| Artist |
Title |
Label |
Received
Date |
I-pod Download/
listened to |
Reviewed
|
Comments
|
Rating
|
| Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins |
Rabbit Fur Coat |
Team Love |
12/28/05 |
12/28/05 |
see Jenny
Vs. Chan |
Recorded with The Watson Twins,
this is easily the best thing Lewis has produced since The
Execution of All Things back in '02. The focus has been
on the CD's more-rural tracks, like the twangy "The Big
Guns" and the intro "Run Devil Run" that seem
to channel June Carter Cash. Fact is, once you get past those
two tracks, the CD turns into an Azure Ray-style indie outing
with plenty of uptempo numbers and the distinctive Mogis touch
(on the numbers he helped produce). (1/24/06) |
Yes
|
| The Meadows |
self titled |
Single |
12/28/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Simon Joyner |
Beautiful Losers |
Jagjaguwar |
12/28/05 |
12/28/05 |
April
6, 2006 column |
This B-sides and singles collection is an excellent introduction
to Joyner's early work (though nothing beats his masterpiece,
The Cowardly Traveler Pays His Toll, which remains out of
print). |
Yes
|
| Whitestarr |
4-song demo |
Contango |
12/28/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Shirock |
Sputnik Singles |
self release |
12/28/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Cowboy Mouth |
Voodoo Shoppe |
Eleven Thirty |
12/28/05 |
1/06/06 |
|
|
No
|
| Cindy Woolf |
Simple and Few |
May Apple |
12/28/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mark Bilyeu |
First One Free |
May Apple |
12/28/05 |
|
|
|
|
| various |
It's All About Dancing DVD |
Penalty |
12/9/05 |
|
|
|
|
| X Ray OK |
Like Life |
self release |
12/9/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Green Carnation |
Acoustic Verses |
The End |
12/9/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Pistol for a Paycheck |
Cult Culture |
self release |
12/9/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Stephen Yerkey |
metaneo
natureboy |
Echo |
12/3/05 |
1/26/06 |
|
|
|
| The Pomes |
At the Adelphi |
self release |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Always the Runner |
An August Golf |
Velora |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Hotspur |
EP |
Earcandy |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Urban Sun |
Guilty of Dreaming |
self release |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Miss Autopsy |
Sweet Killers |
Comatose |
12/3/05 |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
| Rande Vyn |
Soltrain |
Solville |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Rain Design |
Massacre in an Affluent Suburb |
Dolichocephalic |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Vincent Black Shadow |
demo |
self release |
12/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Great Big Dreams |
Tap Solo Just Kidding |
self release |
11/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Big Star |
In Space |
Ryko |
11/23/05 |
11/23/05 |
|
|
|
| Ladytron |
Witching Hour |
Ryko |
11/23/05 |
12/9/05 |
|
|
Yes
|
| Electrocute |
Troublesome Bubblegum |
Ryko |
11/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| various artists |
Music from Weeds |
Ryko |
11/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Keith Pyle |
Peace and Quiet |
self release |
11/22/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Head of Femur |
Hysterical Stars |
SpinART |
11/22/05 |
11/22/05 |
|
More of the same from these proggy
Chicagoans. This seems a bit more mainstream to me. Are they
becoming hippies? |
Yes
|
| Liz Phair |
Somebody's Miracle |
Capitol |
11/21/05 |
11/24/05 |
|
See Dec. 9 Live
Review. |
No
|
| The Motion Sick |
Her Brilliant Fifteen |
Digital Bear |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Wheatus |
Too Soon Monsoon |
Montauk Mantis |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| JJ Appleton |
Uphill to Purgatory |
self release |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Lying in States |
Wildfire on the Lake |
Flameshovel |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Pulse |
Come Party with the Pulse |
DMR |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mercury Radio Theater |
The Blue Eyed Model |
Friction |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Hanson |
The Best of... Live and Electric |
3CG |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Divorcee |
Music for Cleanup Men, Breakdown
and Inbetweeners |
Princess |
11/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Vaz |
The Lie that Matches the Furniture |
Narnack |
11/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Guitar Wolf |
Golden Black |
Narnack |
11/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Pintetop Seven |
The Night's Bloom |
Barbary Coast |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
| The Rachel's |
Systems/Layers |
Southern |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
|
No
|
| Tristeza |
Bromas |
Better Looking |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
Your ship has left the shore...
about 6 years ago. |
No
|
| The Standard |
Albatross |
Yep Rock |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
See Oct. 29 Live
Review. |
Yes
|
| Broken MC |
Spillin' My Guts |
self release |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Early Man |
Closing In |
Matador |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
10/26/05 |
I profess to rarely listening
to metal of any stripe these days. Sure, I dug Queensryche
and Iron Maiden as much as the next guy, but that was back
in my younger, stupider days (he said with a sniff). Then
along comes Early Man, and suddenly I feel like a 17-year-old
again, riding around in my brother's El Camino cruising for
chicks and booze. Fist shaking. Bloody nose. Angry for no
reason. Angry because it rocks! Sure, it sounds like the riffs
were lifted directly from 1) Black Sabbath, 2) Judas Priest,
and 3) Metallica (not necessarily in that order), but there's
no denying the pure head-bangin' extravagance of rippers like
"Death Is the Answer," complete with Bobby Beers
a.k.a. Steel Dragon falsetto intro. Could they single-handedly
bring metal back from the dead? If it all sounds like this,
I sure hope so. (10/26/05) |
Yes
|
| Dead Influence |
4-song demo |
self release |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Orphan Project |
self titled |
self release |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Covington |
Devised without a Plan |
Tiberius |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Deadly Snakes |
Porcella |
In the Red |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Michael Joy |
River of Days |
self release |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dios Malos |
Dios (Malos) |
Star Time International |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
See Oct.
