstein solo of wilting DSP. On the contrary, the softer Ybor City splits from a fevered rest-stop voicemail to a melancholy, Microphones-like, four-dollar acoustic guitar duo. A mix of Giorgio Moroder disco and Talking Heads pop fills up the 6:39 second Angeles. Yet again, another head-scratching chapter in the saga of Cex, one as always deftly skewed and genuinely brilliant. Dave Madden

The Choptops
Triple Deuces
Split 7
Street: 06.01
The Choptops = Stray Cats + Reverend Horton Heat + Guana Batz
This neo-rockabilly trio can light a song on fire. The Choptops fuse every genre of music that uses the suffix billy. With their revved-up rockabilly, the Choptops blaze through the usual pompadour junk and really get down by mixing it up. Psychobilly numbers like MyCurse, and Bitch really hit hard while more traditional sounding tracks like Heartbreaker, and Roll On Big John sound like they were original 50s tunes. So grow out your side burns, put some grease in that hair and get your jive on to the Choptops. -- James Orme

Code of Honor
Complete Studio Recordings 1982-1984
Subterranean Records
Street: 05.30
Code of Honor = Circle Jerks + Agent Orange + Suicidal Tendencies
Code of Honor was formed in the early 80s, the same time that so many other now-classic hardcore bands were digging their claws in and refusing to be silenced or forgotten. Over two decades later, the bands of the 80s hardcore scene are still influencing music today, and Code of Honor is no exception. Their time as a band was short (only a few years) and they only managed to release two LPs and one seven inch. As the title indicates, this release includes everything that was ever recorded by the band. The majority of the album stays true to classic 80s hardcore punk. Its intense, yet surprisingly melodic and its played at break neck speed, but the words to the socially- conscious songs are still clearly enunciated. The last track of the album takes on a much darker feel, combining grim sound effects, with a heavily distorted vocal track and acoustic guitars it sounds like something that might have been found on a Crass record. This is a great addition the collection of any punk fan. Jeanette Moses

Conner
Hello Graphic Missile
Sonic Boom Recordings
Street: 06.06
Conner = Franz Ferdinand + The Killers + etc.
I dont know where all these craptacularly similar bands are coming from, or what they hope to achieve by cranking out yet more of the same bland, monotonous tunes, although according to the press release that came with Hello Graphic Missile, theyre quite the opposite: [With] funk bass lines, hard hitting disco/dance drum riffs and complex rock guitar In today's musical cookie cutter world, Conner somehow pull off a sound that feels both uniquely cutting edge and classically familiar Huh? Wha? Seriously, who in their right mind would find that description palatable much less intriguing? Sorry dudes, but Ill bet even Brandon Flowers thinks your songs are lame. I cant think of anything worse, but hey, if shoddy, boring disco-rock brings you the admiration of 12-year-old hos, well, then I guess thats pretty neat for you. Jamila Roehrig

Cougars
Pillow Talk
Go Kart
Street: 04.25
Cougars = Rocket From The Crypt The Jesus Lizard + a horn section
Cougars are serious. Im sure actual wild cougars are pretty serious too, but man, it seems that these cougars got together and said (in a very serious tone), Hey, Ive got an idea: lets fucking rock. And rock they do. After their debut LP, Nice, Nice, the Chicago-based Cougars follow the EP Manhandler in 2004. This being their second full length, Pillow Talk features Steve Albinis engineering and could have easily been called Cougars Rock Your Socks Off and Launder Them Before Your Feet Get Cold. Annoying the crap out of hipsters everywhere is the fact that Cougars are quite difficult to pigeon-hole, which makes it hard to text message your friends to tell them why youre temporarily cooler than they are since youve discovered a new cool band. Since one of those this genre/that genre/that other genre/the genre that lends street cred type of descriptions wont do the job, I can say that Pillow Talk is at times heavy, has flashes of very fast chorus with mean horn arrangement and many instances of screamed vocals, but you know, those horns create a problem when you try to call Cougars a hardcore band. Tyler Ford

Cult of Luna
Somewhere Along the Highway
Earache
Street: 04.24
Cult of Luna = Isis + Neurosis
There is no doubt that Cult of Luna have many influences. At first glance one may write them off as a copycat of Isis and Neurosis, but delving deeper into the musical psyche one will find more. Honing their skills, their third release proves to be their strongest. Somewhere Along the Highway flows together like one entire track, generally traversing from the heavy to melodic. The whole vibe of the album is somewhat spaced out, but hey, what do you expect from a band calling themselves Cult of Luna? To truly appreciate the work you must listen from start to finish, no song-skipping. If you can get a listener to hear your album from start to finish, that is a major achievement. The atmosphere and texture that lay within the ultimate heaviness of the album make it all that much more rich. Bryer Wharton

DBD
Nobodys Heros
SOS
Street: 03.14
DBD= The Escaped(Not as interesting) + Dropkick Murphys(Nowhere near as good) + Agnostic Front(Not as ferocious)
The best thing about these guys is that they look just like the guys that you see at any punk show in town. They arent anything too exceptional; theres some good use of the mandolin; its not that theyre terrible, just that they just dont stand out from the usual streetcore. The influences are obvious, and not much more than their t-shirts in the band photo. The band doesnt offer any real surprises. I will be interested to see if with their next release, these boys can get beyond the rest of the mediocre punk-rock that is out there.--James Orme

Deadsoil
Sacrifice
Lifeforce
Street: 06.13
Deadsoil = Arch Enemy + Dew-Scented + Waterdown + Hatebreed
Comprised of ex-members of Night In Gales, Copykill, Six Reasons to Kill, Gomorrha and Drift, Deadsoil display a wide range of skill and influence on their second full-length melodic metalcore outing, ultimately achieving a fast-paced technically proficient annihilation fest. When your guitar playing resembles the virtuosity of Arch Enemy you know you are doing something right. The much sought-after true anger shines through, something many metalcore acts cannot seem to get right. It is as if the bands vocalist is truly pushing his lung capacity. Enjoy the breakdown-infused chunk of thrashing madness that is Sacrifice. - Bryer Wharton

