Label: Smithsonian Folkways Released: October 9, 2007 I recently read something that said the greatest threat to Christianity isn’t secularization or moral relativism, but lackluster sermons. People want to be moved. They want a conversion experience. Yet, so often ministers fail to deliver that. Gospel music is in a similar boat. So many gospel recordings sound more like R&B for… Read more »
Label: MVD Visual Released: September 1, 2007 In the days where a huge corporate rock band like Rage Against the Machine reunites to enrich themselves under the guise of protest music, seeing a band who lived their message as DOA did is engaging and inspiring. When DOA was tearing up stages in protest to all they saw wrong with the… Read more »
Label: Retard Disco Released: June 26, 2007 If precision, refinement and crisp production are part of your idea of a great album, Killed ‘Em Deader ‘n a Six Card Poker Hand is probably not for you. However, if you like raw rock n roll energy, you’ve come to the right place. Epsilons aren’t just superficial garage rockers trying to stake… Read more »
Label: The End Records Released: September 4, 2007 For anyone truly familiar with Kosmos’ drummer Michel “Away” Langevin’s longer term project, Voivod, this album should come as no real surprise. For those who think of Voivod as merely a metal band, Kosmos will be a shock though. The self-titled debut is an organ-heavy tribute to 70s prog rock dipping heavily… Read more »
Label: Dim Mak Records Released: August 21, 2007 A lot of bands these days have been rehashing the 80s, but very few of them bring anything particularly new to the table. For me, it’s really dull to have your own teenage years spit back to you as if it’s new, so it’s refreshing to hear a band do something interesting… Read more »
Label: Barracuda Sound Released: August 11, 2007 It seems odd that a band would mix something as generic as hard rock with something as unconventional as post-hardcore. Still, that’s just what Towers of Hanoi do on their latest release, Paranoia for the New Year. While most bands that dabble in the avant-garde seem embarrassed by any association to the formulas… Read more »
Label: WolfGang Records Released: September 3, 2007 There really are far too many bands still lingering around from the hair band heyday of the late 80s. It seems like every time I turn around, there’s another one releasing an album that tries to recapture the days when they were more popular than they ever deserved to be or touring to… Read more »
Label: Birdnote Records (distributed by Morphius Records (US) / Cargo Records (Europe) Released: March 13, 2007 Thrushes claim to venerate Phil Spector and to some extent that’s clear, but their wall of sound is quite a bit different than his. While Spector focused on straightforward pop perfection, Thrushes takes an alternate route to the same destination. From the opening track… Read more »
Label: Jump Start Records Released: June 19, 2007 My first reaction to Giving Chase’s A Cheap Print of a Masterpiece was that it was appropriately named. A cursory listen to the first few tracks seemed like just another band traveling down that worn and rutted road of screamo. Certainly they have all the elements, but a better listen also showed… Read more »
Label: Storm Tower Records Released: September 5, 2006 Awhile back, I wrote a review of Overlord’s music from their MySpace page. Recently, I was contacted by George Pasles, who it seems pretty much is Overlord, who asked me to check out the CD since the tracks on MySpace were demos that he posts periodically to keep the page fresh. Knowing… Read more »