23 Live Review |
Yes
|
| Various Artists |
20 Nights of Wine and Song |
Greyday |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Trembling |
Art for the Masses |
Boy Arm |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Alwaystherunner / Snowbeast |
Framed |
Status Quo |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Sam Champion |
Slow Rewind |
Razor & Tie |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
Starts off as country by way of
Johnny Cash (without the ornaments) and shifts into grind
rockers with the snarly Cash drawl. Meanwhile, track 3, is
a stone-cold Pavement rip. So yeah, I guess you could say
they're all over the place. In the end, the Wowee Zowee-era
Pavement wins out -- which is an easy way of saying this is
slacker indie rock. It's not bad, but it's been done before,
and better. (10/29/05) |
No
|
| Billy Brush |
Lair |
self release |
10/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Ex Models |
Chrome Panthers |
Troubleman Unlimited |
10/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
See 10/26/05
Feature/profile |
No
|
| Robyn G. Shiels |
A Lifetime of Midnight |
No Dancing |
10/8/05 |
12/9/05 |
|
|
|
| Kidd Dynamo |
I Am a Landslide 7-inch |
No Dancing |
10/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Guided* |
Pistols Drawn for Heartbreak at
Dawn 7-inch |
No Dancing |
10/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Kidd Dynamo |
New Space b/w What's Yours is
Never Mine 7-inch |
No Dancing |
10/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Robyn G. Shiels / Desert Hearts |
split 7-inch |
No Dancing |
10/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Corrigan |
Can Out Front b/w Medicine Stick
7-inch |
No Dancing |
10/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Lethal Lipgloss |
Mississippi Hott Dog 7-inch |
No Dancing |
10/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Joggers |
With a Cape and a Cane |
Startime International |
10/8/05 |
11/9/05 |
|
|
No
|
| The Westpoint Sunrise Sessions |
self-titled |
Diablo Dulce |
10/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Harris |
The Light Seeping Through the
Cracks |
self-release |
10/3/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Will Crum |
Workhorse |
self-release |
10/3/05 |
10/30/05 |
|
|
No
|
| Kiss Kiss |
self-titled |
Eyeball |
10/2/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Eagle*Seagull |
self-titled |
Paper Garden |
10/2/05 |
10/2/05 |
10/26/05
See 11/16/05 Feature/profile
|
I've already proclaimed that these
swinging Lincolnites as being Nebraska's version of red-hot
Canadian "It" band The Arcade Fire. Why? Could be
because Eli Mardock's breathy moan resembles AF's Win Butler's,
or that both bands have a penchant for jaunty non-traditional
arrangements on a grand scale ("Your Beauty is a Knife
I Turn on My Throat" sounds like it came straight off
Funeral). Still, the comparison ain't fair. Too often E*S's
debut veers headily away from AF's Bowie worship, especially
on tracks like the momentous "Lock and Key," with
its late-song waltz that creates a majesty uniquely its own.
Ambitious, and good too. (10/26/05) |
Yes
|
| The Heavenly States |
Black Comet |
Baria |
10/2/05 |
10/2/05 |
|
|
Yes
|
| The Cops |
Get Good or Stay Bad |
Mt. Fuji |
9/29/05 |
10/2/05 |
April
6, 2006 column
also
Mt.
Fuji interview (3/30/06)
|
Mike
Jaworski's bands have always been derivative, but they've
never been this good. This time he combines The Clash, Rocket
from the Crypt and a black-leather New York garage punk band.
Heartfelt. (4/6/06) |
Yes
|
| David Gray |
Life in Slow Motion |
RCA |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Okkervil River |
Black Sheep Boy Appendix |
Jagjaguwar |
9/29/05 |
10/25/05 |
|
I assume these
are the tracks that didn't make it onto their amazing full
length. Three of the seven tracks are keepers, though, the
rest are dour or found-sound collages, but those three (titled
"No Key, No Plan," "Another Radio Song"
and "Last Love Song for Now" are as good as anything
they've done before. (11/3/05) |
Yes
|
| SOS |
A Guide to Better Livign |
self release |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Bouncing Souls |
Live |
Chunksaah |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Burning Star Core |
The Very Heart of the World |
Thin Wrist |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Flying |
demo |
self release |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mark Mallman |
Seven Years |
self-release |
9/29/05 |
10/3/05 |
|
See live
review for more comments. This is, essentially, a compilation
CD developed by Mallman to distribute on tour. It's an enticing
combination of Ben Folds, ELO and T. Rex sung in Mallman's
Midwest-via-Minneapolis nasal voice. His sound is relentlessly
throwback, sort of a tribute to '70s glam and so absolutely
embraceable that I'm shocked he hasn't broken through the
real-but-invisible radio barriers that keep indie down. (10/7/05) |
Yes
|
| William Elliott Whitmore |
Ashes to Dust |
Southern |
9/29/05 |
10/6/05 |
|
|
|
| Justin Beckler |
Wake Up Process |
self release |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Swords |
Metropolis |
Arena Rock |
9/29/05 |
10/2/05 |
|
See Oct.
23 Live Review |
No
|
| Invisible |
self titled |
self release |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Rahbras |
Whohm |
Lovitt |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Josh Funk |
A Jukebox Envy |
self release |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Brimstone Butterfly |
Nomality Killed the Cat |
self release |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Metric |
Live It Out |
Last Gang |
9/29/05 |
9/29/05 |
|
See 10/26/05
Feature/profile.
See Oct.
22 Live Review. |
Yes
|
| Stellastarr |
Harmonies for the Haunted |
RCA |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Viva K |
self titled |
Stinky |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dungen |
ta det lugnt |
Kemado |
9/29/05 |
10/29/05 |
|
Psychedelic sung in a language
completely alien to me. I think it's Swedish. Look, I've been
to enough rock shows to be of the opinion that it rarely matters
what language the band is singing in cuz you can't understand
a word they're singing anyway. That said, this is trippy rock
stuff that'll turn on anyone into Brian Jonestown or The Warlocks.
Shimmering guitars, chiming keys, the usual stuff, all brought
together by an exuberant rhythm section and recorded old style.