Dengue Fever
Escape from Dragon House
Birdman Records
Street: 09.13.05
Dengue Fever = Putumayo Records + Broadcast + Neung Phak
Dengue Fever is the combination of Cambodian pop-phenom Chhom Nimol and a group of American musicians. With the cross-pollination of two different cultures one would hope for an interesting, new sound to result. Unfortunately, the result is neither a synthesis nor an authentic cultural transplantation. The exotic melodies of Nimol are always good to great. The American backup band, however, only contribute as a frame for the vocals. Their music is just too generic worldy, chock full of accentuated electric organs and thin little guitar lines. While this combination works wonders in the wonderful Ethiopiques series, this record comes across as over-produced musical tourism. Nonetheless, any enthusiast of world music will find Nimols vocals engaging. Dengue Fever deserves credit for discovering such a unique talent as Nimol and attempting to meet his skill. Bob Leavitt

End of a Year
Sincerely
Revelation Records
Street:07.18
End of a Year = new spin on DC sound
What happens when youre no longer 16, angry at the world, and looking to get in fights at shows? You either give up and buy that SUV, or you start End of a Year. Taking their cues from the melodic age of the Dischord Sound (Embrace, Rites of Spring, Jawbox et al.) End of a Year are products of the eclecticism of the 00s and it shows in their music. We live in a time where musical tastes are no longer segregated. Its not uncommon to find The Cro-Mags next to Ella Fitzgerald on an iPod mix, and End of a Year are no different. In the liner notes, they reference everyone from 108 to the Beatles to Jawbreaker as music to listen to. Their sound is deeply grounded in the DC era, recorded at Inner Ear Studios, but is something new. Musically, its an amalgam of cacophonous sounds paired with guitar lines that are familiar, and vocals that are more of a spoken yell than anything. The only real drawback to the album is that the vocals and music seem to be two separate elements, with each seemingly composing a separate identity. That being said, this is an interesting listen, and a mature sound for those that arent ready to get that SUV. - Peter Fryer

Entrance
Prayer of Death
Entrance Records
Street: 06.20
Entrance = Devendra Banhardt + Skip James + Jack White + Aleister Crowley
Prayer of Death marks a departure for Entrance (AKA Guy Blakeslee). Given the increased contributions of collaborator Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle, Zwan, Papa M), Prayer of Death is more produced and more rocking than his previous albums. Entrances trademark soulful warble and country blues guitar are still there, but now with increased psychedelia and added rock opera. These complement the magical and spiritual nature that has always distinguished Blakeslee from the rest of the neo-folk shindig. The album is based around the the daily death vibrations of the Modern World, (a dark and weird concept that I find impossible not to love), and Entrances new thick sound meets this concept with walls of guitar and lyrics telling you to accept and rejoice in death. Consider this album as both a musical compliment and a morbid palate cleanser to the hippy-dippitude of Devendra Banhardt or Joanna Newsom. Bob Leavitt

The Evening Episode
The Physicist has known sin
Slowdance Records
Street: 07.11
The Evening Episode = The Notwists + Stephanie Bohm + Rilo Kiley
When one thinks of the typical mic controller at an avant-garde/indie-hip hop show, the archetype that arises is the fast-spitting rhyme or the animated character strategically wound-up to hype the crowd. Musical art form has been on its way to evolution and innovationget on the wagon or keep looking through the cobwebbed compact disc racks in the used section. The Evening Episode is a prime example of the new abstract with their own dash of pepper from every genre you can think of (excluding country and opera, yak). Hailing from Sacramento, California, this four-piece band interfuses electro-pop elements with organic instrumentation, adding the soulful, intellectually poetic and semi-nervous cadences of the Theremin-playing lead singer, Teresa Eggers. Cheers! Heres to the mind blowing linguistic development of vital semantics and the illimitable twists and turns to come from the new league of baroque hip-hop post-rock fetishist technique of musical creation, Me-ow. -Lance Saunders

Fall of Serenity
Bloodred Salvation
Lifeforce
Street: 06.27
Fall of Serenity = Kataklysm + Heaven Shall Burn + Dew-Scented
This German unit has been around since 1998 and chances are they havent had the opportunity to cross the Atlantic yet to purvey their music to the American masses. This means the U.S. may not be entirely familiar with the band, though one may have heard of them because of their split with German metalcore heavyweights Heaven Shall Burn in 1999. Mixing death metal with a abnormal style of clean vocals, Fall of Serenity make the music their own but influences definitely show through. There is an essence of speed and brutality coupled with bittersweet melodies punching through the ironclad faade. Add another blistering death-metal inspired metalcore piece to the heap, bang your head and once again thank the Germans for producing yet another fine-tuned metal outfit. Bryer Wharton

Figurines
Skeleton
Morningside Records
Street: 03.07
Figurines = Modest Mouse + Built To Spill
I once heard about this sweet-ass Viking ship museum in Copenhagen. It sounds like something I could really get my playaz club card out for, yknow? Totally. I dont know what else is cool in Denmark, except maybe this one movie I saw once. Either way, it seems like a pretty bland place. Sorry to say theres no exception when it comes to Figurines, whom the Danish press are allegedly raving about. Well, I listened to Skeleton thoroughly and, while finding the album enjoyable particularly the last track, Release Me On the Floor I think the only reason I found it as such was because it is Danish. It sounds much like the standard Strokes-ish indie bands of today but with a bit of early-90s alterna-art-whatever-rock jumbled in with it. The singers voice is wavery and he sounds whimsically kooky. You know the type. Its all very tender and the average American music fan will find it sweet in the somewhat condescending manner befitting us but boy, this sure would suck a big one if Figurines were from NYC, gnome sayin? Jamila Roehrig

