Label: Magnetic Air Released: January 20, 2009 I didn’t pay close attention to Exciter back in the 80s, but looking back, I’ve wondered why they weren’t considered at least in that second tier of speedmetal bands with the likes of Overkill, Testament, etc. They were early adopters of that happy marriage between speed and heaviness…and yet they’re so often forgotten…. Read more »
Label: Mute Released: April 15, 2008 Saturdays = Youth is promising when it opens with “You, Appearing.” The piano is as warm and embracing as a fireplace on a cold winter day, and it seems to be laying the groundwork for an incredibly rich album. When the vocals finally kick in, they’re slightly urgent and desperate but pleasant and intriguing;… Read more »
Label: Astralwerks Released: February 4, 2008 Chuck and I tried this once before with Out_Circuit’s Pierce the Empire with a Sound. It went well enough that we decided to take another shot at it with Hot Chip’s latest, Made in the Dark. Things definitely had a better flow this time and I was surprised at how well we fed off… Read more »
Label: self-released CD Baby Released: March 4, 2008 Okay, I’ll admit White Zombie was kinda fun…for about ten minutes. I don’t know that I could ever take them in album-length doses. When the first track of A Single Drop of Red was nothing short of an homage to White Zombie, it was already off on the wrong foot. Unfortunately, it… Read more »
Label: Big Rack Records Released: July 24, 2007 Recording a whole album of Dylan covers is about as bad an idea as getting Ozzy to be a guest vocalist on your album. Leslie West makes both mistakes on Mountain’s latest album, Masters of War. The problem with this album is that West’s arrangements are dull, with little hint of Dylan… Read more »
Label: American Recordings Released: October 16, 2007 If you enjoyed Dan Wilson’s band, Semisonic, than you’ll enjoy his solo work as well. You’ll also have to explain to all your friends why you like music that sucks, but that’s beside the point. If you had the good sense to hate Semisonic than you’ll likely hate this also…mostly. Dan Wilson takes… Read more »
Label: PRC/Universal Released: August 21, 2007 In 1999, A New Found Glory released Nothing Gold Can Stay, a sappy pop punk album that made me feel the pain of being 17 again. Sure, some of the lyrics were over-dramatic and the vocals were whiny, but the album connected with me even though it was written for kids ten or so… Read more »
Label: self-released (available at CD Baby Released: 2006 Defying the Stereotype is a bit of a misnomer for this album. Perhaps Confused About the Stereotype or Lost in the Stereotype would be more appropriate. It’s certainly not “stereotype” that I object to, but “defying,” because this record defies nothing. From the opening track, Landonband spends their time genre-hopping. True, there… Read more »