I'd love to tell you what they're singing, but I'm just another
dumb American too lazy to learn another language. Let's hope
it's something nice. (10/29/05) |
Yes
|
| Oranger |
New Comes and Goes |
Eenie Meenie |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Black Rebel Motorcycle Club |
Howl |
RCA |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Bellakun |
Bendicion Maldita |
Has Anyone Ever Told You |
9/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Nada Surf |
The Weight is a Gift |
Barsuk |
9/29/05 |
10/3/05 |
|
See Feb.
22 profile/interview. |
Yes
|
| Sufjan Stevens |
Come On Feel the Illinoise |
Asthmatic Kitty |
9/21/05 |
|
10/26/05 |
Like listening to a choir of indie
slackers led by a Little Prince in a Cubs hat whose voice
is a morph of Art Garfunkel and Ben Gibbard singing lullabies
to Jacksonville, Decatur and Chicago. Fans of Greetings
from Michigan will find it all too familiar (In fact,
if you weren't paying attention, you'd be hard-pressed to
differentiate between the two). Can there be too much of a
good thing? I don't think so. On the other hand, it could
get pretty tired if he repeats it over the next 48 states.
Also, see Sept. 21
Live Review. |
Yes
|
| Double |
Loose in the Air |
Matador |
9/10/05 |
9/10/05 |
|
See Oct. 7 Live
Review. |
No
|
| Craig Wedren |
Lapland |
Team Love |
9/10/05 |
10/2/05 |
|
|
|
| Bound Stems |
The Logic of Building the Body
Plan |
Flameshovel |
9/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mad Happy |
Renegade Geeks |
Mutiny Zoo |
9/10/05 |
12/9/05 |
|
Mike iLL and Rivka are the Pat
and Barbara K. McDonald of hip-hop, at least they are to me.
They have the same subversive vibe as Timbuk 3, a couple that
I could always imagine standing side-by-side at home making
peanut butter sandwiches together. Mad Happy sports the T3
bounce (even if T3 rarely rapped), though their music is more
electronic than organic, and slightly more in your face (but
only slightly). Hot properties include the acerbic "Loaded
Up," "Paint it Pink" and the title track, a
pseudo anthem to underground life bearing a sneer that resembles
punk (if it only didn't sound so much like Fresh Prince-era
Will Smith). Includes six instrumental versions of included
songs so you can make your own raps if you wanna. (1/21/06) |
Yes
|
| Dave Dondero |
South of the South |
Team Love |
9/10/05 |
9/10/05 |
April
6, 2006 column |
Hear once and for all where Conor Oberst got his bray. Smart
songwriting.(4/6/06) |
Yes
|
| The Most Serene Republic |
Underwater Cinematographer |
Sunday League |
9/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dear and the Headlights |
demo |
self release |
9/10/05 |
10/30/05 |
|
Because of their unfortunate name,
I expected nothing but cheese and was pleasantly surprised
by a band influenced by jangular acts like Cursive, at least
on the opening track, "Sweet Talk," which is not
only the best song, but the shortest of the three. Unfortunately,
they swing dangerously close to cloying radio-friendly emo
on "Daysleeper" and "Run in the Front,"
the first of which gets pretty bogged down by the time it
closes in on the six-minute mark. The last one sounds a lot
like a Dashboard retread, with lines like "I'll be
missing you / I'm missing you/ I don't want to."
I'll take short and sweet over big drama every time. (10/30/05) |
No
|
| A Day in Black and White |
Notes |
Level-Plane |
9/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Unknown |
Volume II |
Double Blind |
9/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Stellastarr |
Harmonies for the Haunted |
RCA |
9/10/05 |
10/2/05 |
|
|
|
| Shyko |
self-titled |
Grand Master |
9/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Frustrations |
Nerves Are Fried 7-inch |
X! |
9/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| J.Mann |
Too Much Theater |
Middle of the Road |
8/27/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
|
| The Kingsbury Manx |
The Fast Rise and Fall of the
South |
Yep Roc |
8/27/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
Yes
|
| Liz Durrett |
Husk |
Warm |
8/27/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
|
| Kite Pilot |
Mercy Will Close Its Doors |
|
8/27/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
Not as poppy as their EP debut,
and as a result, more heady and grown-up and maybe a bit too
serious. I'll never get used to Austin Britton's screaming,
but I'm probably not supposed to. One of the most ambitious
bands from Omaha's ambitious music scene. (4/7/06) |
Yes
|
| Poop Yer Pants |
self titled |
Weasel Land |
8/27/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Anonymous American/Matt Whipkey |
Lonely Town |
self release |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
9/7/2005 |
See Sept.
7 interview/feature. |
Yes
|
| Thao Nguyen |
Like the Linen |
Trust Me |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Teenage Fanclub |
Man-Made |
Merge |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
|
Ended up being one of my favorites
from '05. It made
the comp cut. |
Yes
|
| Fromanhole |
Untitled |
self release |
8/23/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
|
| Frantic Mantis |
Data Is Not Information |
Lujo |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| For Against |
December |
Words on Music |
8/23/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
|
| The Black Halos |
Alive Without Control |
Liquor and Poker |
8/23/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
|
| The Very Foundation |
Small Reserves |
Velvatonic |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Surreal |
Surreal the MC EP |
Lunch Break |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Pong |
Bubble City |
Realistic |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Eux Autres |
Hell is Eux Autres |
Bons Mots |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
8/31/05 |
See Aug.
31 interview/feature. See also Sept. 2 Live
Review. |
Yes
|
| Rosie Thomas |
If Songs Could be Held |
Sub Pop |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
| Fizzle Like a Flood |
The Love LP |
demo |
8/23/05 |
9/30/05 |
|
|
|
| Cerulean |
No Sense in Waiting |
Spinwheel |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Ester Drang |
Rocinate |
Jade Tree |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
10/26/05 |
Think Avalon-era Roxy Music
with a touch of The Sea and Cake and Flaming Lips and you're
halfway to this Oklahoma band's summer-breeze vibe. Tracks
like "Hooker with a Heart of Gold" and "Great
Expectations" sport a cushion of lush strings, brass
and piano that would make Burt Bacharach blush with admiration.