The First Step
What We Know
Rivalry Records
Street: 05.23
The First Step = Insted + Uniform Choice
Its 1988 in my headphones. Im wearing high top Nikes, drinking Ecto Cooler and looking to make high score on Marble Madness. Thanks First Step for the trip. Although I wasnt in the scene in 88, The First Step is taking me back to those days. Ive always been a sucker for posi-core records; theres just something invigorating about lyrics like You cant truly live til you give or its not what we wear on our hands or on our feet/its the good were trying to do. Although musically this record is covering well-trodden ground, its something that not many bands are doing these days, and its a breath of fresh air. Most of the lyrics on this record revolve around making a positive change in the world around us or being straight edge, or both. Their solid stance on straight edge might not gel with everyone, but the overwhelming positivity of What We Know should. Plus it was produced by Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Quicksand,) so its got the official old school stamp of approval. - Peter Fryer

Fleshies
Scrape the Walls
Alternative Tentacles
Street: 06.20
Fleshies = An orgasm for your ears!
Fleshies amaze me; every song on Scrape the Walls sounds different. One second theyre playing funky stoner-rock, the next dirty garage-rock, then topping it off with Hendrix-style guitar solos. The vocals are muted and sound as if theyre being filtered through a pin hole, not unlike Rage Against the Machine. Jello Biafra makes an appearance on Happy Hunting Ground giving the Sparks cover a resemblance to the Dead Kennedys. This band is loud as hell, all over the place and I dig it. One of my favorites was Runners Legs, a pop ballad that sounds a bit like the Pansy Division. --Jeanette Moses

French Kicks
Two Thousand
Street: 07.18
French Kicks = That alright Strokes song, on repeat and repeat
The French Kicks and undemonstrative are relatively synonymous on their new release. Indie once meant noisy, irreverent and unpredictable bands whose greatness was not so much a choice, but a result. These days, it usually translates into earnest collegiate breakup music. Its not that these songs are bad, but their tame, bland and blameless approach to mass proliferation and mass exploitation of the music around us, finds their sound degrading into essentially a Franz Ferdinand workout video. Depending on where you have your binoculars trained, if you stand far back enough most things invariably look the same. Unfortunately for the French Kicks, having more than one song on their own CD brings a painful sense of sameness to the entire album. In the end, the sound of gunshots in a nursery offer more relief than the shameless monotony of Two Thousand. Cory Tallman

The Gersch
The Gersch
Tortuga Records
Street: 06.06
The Gersch = Black Sabbath + Kyuss + High on Fire
This self-titled record reflects both the history of Tortuga/Hydra Head Records as well as a defunct band and history of former member Clifford Meyer of Isis and Red Sparrows. The album is made up of Tortugas first release, the bands 7, as well as unreleased material. The label and its subsidiaries later went on to release milestones from Converge, Cave In, Drowning Man, Old Man Gloom, Scissorfight and shitloads more. Reflecting upon a movement of stoner/noise artists, The Gersch definitely played a part in the development of the genre. The fuzzed-out mayhem provided by a triple threat of guitarists not only envelops the senses to rock the fuck out, but to be overcome by a distorted and inherently evil-sounding atmosphere. You cant get any more raw than this without calling yourself Eyehategod, but that is another subject entirely. Relish in the history and mainly just fucking kick some ass. Any band that sings about Conan the Barbarian has got to be badass. Bryer Wharton

Glass Casket
A Desperate Mans Diaries
Abacus
Street: 06.13
Glass Casket = metalcore with a taste of death and black metal
There is something about the name Glass Casket that screams morbid: The imagery of a rotting body entombed in a glass case for only the worms to see. The music itself is much less morbid. The follow-up album to the bands debut We are Gathered Here Today is much more pounding and relentless than said record. Guttural vocals invade the metalcore harmony as well as blast beats popping in from time to time. The North Carolina band contains Between the Buried and Me members Dusty Waring and Blake Richards adding all that much more experience to the quintet. The album is diverse enough to keep things interesting. The sophomore slump has definitely been defeated for these guys. Bryer Wharton

Good Riddance
My Republic
Fat Wreck Chords
Street: 06.27
Good Riddance = melodic punk and hardcore
Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, Good Riddances new album My Republic is a quick listen. For a band whose releases and touring have slowed down over the last several years, youd think theyd have more time to pour into a studio album. Regardless, the album does what its meant to do. Vocalist Russ Rankin and the rest of the GR crew slap down their political insights and a few ballads through their brand of punk-laden hardcore. Musically, My Republic falls somewhere between other GR releases like Ballads from the Revolution and A Comprehensive Guide to Modern Rebellion. It also comes fully enhanced and ready to throw in the ole computer complete with three live songs from a recent show in Santa Cruz and a bloody and gruesome-at-times PETA video for animal lovers. The GR guys are getting older, but they still put out an ear-pleasing studio album. Jeremy C. Wilkins

Heideroosjes
Royal To The Bone
I Scream Records
Street: 06.06
Heideroosjes = Bad Religion + Pennywise + Millencollin
The road to success has not been easy for this Dutch punk band. They werent readily accepted or understood by people when they started playing together. Forming in 1989 as teenagers, they used a barn as their first practice area. Like I said, the road to success wasnt easy for Heideroosjes, but maybe it could be because their music is overwhelmingly terrible and hard to listen to. I could go on for hours about the thoughts, feelings and emotional, physical and metal pain I endured while I struggled to listen to this album all the way through. To put it in their own words from the track Rockstar Heaven, on Royal To The Bone, I wanted to blow myself away. Boring, obnoxious and poorly crafted music and lyrics encompass the whole of this album. Heideroosjes is near impossible to listen to and pronounce and its definitely painful to do either. Jeremy C. Wilkins