Jazzy and carefree, it's hard to believe this was released
on post-punk label Jade Tree, home to such angst brutes as
Girls Against Boys and Onelinedrawing, and Omaha's own Statistics.
(10/26/05) |
Yes
|
| The Fall |
Hex Enduction Hour |
Castle Music |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
April
6, 2006 column |
Indie's last wave was all about rediscovering the desolate
funk of Gang of Four; the next will be about rediscovering
the arrogance of The Fall. (4/6/06) |
Yes
|
| She Wants Revenge |
self-titled |
Perfect Kiss |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Inquisition |
Revolution |
A-F |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Jeff Miller |
Trying to be Cool |
Someone Else's Records |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| American Princes |
Little Spaces |
Yep Roc |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Sinead O'Connor |
Throw Down Your Arms |
|
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
| My Morning Jacket |
Z |
ATO/RCA |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
10/26/05 |
Am I the only one who thinks that
the CD's first single, "Off the Record," with its
Hawaii Five-O guitar riff and trippy reggae beat, sounds like
a laid-back Who track circa Who's Next? Maybe it's
because of how they've made Jim James sound like Robert Daltrey
or the fact that there's so much reverb throughout the album
that it feels like it was recorded from the bowels of whale...
or the back of a smoky arena circa 1972 haunted by the memories
of Neil Young, Alex Chilton and Joe Walsh. (10/25/05) |
Yes
|
| Chad Vangaalen |
Infiniheart |
Sub Pop |
8/23/05 |
8/23/05 |
April
6, 2006 column |
Simple
one-man band production is dark, haunting, cool shit. A singer-songwriter
creep show. (4/6/06) |
Yes
|
| Imogene |
self titled |
Intrepid Sound |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Fizzle Like a Flood |
Golden Sand and the Grandstand |
Earnest Jenning |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| 3 Pill Morning |
Clarity |
self release |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| David Mead |
Wherever You Are |
Eleven Thirty |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Great Lake Swimmers |
Bodies and Minds |
Misra |
8/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Cursive |
The Difference Between Houses
and Homes |
Saddle Creek |
7/28/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
|
| Mohave |
Clear Blue Trickling |
self release |
7/28/05 |
|
|
|
|
| John Ludi |
Rise Above or Fall Below |
self release |
7/28/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Jim Jacobi |
Solo You Can't Hear It |
self-release |
7/27/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Pope |
Jazzman Cometh |
Wantage USA |
7/23/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Syd Matters |
Someday We Will Foresee Obstacles |
V2 |
7/22/05 |
|
|
Acoustic multi-track ballads with
rich, deep arrangements sung by a guy whose slightly grainy
voice is only complimented by the strings and bells and the
whatever's lying around. Once you get past the noise pastiche
that makes up the first half of "Passe Muraille"
you're rewarded with a lush layered waltz that borders on
psychedelic except for that moaning violin. Meanwhile, few
songs I've heard this year are as beautiful as "Lost
Bird," with the line "I'm a lost bird in a clear
sky." Sure, the cynics can say 'Nick Drake did this all
before' but they'd be missing the point. Syd's doing it now.
(12/3/05) |
Yes
|
| Syd Matters |
A Whisper and a Sigh |
V2 |
7/22/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Madness |
The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 |
V2 |
7/22/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Baumer |
Come On, Feel It |
Astro Magnetics |
7/21/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Channing Cope |
Sugar in Our Blood |
54 40 or Fight |
7/21/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Salt for Amy |
No Niche |
self release |
7/20/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Animal Parade |
self titled |
Montreal Recording Co. |
7/18/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Acid House Kings |
Sing Along with... |
Twentyseven |
7/18/05 |
8/29/05 |
10/26/05 |
Like the last Kings of Convenience
album, Sing Along... sports a falling leaves / Simon
and Garfunkel texture thanks to its gliding strings, chiming
acoustic guitars and twee vocals. Add more reverb to the guitars,
hand claps and some sweet West Coast harmonies and you've
got a modern-day version of The Association. Elevator music
for a new generation. (10/26/05) |
Yes
|
| The Payola Reserve |
Lay in Wait |
self release |
7/18/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Pio Mazzotti |
Teenie Fantastic |
self release |
7/18/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Cordova |
Lie Until It Becomes the Truth |
Limekiln |
7/18/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Gabriel James |
In the Hands of Fools |
Grass Roots |
7/18/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Ebb and Flow |
Time to Echolocate |
Three Ring |
7/14/05 |
7/14/05 |
|
|
|
| Hollopaw |
Quit +/or Fight |
Sub Pop |
7/14/05 |
7/14/05 |
|
|
|
| Holden Richards |
What I Gave Away |
New Math |
7/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Asthmo. |
They're Coming for You (Red Eyes) |
self release |
7/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Ladyfinger |
self titled |
self release |
7/14/05 |
7/14/05 |
June
30, 2005
Sept.
10, 2005
|
|
Yes
|
| Gabriel James |
In the Hands of Fools |
Grass Root |
7/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Scout Niblett |
Kidnapped by Neptune |
Too Pure/Beggars |
7/14/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Spanish for 100 |
Metric |
self release |
7/10/05 |
8/29/05 |
1/18/06 |
A friend of mine has a band that
he vehemently denies is alt country even though their twang
is undeniable. I bet Spanish for 100 holds that same denial.
Though their rhythms are straightforward, mid-tempo fare,
the vocals are Wilco-esque and the guitar roar is only missing
a pedal steel. In fact, the guitar work here is the most riveting
part of the recording. On any given song, the guitar counters
the vocals in a preordained sloppy approach, just banging
into whatever feels right, off the beat or just behind it.