Hit The Switch
Domestic Tranquility & Social Justice
Nitro Records
Street: 07.18
Hit The Switch = The Lawrence Arms + The Explosion + NOFX
In these days of iPods, MP3 players and downloads, music piracy is pillaging the villages across the U.S. just as the pirates of the sea once pillaged for their booty. Hit The Switch and their label, Nitro Records, have come up with an answer to this injustice: just give the friggin music away legally. Starting July 18 the first six songs on their debut, Domestic Tranquility & Social Justice will be lawfully downloadable free of charge, with the second half following later. Vocalist Matthew Hawk says they dont need to depend on corporations to get their politically charged brand of melodic punk/hardcore to the masses. Hit The Switch show full confidence in their ability to raise awareness to their music and the state of this great nation and they have no reason not to be confident the music and message comes across like a swift kick in the crotch. Jeremy C. Wilkins

A Human & His STDS
Punk Rock Ballads For the Ugly and Unloved
Back Door Records
Street: 09.10
A Human & His STDS = Every shitty first punk band that any kid with a mohawk has been in.
Remember when you first got into punk-rock and your buddy invited you to come to his sweet punk show on Friday night in some shitty venue down a back alley? You spiked your hair up and threw on all your punk rock gear, even that stupid butt flap, and you were so fucking stoked to be going to a punk show. You got there and smoked cigarettes outside, hoping to look cool next to all the other kids at the show. Your buddys band set up and started to play and you were so excited and so punk rock and you felt so underground that you didnt even realized that they were a wretched band, fucking horrible. Even if you had noticed, it wouldnt have mattered to you, because you were at this sweet local show. You bought a patch after the show ended, their guitar player warned you never to wash it because they were DIY screen-printed and all the logo would wash off. You sewed it on your jacket and felt so cool and underground when people asked you about the band. A Human & His STDS are that band. Their song writing skills are non-existent and they follow the boring three-chord formula. They make for a great punk-rock training band, but just like the training wheels on a bicycle, they should be dropped to move on to bigger and better things. Jeanette Moses

The Husbands
Theres Nothing Id Like More Than to See You Dead
Swami Records
Street: 06.06
The Husbands = Mr. Airplane Man + Shangri-Las
As expounded upon previously, I have my reservations concerning modern-day garage-rock bands. I feel like the genre sounded most honest and real in its underground 1960s beginnings, and that many of the nu-garage bands (crap like Mooney Suzuki, if theyre still around) come across like a gaggle of faux-British losers trying way too hard to sound authentic and creating too many albums that are both up-tempo and completely boring. While the Husbands have a few songs that fit into this category, theyre definitely nowhere near as annoying as some garage outfits Ive encountered lately; they play with the moodiness of fellow all-girl band Mr. Airplane Man and the obvious influence of Phil Spectors girl-group sound. Im hard-pressed to recommend this to everyone, but if youre a fan of 60s-throwback tunes that stray nary a hair past the three-minute mark, the Husbands could be for you. Jamila Roehrig

The Hylozoists
La Fin Du Monde
Boompa Records
Street: 07.11
The Hylozoists = Air + Tortoise + Kammerflimmer Kollektief
Imagine my rampant excitement when I found an album with the same name as my favorite Unibroue beer. I was seriously and majorly stoked. But Ive said it before, and Ill say it again just because a beer and a band are both from Nova Scotia doesnt mean theyre identical. The beer is unassailable, but the band is assailed pretty quickly after a few listens. The atmospheric post-rock instrumental album sounds good during a first listen, with tunes reminiscent of spaghetti westerns and carnivals, but loses an edge after a few spins. The music is macabre and interesting as far as a soundtrack would go, but cant quite stand alone. This is not a bad album (except when they sing. I mean, Hearts and harps are always sadder when their strings are not plucked? Seriously? Thats what you went for?), but its ultimately pretty forgettable. Andrew Jepsen

Hymns
Brother/Sister
Blackland Records
Street: 07.11
Hymns = Flavorless gelatin + whiney emo kid vocals - the emo kid When it comes to singling yourself out as a great band, there are many roads you can go down. There is one, however, that should never be gone down, and that is forming an indie-folk group and naming yourselves after a collection of religious songs. Hymns, personify everything that both indie and folk music is not supposed to be. Generic, bland and completely without direction, Hymns debut album Brother/Sister invariably boils down to exactly what its trying to cover up: four boys desperately trying to be something that theyre not. Lead singer Brian Hardings vocals have a faint glimmer of David Bowie, sans the attitude and talent, but add an element of just wanting to grab the bluntest object you can and hurl it at the CD player. - Jonah Napoli

Illuminati
On Borrowed Time
Liquor & Poker
Street: 06.27
Illuminati = Danzig + ZZ Top + a 6 pack of Molson's
On hearing the words "Canadian power trio", most listeners think of Rush. Thankfully, Illuminati (even with their driving bass and penchant for drum solos--such as in "Sir Lord Brubeck") have avoided the pretentiousness trap in favor of releasing a CD that sounds like unreleased Black Oak Arkansas. While their lyrics supposedly reference conspiracy theories and isolated hippie-dippie phrase pop out (particularly in "Black Russian Blues"), you don't really have to listen to the words and can let the sounds just chug you along. Stand out tracks are "Goin' Down," "Lay Low" and "Message Home," though most of the CD just sort of blurs together in a haze of Misfits growling and four-bar blues. This is one of the best Southern rock records in recent years, even if it does spring from the Great White North. It's music that drives like a steamtrain, and while it's the sort of CD you don't think of except when it's actually in the disc-changer, it's great road music, getting you into that zone where the white line seems more challenging than hypnotic. Fans of Dixie Witch and Fu Manchu will love this. Marie Braden