There are a couple songs where the guitars seem to wander
off in their own strange angles, pulled (eventually) back
into the fold by the rhythm section. The final result is that
Spanish has a tightfisted jam band essence about it, especially
on "See Now (Live at the Crocodile)" that pulls
together all the elements into a crowd-pleasing roar. Go ahead
and clap. Produced by the Phil Ek. (1/18/06) |
Yes
|
| Atomic Swindlers |
Coming Out Electric |
self release |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Willowz |
Talk in Circles |
Sympathy for the Record Industry |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
8/10/05 |
See Aug.
10 feature/interview. See also Aug. 14 Live
Review. |
Yes
|
| Anousheh Khalili |
Let the Ground Know Who's Standing
on Him |
Triple Stamp |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| David Shultz |
self titled |
Triple Stamp |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
| Fruit Bats |
Spelled in Bones |
Sub Pop |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
|
More than a mere Elephant 6 retro
rehash but still in the same category of Sub Pop soothers
as The Shins. Sub Pop is riding this psychedelic throwback
rock craze for all it's worth. The Fruit Bats fit the bill.
It's trippy stuff with '60s keys and a style that reminds
me of Cat Stevens ("Traveler's Song") but without
Cat's wrenching personal take. I like it, though I think the
arrangements are a bit too heavy handed at times. I would
have preferred a more stripped-down approach, but that ain't
their style. (9/6/05) |
Yes
|
| Kinski |
Alpine Static |
Sub Pop |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
| Wilderness |
self titled |
Jagjaguwar |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
|
See July 5
Live Review. |
Yes
|
| Matt Martin |
Piechest |
Paradeco |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dezeray's Hammer |
The Past That Decorates Me |
Rock Ridge |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Chris Harrington |
You the Provider |
self release |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Matt Sery |
A More Perfect Union |
Riff Raff |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Alan Morphew |
self titled |
Grey Cat |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Jim White Presents... various
artists |
Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus |
Luaka Bop/V2 |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Stina Nordenstam |
The World is Saved |
V2 |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Life Before This |
self titled |
Rise |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Marianas |
Summering EP |
self release |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
| Citizen's Band |
The Signal to Noise Ratio |
Jetpack |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Sono Oto |
I'm in August till July |
self release |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Tim Miller |
Out of the Box |
self release |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Cricket |
Motel Magazine |
self release |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Carter Tanton |
Birds & Rain |
Park the Van |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Teeth |
Carry the Wood |
Park the Van |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Sonata Form |
Harmony, Courage, Joy and I.Q. |
self release |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
| Koufax |
Hard Times Are in Fashion |
Doghouse |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dead Language |
self titled |
self release |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Wolf Parade |
self titled |
Sub Pop |
7/10/05 |
7/10/05 |
|
If Gang of Four was the big influence
of the last cast of post-punk bands that made the rounds,
Bowie is surely the next one. First with Arcade Fire, now
with these guys who embrace Scary-Monster-era Bowie with rhythm,
swing and cool guitars. Not to mention the ocassional falsetto
(which Bowie never did). It's impossible not to think of Arcade
Fire, even though this has bigger, dancier beats and more
earnest vocals. This 4-song Ep could be your future. Can they
pull off a full-length? (12/3/05) |
Yes
|
| The Old Scratch Revival Singers |
Oh, Didn't He Ramble LP |
Records of the Damned |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| People People |
Eel |
Records of the Damned |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mummy the Peepshow |
School Girl Pop |
Records of the Damned |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| YCMK |
Family Music |
Records of the Damned |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Pistol Star |
Crawl |
Wax Orchard |
7/10/05 |
8/29/05 |
|
|
|
| Rademachor |
self titled |
self release |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Javelins |
No Plants, Just Animals |
Suburban Sprawl |
7/10/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Detergency |
Typhoon Ferri |
Wishbone |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Cubby Creatures |
After the Deprogramming |
Rodent |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Flotation Toy Warning |
Bluffers Guide to the Flightdeck |
Misra |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Nine Inch Nails |
With Teeth |
I Nothing |
6/11/05 |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
| Broken Spindles |
Inside/Absent |
Saddle Creek |
6/11/05 |
6/11/05 |
|
Mr. Lexus commercial himself
starts his new one sounding like that same Lexus commercial
-- all noodling-keyboard-spider-web-tinkling spook -- before
floating into the thump-thump-thump electronic pulse of "This
Is an Introduction" -- a track that proves Joel Petersen's
atonal vocals are no longer mere novelty. In fact, they're
a necessity, adding Depeche-Mode drama to dance-floor poser
"Please Don't Remember This" and Faint-outcasts
"The Distance is Nearsighted" and "Painted
Boy Face." For contrast, Petersen returns to the creepy
Lexus-tinkling a few times too many, but not enough to bring
down the disc. Too laid-back for the runway, Inside/Absent
confirms that Broken Spindles is more than a Faint side project.
(7/14/05) |
Yes
|
| Mercury Rev |
The Secret Migration |
V2 |
6/11/05 |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
| Wiretree |
self titled |
self release |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Antony and the Johnson |
I Am a Bird Now |
Secretly Canadian |
6/11/05 |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
| Stephen Markmus |
Face the Truth |
Matador |
6/11/05 |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
| Careen |
Crash Couture |
self release |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Agape |
self titled |
self released |
6/11/05 |
|
|
|
|
| A.J. Rosales |
Resistor |
Novelty |
6/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Kite Operations |
Dandelion Day |
K.O.A. |
6/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Tall Grass Captains |
She Moved Through |
Ubique |
6/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| David Aaron |
From Brooklyn |
self-release |
6/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Sharp Things |
Foxes and Hounds |
Bar None |
6/4/05 |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
| Bishop |
Rock On |
self release |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Make Believe |
Shock of Being |
Flameshovel |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Chin Up Chin Up |
S/T |
Flameshovel |
6/4/05 |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
| Stella |
pilot |
Comedy Central |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Santiago Steps |
Points & Corners |
Dorcal-Monster |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Blei |
In Day as Dark |
Eternal |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mayday |
Bushido Karaoke |
Saddle Creek |
6/4/05 |
6/4/05 |
|
Is it me or is this the most
upbeat thing Ted Stevens has recorded under the Mayday moniker?
Damn right it is. I wouldn't call it rock, as much as honky-tonk
or blue-grass or just plain fun. "Continental Grift"
is as funky as these white guys get. "Old World New World"
is a banjo-pluckin' skipper, while "Father Time"
recalls a dusty Ennio Morricone soundtrack sung by rednecks.
It's probably no coincidence that Stevens' voice resembles
David Byrne's since his songs do as well (albeit with a twang).
Yee-haw. (7/14/05) |
Yes
|
| Earthborn |
On Deaf Ears |
self release |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
|
| various artists |
Until the Shaking Stops: A Salute
to Jawbox |
Two Sheds |
6/4/05 |
6/4/05 |
|
|
|
| The Jim Yoshi Pile-Up |
Picks Us Apart |
Absolutely Kosher |
5/27/05 |
5/27/05 |
|
Musically it sports the same bass,
guitar, rhythms and textures as New Order, downbeat Smiths
and early Cure, laced with Paul Gonzenbach's nice-guy vox.
But the story of Gonzenbach's struggle with depression in
all its forms is a tough sell. Rarely do these types of concept
albums come together cohesively. And though there are moments
or rise-above and exultation, ultimately you're left with
a rather languid pop record that, taken in parts and snippets
can be moving, but taken as a whole is less than appealing
(and considering the message, shouldn't come as a surprise).
Gonzenbach doesn't care. He did this one for himself. (7/21/05) |
No
|
| Get Him Eat Him |
Geography Cones |
Absolutely Kosher |
5/27/05 |
5/27/05 |
|
|
|
| Orenda Fink |
Invisible Ones |
Saddle Creek |
5/26/05 |
5/26/05 |
|
The other half of Azure Ray takes
her shot at a solo project with better results. While both
Fink's and co-hort Maria Taylor's CDs are more upbeat and
interesting than anything they put out together, Invisible
Ones raises the bar even further. "Bloodline" is
hot ambient rock, like a laid-back Faint track, maybe because
Mr. Fink (the former Mr. Baechle) plays guitar and keyboards
on it. "Les Invisibles," with its mock choir, jazz
flute and Fink's droning melody, sports the same dreaded undertone
as Tricky's "Christiansands" with Fink playing the
Bjork role. "Animal" is downright tribal, while
the "Dirty South" is downright filthy. They aren't
all departures. The mewing "Miracle Wonder" and
"Easter Island" could have come off the last Azure
Ray CD along with "Blind Asylum," in spite of its
cello-plucking accompaniment. So which is the better of the
two? I'm not saying. (7/14/05) |
Yes
|
| Bob Mould |
Body of Song |
Yep Rock |
5/26/05 |
5/26/05 |
7/18/05 |
|
Yes
|
| Name-Droppers |
The German Art Students |
Autobahn |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Daryl Waits |
The Rustler |
Paradeco |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Clumsy Lovers |
Smart Kid |
Nettwerk |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Killola |
We Work Really Hard |
self release |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Griddle |
Turning Violet |
Your Permanent |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Floating City |
Entering a Contest |
First Flight |
5/26/05 |
7/16/05 |
|
|
|
| In Memory |
In So Many Words |
Doughman |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Vixen Red |
Sunrise and Nightfall in the Equestrian
Sea |
self release |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Bacon & Egg |
... Are Fanduvo |
Wantage |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Shame Train |
She Knows the Score |
Mudfence |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Roger Alan Wade |
All Likkered Up |
Oglio |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Elevado |
Dedicated to the Memory |
Lightning Rod |
5/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Criteria |
When We Break |
Saddle Creek |
5/12/05 |
5/12/05 |
See Feature/profile
Review: 7/14/05 |
Easily the most commercial-flavored
CD Creek has ever released, When We Break is pure FM-ready
back-break indie rock in the vein of such scorchers as,
say, The Jealous Sound, Jimmy Eat Word or (dare I say it)
Cursive. The diff is in Stephen Pedersen's soaring bird-call
melodies and the stutter-step, boot-on-your-neck, five-beat
rhythms that have all the subtlety of a drunken waltz on
meth. A.J. Mogis has emerged as Pedersen's Michael Anthony
harmony-wise (though he more closely resembles a shaggy
Walter Becker). Because the hooks are easier to find and
less dissonant than Cursive's, more modern-sounding than
The Faint's and more radio-ready than Conor's, this one
could turn Creek's Big Three into The Big Four. (7/14/05)
|
Yes
|
| Bridge and Tunnel Club |
Next Best Letdown |
self release |
5/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Pistola |
Hold for Bliss |
Deseo |
5/8/05 |
7/11/05 |
|
|
|
| The Clumsy Lovers |
Smart Kid |
Nettwerk |
5/8/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mary Timony |
Ex Hex |
Lookout |
5/8/05 |
5/10/05 |
|
See Feature/profile |
Yes
|
| Jane Francis |
Skeletons for Tea |
Eskimo Kiss |
5/7/05 |
5/8/05 |
|
From Saxapahaw, NC by way of Lucinda
Williams. I haven't heard this kind of hippy folk since Cindy
Lee Barryhill. Whatever happened to her? (7/20/05) |
No
|
| Minus the Bear |
Menos el Oso |
Suicide Squeeze |
5/7/05 |
5/8/05 |
|
|
|
| Sleater-Kinney |
The Woods |
Sub Pop |
5/7/05 |
5/7/05 |
|
Seems like I'm the only person
in the continental United States that doesn't like this one.