Jerry Jihad & The Evildoers
Mine is Not a Holy War
Cordless Records
Street: 06.11
Jerry Jihad & The Evildoers = Devo + Captain Beefheart
By assuming a new persona, founding Devo member Gerald V. Casale is hoping to revitalize what few would argue is a dying band. Devo has arguably been terrible since the 80s, and Ill bet Casale knows this. Sure, they still have cult status, but no ones going to tell you E-Z Listening Disc is their favorite Devo album. So Casale bailed. He still employs the same satire mixed with what, goofiness? that was pretty much the whole Devo/Talking Heads/The Residents generation, and nearly all of Devos members are on this album. But Casale is smart enough to not make another Devo album (although he did help orchestrate the misconceived Devo 2.0. Whoops), so he used less electronic and more guitar, switching from new wave to rock. After all, it worked for Damon Albarn. Andrew Jepsen

Kalas
Kalas
Tee Pee Records
Street: 04.18
Kalas = a mellow version of High on Fire
There is a reason Kalas sounds a lot like High on Fire, mainly because the vocalist, Matt Pike, is from High on Fire. The band is also no stranger to members from other bands consisting of guitarist Andy Branton of Econchrist, Grimple, and Samiam and Paul Kott of Cruevo, High Tone Son of a Bitch and drummer Scott Plumb, also of Cruevo. The band is sure to not call itself a side-project. With beginnings in 2003 and a highly received demo, there is no doubt stoners will be lighting up to this friendly work of slow groove. Pike, also of Sleep, brings a level of experience and integrity to the work. Instead of his usual speedy bellowing scream there is more of a sustained cleaner tone to his vocals, thus setting the band further apart from the already acclaimed act. Larger than life guitars are key, but that doesnt get in the way of some truly moving melody and a tar-thick rhythm section. Go deaf in a smoke-filled room with murky guitars harrowing dreary imagery of despair. Kalas is not something to be passed by lightly. Bryer Wharton

Lacuna Coil
Karmacode
Century Media
Street: 04.04
Lacuna Coil = what Evanescence wishes they could be
For years now Italys Lacuna Coil have been honing and crafting their sound. With each release production value increases and so does the bands modern edge. The latest is a far cry from the bands debut self-titled EP. Lacuna Coil created a sound that no one had ever played before, melding male and female vocals with heavy guitars and a whole lot of melody. Karmakode sees an addition of Korn-style bass playing. While the sound detracts from the bands original sound, it fits well and makes things sound a lot heavier. The hooks and vocal lines are catchy enough to reel in any fair-weather fan. Currently sporting the main stage of Ozzfest Lacuna Coil have come a long way from the band I saw open for Opeth at Bricks. While not as enjoyable as the groups last effort Comalies, the new record is fun to listen to. Theyre sure not going to lose any fans or sleep over the slight change. The thing that remains constant is sultry female singer Christina Scabbias voice, making her a leader in the metal scene, period. Bryer Wharton

The Living End
State Of Emergency
Adeline Records
Street: 08.14
The Living End = Australian punk-rock + rock n roll + a pinch of rockabilly
With State Of Emergency ready to go platinum in The Living Ends homeland of Australia, we here in the U.S. are about to get our first dose of their fourth full-length along with a slew of live appearances with the Warped Tour in July and a headlining tour in August. Hell, we may as well declare a state of emergency here in the States with the way theyre going to be attacking us over the next few months. The upcoming attack should be very well accepted considering the quality of this album. The songs from the beginning of the first track until the CD player loops it around again are, in a word, fabulous. Sing-able and insightful lyrics plague the album. In a music world where bands blend together, The Living End have managed to stand apart from the rest and keep their distinctive sound while continuing to evolve. Jeremy C. Wilkins

Mecca Normal
The Observer
Kill Rock Stars
Street: 04.11
Mecca Normal = Shannon Wright anger + Mirah technique + feminist stereotypes
I am a big fan of the riot grrrl! movement of the 90s, but I am not a fan of incoherent ranting and cookie cutter music. Mecca Normal has 11 other albums under their belts and a long career of making music, but you wouldnt ever assume that kind of longevity from this record. This is a concept album about Jean Smith (Mecca Normals mastermind/vocalist/pianist) and her experiences with online dating. Seriously. Concept albums are only good when the concept and the music compliment each other, but the music is just random power chord strumming that never goes anywhere and racy lyrics about men putting on condoms and awkward fucking (which all equals out to be a look into a part of Smiths life that I couldnt care less about.) The album is intimate and up front but non-confrontational. Its raw and sad, but rather emotionless like the confession of someone who isnt happy or proud of their carnal actions, yet they continue to perform them. Maybe thats the beauty of this record, the desensitized journal readings of someone who expects fairy tales and ends up in a Bukowski slump of disappointment. - Chuck Berrett

Mike Andrews
Hand On String
Elgin Park Recordings
Street: 02.14
Mike Andrews = Andrew Birds Bowl Of Fire + melodic harmonies to put your mind at ease
When you hear that a composer whos done work on films like Donnie Darko and worked alongside musicians like Gary Jules and Metric is releasing an album all their own, theres no real way to anticipate what youre going to hear. Mike Andrews debut solo album, Hand On String is an indie ballad operetta in the purest sense. Vaguely reminiscent of Harry Nilssons 1971 soundtrack The Point!, Andrews has seemingly written a soundtrack of his own; the songs flow and sway like something youd hear as background music at a dinner party with friends you havent seen in years. Its a happy medium for practically anyone, the album you choose when you cant decide what else to listen to. Andrews has yet to make it into indie royalty, but his debut ought to at least turn a few heads to his average day sound thats well above average. -Jonah Napoli

Misery Index
Discordia
Relapse
Street: 05.16
Misery Index = Dying Fetus + Assuck + Bolt Thrower
Comprised mainly of ex-Dying Fetus members, Misery Index burst onto the grind-metal scene with their debut Overthrow and split CD with Commit Suicide. The band showed uncompromising promise and a brutality not yet known. Showing there was no bad blood between the two bands, the group headed out on a major U.S. tour alongside Dying Fetus, Skinless and Divine Empire. This led to the bands full-length debut for Nuclear Blast Records, Retaliate, which actually took a slight step backwards for the bands intensity. It was not a heaping piece of shit but it still wasnt as good as previous outings. Next was the independently released Dissent and another split, both better than Retaliate. Now Discordia is upon us, a true realization of what is Misery Index, their most polished and promising work to date. The intensity and technicality that amazed the grind audience has returned. Choke down the war and horror anthems that lie in wait and relish in the true form of Misery Index. Bryer Wharton (07.10, Boom Va)

The Modern Machines
Take It, Somebody
Dirtnap Records
Street: 05.30
The Modern Machines = Throw Rag + Husker Du + Salt City Bandits
The Modern Machines combine twangy guitars, dirty garage-rock style and vocals that sound like theyve been coated in cheap whiskey for six or seven nights in a row, complete with a quasi-sexy perma-hungover slur. Amongst all of the hillbilly punk bands, these guys can hold their own. The songs are humorous and catchy. Take It, Somebody has a great mix of both electric and acoustic songs. My favorite tracks were Get It Right where Nate Paisano sings I took it down but I got some dissension/now I dont believe it and I know we shouldve kissed/next time Jana I wont miss and Youre Getting Married, which at first sounds like Paisano is getting hitched, but as the song progresses the listener realizes it is about a mystery girl of someones dreams getting married to the wrong guy. Jeanette Moses

Near Miss
Testing The Ends Of What Theyll Put Up With
Takeover Records
Street: 05.16
Near Miss = Taking Back Sunday with more punk and less emo
Testing The Ends Of What Theyll Put Up With is, well, a near miss at something good and yes, pun fully intended. Near Miss Takeover Records debut and sophomore release starts off forcefully with powerful dueling vocals peppered with a few screams, fast guitars and head-thumping drumming. Serious Mess, Call For Help, and Now Rectify, are the first three tracks and compromise some of the best work on the album. As Testing The Ends of continues on, each track becomes more and more generic and forgettable. Feel When You Find, and the last track Youve Mistaken, try to bring things back to where the album started, but by then its too late. By the end of the album its hard to decide whether it was enjoyable or whether youve just been tested to see what you could put up with. Jeremy C.Wilkins

The Old Haunts
Fuel On Fire
Kill Rock Stars
Street:05.09
The Old Haunts = Richard Hell + Jack White + The Murder City Devils
Olympia, WA has brought the rock with this band. A hint of delta blues, some Hot Snakes chaos and over-all boogie brings The Old Haunts up to par with some of the best punk-grounded-blues rock bands out there. The vocals will bring to mind comparisons to Tom Verlaine of Television and the guitar work teeters between The Animals and Credence Clearwater Revival, resulting in a raucous and vicious approach to standard rhythm and blues. These guys could have come around in the 70s, early 80s or in the Sub Pop golden years of the early 90s. Without calling it timeless I think this band has cornered the very concept of rock n roll and given it justice. The only disappointments come from a lack of diversity between song and tempo. Although the contrast is weak, the album will hold up among or above all other throw-back retro bullshit out there. The Old Haunts are on their way to teaching old dogs new tricks. - Chuck Berrett

Our Brother The Native
Tooth and Claw
Fat Cat Records
Street: 07.25
Our Brother The Native = Animal Collective and Coco Rosies love child
Two conclusions were made on the first listen of Our Brother The Natives debut, Tooth and Claw. First, it had to be from Iceland or some other out of the way country and second, the musicians were seasoned veterans who are now relying on their abilities of deconstruction in order to make such spacious and odd music. Both assumptions were of course false; the three gentlemen who comprise OBTN were between the ages of 16 and 18 when they began recording this album at home in Michigan. They are a Myspace success story unlike any other; Fat Cat tracked them down and proposed a release on their label. Many of their songs sound almost like an experimental practice space with several different bands playing at the same time. A lot of random noises and voices throughout make the album almost elusive. These songs deserve a summer of listening. Andrew Glassett

Peeping Tom
Self-titled
Ipecac Recordings
Street: 05.30
Peeping Tom = Mike Patton + amazing pop production + the catchiest thing hes ever done
I know, its Mike Patton. How could it not be good? This is Pattons version of pop music and if you pretend to be so avant-garde that you dont like pop music, then you will intentionally not like it. Peeping Tom is much more in line with Handsome Boy Modeling School and Lovage than it is with Fantomas or Mr. Bungle. Collaborations with Odd Nosdam, Rahzel, Dan The Automater, Amon Tobin, Kool Keith, Jel, Massive Attack, Kid Koala, Dose One and Norah Jones make up the sexy electronic composition of this record to such a perfect balance of polished production, bizarre Patton quirks and complex song structure that it should frighten the airwaves. Granted, it is far too dense to be embraced by the masses, but that is not to say that this is too serious. This music is music to have fun with, music to get nasty to, and music to zone out and smoke weed to. Peeping Tom could only be appropriately described as Mike Patton music. It has his undeniable signature which touches the same way all 29,876,444 of his other music projects do, and it stands tall among all of his other releases. - Chuck Berrett