It's been lauded as one of the best records of the year in
almost every indie/rock music publication. I think it sounds
like they tried too hard to be hard, and sacrificed melodies
for gronk to create a Zep-meets-grunge noisefest better suited
for L7. Sorry, ladies. (10/12/05) |
No
|
| Still Division |
self titled |
self released |
5/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Monkey Paw |
Honkey Kong |
4 Alarm |
5/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Turn Around |
self-titled |
self released |
5/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Kasabian |
self-titled |
RCA |
5/7/05 |
5/10/05 |
|
See Feature/profile |
Yes
|
| Mayaflyer |
All the Stars |
self released |
5/7/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Tegan and Sara |
So Jealous |
Vapor |
4/29/05 |
4/29/05 |
|
See
May 5 blog entry. |
Yes
|
| The Keep Aways |
self-titled |
Chair Kickers |
4/29/05 |
|
|
Like Belly or The Muffs meets
Joan Jett, this screeching Duluth-based girl-powered punk
has the tooth-numbing guitar work to make it rock, and rock
it does. The blazing chop guitar is a syncopated wall of fuzzy
noise. "Standards" starts fast and just goes faster.
"Hey Song" is the Joan Jett anthem she never made,
clocking in at under 2 minutes. In fact, none of these go
far past 3, which is as it should be. (7/25/05). |
Yes
|
| The Brunettes |
Mars Loves Venus |
Lil Chief |
4/29/05 |
|
|
Sweet-as-candy boy-and-girl indie
pop songs by way of New Zealand that bear more than a slight
resemblance to Tilly and the Wall or Tegan and Sarah (this
generation's K Records/twee pop). These naive love songs with
deceptively simple arrangements (don't be fooled) could be
the soundtrack to your own personal Summer of Love... if you're
15. Brass, tinny guitars and a sweater full of la-la's provide
that trendy, retro feel though there's more to it in a snarling
'60s sort of way. Just enough garage to remind me of Elvis
C's first album, and that's a good thing. (7/19/05) |
Yes
|
| The Charms |
Pussycat |
Red Car |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Chinaski |
Megaton Robotic Apple Pie |
self release |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Vile |
Vile Vile Vile |
self release |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Singletary |
Live at the Foxx |
JCJR |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Defined by What We Steal |
The New Face of Freedom |
Dogbus Music |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Phosphorescent |
Aw Come Aw Wry |
Misra |
4/29/05 |
4/29/05 |
7/23/05 |
|
Yes
|
| Slow Dazzle |
The View from the Floor |
Misra |
4/29/05 |
4/29/05 |
|
What you'd get if Hope
Sandoval and Bob Dylan had recorded an album together while
strung out on pain killers. The Sandoval-esque songs, sung
sensually by chanteuse Shannon McArdle, are better than the
Dylan-eque ones, mainly because vocalist Tim Bracy stole only
the worst parts of Dylan's nasal delivery. As a whole, Slow
Dazzle resembles Mazzy Star in its languid, loping, lazy,
twangy melodies. Laid-back and warm and always densely gorgeous.
(7/28/05) |
Yes
|
| The Nein |
Wrath of Circuits |
Sonic Unyon |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Vinegar |
Rock Fetish |
Studio Brooklyn |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| This Microwave World |
Red States |
Tight Spot |
4/29/05 |
5/27/05 |
|
The latest entry in the Radio
4/Rapture NYC dance-rock sweepstakes. Recording is rather
flat and something tells me doesn't capture this band's live
performance energy. Regardless, you've heard this all before
anyway. (12/3/05) |
No
|
| Constant Velocity |
self titled |
self release |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Fast Computers |
SP |
Sleepsound |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Make Believe |
self titled |
Flameshovel |
4/29/05 |
4/29/05 |
|
The latest by the Kinsella brothers
(Tim and Nate). Intricate art-noise that rarely fails to grate.
In all fairness, the keyboard-bass-driven "Temping as
a Shaman," jammy "Witchcraft" and Karate-esque
"Abracadabra - Thumbs!" are about as close as these
Kinsellas have gotten to approachable (listenable) music in
years, but it's still a reach-too-far toward the abstract.
Better than Owls, but what isn't? Repeated listenings are
rewarded with a tension headache. (7/22/05) |
No
|
| Gomez |
Out West |
ATO/Sony |
4/29/05 |
5/27/05 |
|
|
|
| Deep Thinkers |
Necks Move |
Datura |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Eerie Von |
Bad Dream No. 13 |
Ghostly |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Breeze Way |
The Red LP |
self release |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| David Lean |
Stepping on My Hat |
self release |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Rosemary's Babies |
Talking to the Dead |
Ghastly |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Ambry |
Holding on by the Blindfolds We
Hide Behind |
Death Scene |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| 33HZ |
self titled |
Outlook |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Silent Type |
Hot and Bothered |
Justaposition |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Now We Are Three |
self titled |
Lil' Chief |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Show Is the Rainbow |
Radboyz Only! |
Tsk! Tsk! |
4/29/05 |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
| Maktub |
Say What You Mean |
Velour |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Relief Effort |
Don't Panic |
St. Helena |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Whitman |
Anhedonia Falling |
Sonora |
4/29/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Le Beat |
Tabula Rasa |
Rocketpark |
4/12/05 |
4/12/05 |
|
|
|
| The Doxies |
Weight of Gold |
Emergency Umbrella |
4/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Pomonas |
Untitled E.P. |
self-release |
4/12/05 |
4/12/05 |
|
|
Yes
|
| Arms of Kismet |
Cutting Room Rug |
self-release |
4/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Adam Richman |
Patience and Science |
Or Music |
4/12/05 |
5/27/05 |
|
|
Yes
|
| Benzos |
Morning Stanzas |
Stinky |
4/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
Often Lie |
Jade Tree |
4/12/05 |
4/12/05 |
|
|
|
| thesistermaria |
Mister Sister & The Sister
Family |
self-release |
4/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| thesistermaria |
Let Go of / Hold Onto the Gold |
self-release |
4/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Crystal Method |
Community Service II |
Ultra |
4/1/05 |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
| The Diplomats of Solid Sound |
Destination... Get Down! |
Estrus |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Love As Laughter |