Quintron & Miss Pussycat
Swamp Tech / Electric Swamp
Tigerbeat6
Street: 06.01
Quintron = Nothing else
Holy shit! Somehow, Quintron and Miss Pussycat have risen from the ruins of New Orleans and surpassed even my expectations. The feel of swamp tech is definitely rock n roll, yet the noticeable absence of guitars, drums, and bass combined with organ riffs and drum buddy solos produces a completely original sound that is a better dance party than a million guitars and quadodeckabajillion DJs. The evolution from Chicago percussive noise to New Orleans organ dance party has been a long and treacherous path, and this album in particular is the apex of the latter style a perfect composition of organ and percussion, with enough sing-alongs to make you seizure in delight. - Ryan Powers

Perish
Our Sin
Anko Records
Street: 07.26
Perish = a heavier version of Atreyu
These Orange County fellows have the potential of getting big, but it all depends on their luck. The formula is tired, but there is some heart in the music. Fans of melodic metalcore that strive for something with a little more meat on its bones than Atreyu can look to Perish. There is an undeniable catchiness to the album with pleasant melodies, but one cant help and think how much of an audience there is for this sort of thing. Obviously there must be something because of all the bands popping up with the same sound. Unfortunately Perish cant lay claim to anything unique. Decent songwriting cant make up for a bland style. Dont be surprised if you see Perishs name in the not-so-distant future: they have all the potential for popularity, but since when is good music a popularity contest? Bryer Wharton

Rage
Speak of the Dead
Nuclear Blast
Street: 05.16
Rage = aged German cheese
Good lord, these fuckers have been putting out album after album since 1985. Speak of the Dead makes for the groups 21st release and only a couple of those are EPs. For us non-math types that makes for one release per year since their inception. Busy busy! The album consists of instrumental tracks heavy on the orchestral side as well as the standard progressive metal that the group has come to be known for. Like a lot of progressive metal, the vocals are on the high-pitched cheesy side and can either be annoying if you hate the style or great if you like it. The album falters extremely with the instrumental songs. Things are messy and the melodies dont flow; it comes off as very jumbled and unorganized. One would think a band with such experience could pull things off a bit better. The straightforward progressive cuts relieve the uneven tension from the other parts of the record, but one part cannot save another. Fans of the band will no doubt take this album with the rest of the catalogue and embrace it, but if youre not a fan of progressive music then there is pretty much no chance this will change your mind it will just reassure the stereotype. Bryer Wharton

Reducers SF
Raise Your Hackles
TKO Records
Street: 05.16
Reducers SF = Swingin Utters + Dropkick Murphys
Close your eyes. Picture yourself walking into the traditional, stereotypical pub. Now include all of the pub ingredients-the smell of liquor and smoke lingering in the air, the crack of the billiards tables and voices talking over each other, some loud, some soft, some screaming and some laughing. Now open your eyes and put the Reducers SFs new album in your CD player and you get the soundtrack to what you have just imagined. Raise Your Hackles thrives on the whole street punk/pub-punk vibe. The vocals are gravely and raspy and complement the pub-style hymns of bar fights and dirty streets. If you like the Swingin Utters and the Dropkick Murphys, Reducers SF and their new album are a shoo-in. Jeremy C. Wilkins

Regina Spektor
Begin To Hope
Big Hassle Media
Street: 06.13
Regina Spektor = The voice of an angel singing the songs that remind you of a time
When an album emerges that is so vastly diverse that it practically defies any known classification, thats when you know youve got something amazing. Regina Spektor has used her classical training while adding an eccentric flair to create an indie masterpiece. Her work speaks for itself, practically billowing out of your stereo and lingering in your mind like a cloud. Catchy lyrics such as This is how it works/Youre young until youre not/You love until you dont/You try until you cant are delicately intertwined with melodies that are both epic and peaceful, leaving the listener with a sense of awe and inspiration. And Spektors voice is just as heavenly, occasionally sounding like shes just letting loose and having fun. All the songs have such a unique flavor, you feel as though youve stepped into a veritable ice cream shop of indie heaven, and left with a CD full of delicious treats that are just as sweet. -Jonah Napoli

Reptet
Do This!
Monktail Records
Street: 06.16
Reptet = Thelonius Monk + Mingus Big Band
A six-member, Seattle based jazz band that draws from a conglomerate of influences from Gil Evans-era Miles Davis, salsa, reggae and rock n roll, Reptet uses the big band format by playing themes together while making room for solos, similar to SLAJO. All of the players have solid chops. They can give a nod to the masters while adding their own studious flourishes. Reptet combines tight compositions with in-your-face improvisations, like the final minutes of the title track. As well as the regular jazz instruments, they pull out everything from a juju seed rattle to wooden ratchets, a bull moose call, frogs and train whistles. The most prevalent influences are Monk and Charles Mingus. They use some of those loopy Monk melodies that are as wobbly as a spinning top, while Mingus soulful, slow ballads are invoked in H.R. If you listen to jazz at all, these guys are worth checking out. Spencer Jenkins

The Rogers Sisters
The Invisible Deck
Too Pure
Street: 03.17
The Rogers Sisters = The White Stripes (with one less Jack White and two additional Meg Whites instead) + Fugazi (if Fugazi had only one song)
Id like to quickly dispel a few rumors about this record before beginning a serious discussion of the music. Q: Does Mr. Rogers play on this record too? A: No. Q: Are The Rogers Sisters a political band? A: If writing lyrics about our thoughts on ballerinas, sugar, dreams of having big hair and the dangers of flying off the face of the planet makes us political, then were a political band, says bassist/vocalist Miyuki my name is not Rogers Furtado. So at least theyre focusing on whats important. Q: Is this record more experimental than past records by The Rogers Sisters? A: For the new album we experimented by writing music with a more classic song structure answers Furtado; translated to traditional layman-speak, this means, We tried to get all crazy by not getting all that crazy, you know, by not really getting crazy at all. The Invisible Decks 10 tracks range from Hey, thats kind of catchy, to Oh, is this still that band? Id tuned it out. They do, however, have a uniquely thin sound resulting from their minimalist deployment of guitars and drums and shouty vocal delivery. Lets not forget that they are very pretty, and currently they live in Brooklyn, because these are the things that really matter. Tyler Ford

Say Hi to Your Mom
Impeccable Blahs
Euphobia
Street: 07.25
Say Hi to Your Mom = Worst Band Name of All Time
What can you really expect from a band that chose to name themselves Say Hi to Your Mom? I can assure you that youll be expectedly dissatisfied. Building from the sound of any anonymous local record store dollar bin and a vocal softness that could make the Charmin Bear slap his own forehead SHTYMs Impeccable Blahs takes monotony to a whole new level. Its hard to find the significance, if any, of this album. Maybe you could take it to your psych class on Tuesday so when the girl who stinks like a dumpster behind a Cinnabon invites you to her dorm you can pop it in, stand between her posters of Ben Harper and Che Gueverra, and begin telling her that this album makes you listen to music a whole new way. Shell stand up, hold you by your Postal Service shirt, and say, I didnt know you had so many feelings. - Michael Steffen

Shadows Fall
Fallout From the War
Century Media
Street: 06.13
Shadows Fall = leaders of the Wave of New American Metal
It doesnt seem like long ago that Shadows Fall was a small band releasing what would be their breakthrough album Of One Blood. In fact it has been quite a while, and at the time the bands style was pretty much unheard of: A healthy mix of old and new with influences drawing from classic thrash artists such as Metallica, Slayer and Exodus. Now three albums later the band is a powerhouse in the metal scene. Fallout From the War contains six tracks written during the time that the bands last album War Within was written, as well as a couple re-recorded cuts of rare or unreleased material. Ultimately the thrash influence bears heavier upon the newer tracks than the more melodic pieces that were contained on War Within. Screaming solos and building leveling riffs should appease any fan of the band. Also on the album are three cover tracks that do well to introduce a weary young heavy music crowd to some classic bands, such as the bands version of Only Living Witnesss December, and Leeways Mark of the Squealer, capping it off with Dangerous Toys Teasin, Pleasin, complete with the original bands vocalist joining in on the fun. In the end this is a record loads more pleasing than the groups last two efforts, hopefully a sign that the thrash influence that makes the group so strong will remain a huge force in the bands existence. Bryer Wharton (07.20, Avalon)

Sinking Ships
Disconnecting
Revelation Records
Street: 07.18
Sinking Ships= In My Eyes + Melodic Lines + old school pace
Its nice to hear a good hardcore record every once in a while. Pretense is becoming the norm for hardcore releases, at least the fancy ones found on record store shelves. If I see one more APs 100 bands to watch or for fans of stickers on a CD Im going to solely start listening to world music. How many cutting edge bands can there really be? How many bands can really sound like Underoath or Hatebreed? Whats wrong with making a solid record - especially one that shirks current metal trends, and finds its home amongst the more melodic old school sounding acts? Sinking Ships argues nothing. Although not ultimately unique in its style or execution, Disconnecting is one part desolation, one part melodic lines and all heart. The vocals are yelled; the songs are fast, and the music, with all of its melody, is more Silent Majority than Madball. Its hardcore for those who want more than a tough guy stance. Though the lyrics about desolation, regret and shattered dreams are good, a little more substance lyrically would be nice. Ultimately, Disconnecting is a fine release. - Peter Fryer

Snow Patrol
Eyes Open
A&M
Street: 05.09
Snow Patrol = Eerily transcendent melodies that haunt you for days
When a band first makes it into the mainstream, they can generally sit pretty comfortably for quite a while. That is until the day when they have to release something new to keep their place. Snow Patrols Final Straw (2004) brought them into the mainstream, and Eyes Open (2006) will undoubtedly keep them there. Lead singer Gary Lightbody has an ability that doesnt come around a lot; youre able to listen to Snow Patrol without so much as batting an eye at the songs, but you feel more and more compelled to listen to them again. This album is full of gripping songs, including the poetically intimate Chasing Cars, and chalk full of emotional double-takes such as All that I am/All that I ever was/Is here in your perfect eyes/Theyre all I can see. They even manage to borrow the bewitching vocals of Martha Wainwright on one of their songs. There is no doubt that Snow Patrol have secured their seat in the mainstream for quite a while, while continuing to not become mainstream themselves. -Jonah Napoli

Sonic Youth
Rather Ripped
Geffen Records
Street: 06.13
Sonic Youth = Youth Sonic
More than the earnest harbinger of avant-garde rock n roll (spanning more than 25 years of destruction), Sonic Youth come back with a warm sunny-sided album (sort of). While Rather Ripped still retains Sonic Youths signature avant-edge, ultra hip lyrics and vocals, overhead swirls a lighter, calamitous pop song desiring to come out. Songs such as Reena and Do You Believe in Rapture? underscore the pop-motion gathering steadily like lesbians at a K.D. Lang concert. Equal mixtures of Branca-inspired guitar jumps, grungey surges and melodic/harmonic structures, this album is sure to please fans of a more refined and steadied Sonic Youth. It reminds one of long vacations to some unknown beach where you would spend time dolefully playing and peeing in the ocean. Long time listeners and first time callers will find much to enjoy from this summery-sun-sun of a Sonic Youth album. Erik Lopez

Speed Kill Hate
Acts of Insanity
Escapi Music
Street: 06.06
Speed Kill Hate = Overkill + Pantera + Pissing Razors + Pro-Pain
There is no hiding the Overkill influence in Speed Kill Hate because it contains Overkill guitarist David Linsk, drummer Tim Mallare and bassist Derek Tailer. But thirsting to play something of a different nature and wanting to put their own songwriting input into something they naturally came up