Laughter's Fifth |
Sub Pop |
4/1/05 |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
| Dog Faced Gods |
Stoned Council |
Voodoo Nation/Pyramid |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mr. Hand |
Simple Ways EP |
self-release |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Setting Sun |
Math and Magic |
Young Love |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Veda |
This Broken City |
Second Nature |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Power Movement Project |
Belief Upon Arrival |
self-release |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Drayton Michaels |
Low Stress in the Deep End |
self-release |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Loam |
Hollowing Costumes |
self-release |
4/1/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Okkervil River |
Black Sheep Boy |
Jagjaguwar |
4/1/05 |
4/1/05 |
|
See Feature/profile |
Yes
|
| The First Punic War |
Candle EP -- 7" |
Carthage Vs. Rome |
3/26/05 |
|
|
|
|
| International Businessmen |
The Formula |
Rumble Gulley |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Pohgoh |
All Along |
New Granada |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Charming Snakes |
Ammunition |
Dirtnap |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Undersea Explosion |
self-titled |
lsd25 |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dustin Plumb |
All Things Dead |
dp |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Verbal |
The Name We Sell Now |
Trust Me Corp. |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Sinch |
Clearing the Channel |
Rock Ridge |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Gatsbys American Dream |
Volcano |
Fearless |
3/25/05 |
5/8/05 |
|
|
|
| Sam |
Permanent Waver |
Gush |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Lorenzo Goetz |
Jesus Elephant |
Innocent Words |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Us3 |
Questions |
self-release |
3/25/05 |
5/8/05 |
|
|
|
| The Rosebuds |
The Rosebuds Unwind |
Merge |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Cash Mattock |
Sexy 21st Century Sleaze |
self-release |
3/58/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Minmae |
I'd be Scared, We're You Still
Burning |
Greyday |
3/25/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Univac |
self-titled |
Glorious Potemkin |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Meander |
self-titled |
self-released |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Loved Ones |
self-titled |
Jade Tree |
3/12/05 |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
| Maria Taylor |
11:11 |
Saddle Creek |
3/12/05 |
3/12/05 |
3/25/05
|
Along with Orenda Fink (or is
it Fink-Baechle now?) Taylor makes up the duo Azure Ray --
a folksy, mousy and somewhat withdrawn project that's all
about harmonies and broken hearts. Alone, though, Taylor takes
on a new intensity with music that throbs and pounds and breathes
with a beauty that pops more than wilts. Which is a fancy
way of saying I like this better than the Azure Ray records,
mostly because it prefers to quietly rock than quietly whimper.
With a Fink solo CD coming out later this year on the same
label, this creativity influx can only mean good things for
Azure Ray fans. (3/25/05) |
Yes
|
| Temper Temper |
self-titled |
Revelations |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Capstan Shafts |
Unconstructed Lo-fi Whore |
Ladder the Christmas Monkey |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Jacob Ray |
A Small Part of Something Beautiful |
self-release |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Hella |
Church Gone Wild/Chirpin Hard |
Suicide Squeeze |
3/12/05 |
3/12/05 |
|
See April
25, 2005, blog entry |
No
|
| Memory |
So Many Words |
Doughman |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| No-Fi Soul Rebellion |
Lambs to the Slaughter |
Wantage USA |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Last of the Juanitas |
In the Dirt |
Wantage USA |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Aframes |
Black Forest |
SubPop |
3/12/05 |
3/12/05 |
3/25/05
|
The march-of-the-metal-soldiers
intro foreshadows the angular, industrial nightmare that lies
ahead, like listening to a million Gang of Four robots cut
loose in Kraftwerk land. Consisting of former members of Cows,
Butthole Surfers and Scratch Acid, Seattle's A Frames creates
a stern-faced, thick-chorded racket that bludgeoned fans of
The Fall will recognize immediately for its barren, Cold War
sheen. Touch my monkey. Go ahead, touch it. (3/25/05) |
Yes
|
| Remedy Motel |
A Better Life |
Porch Rock |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Wax Cannon |
Valve |
Comart 511 |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Jerry Colburn |
Smell the Love |
self-release |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Suzy Callahan |
Happier Than Everybody Else |
Scared Guy |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dallas Orbiter |
Magnesium Fireflies |
Princess |
3/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Feersum Ennjin |
self-titled |
Silent Uproar |
2/21/05 |
5/8/05 |
|
|
|
| Blitzkrieg Bliss |
Every Day Is Marked |
self-release |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Consafos |
Tilting at Windmills |
Greyday |
2/21/05 |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
| Player Hater |
Picking You Up Just to Put You
Down |
Kessel Run |
2/21/05 |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
| The Amber Estate |
self-titled |
self-released |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
|
| various artists |
Wilde Club EP No. 4 |
Wilde Club |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Peace in the Jones |
Manna & the Devils |
self-release |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Nein |
self-titled |
Sonic Unyon |
2/12/05 |
2/21/05 |
|
See March 13, 2005, blog entry. |
Yes
|
| The Shapes |
demo |
self-release |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| United States of Electronica |
self-titled |
Sonic Boom |
2/12/05 |
2/12/05 |
|
See Feature/profile |
Yes
|
| South San Gabriel |
The Carlton Chronicles |
Misra |
2/12/05 |
2/21/05 |
3/25/05
|
The side project by Centro-matic
frontman Will Johnson sports the same dust-covered rural melodies
as that band's best, minus the roar. Instead of muscular feedback,
Johnson prefers a pretty pedal-steel or piano part, making
this dimly lit afternoon music. Johnson's gravel-pit mewing
is bound to make him the Eddie Vedder of our generation thanks
to a pure distinctiveness that will be emulated by every bar-whore
band in the Midwest if it ever gets discovered beyond the
in-the-know indie crowd. (3/25/05) |
Yes
|
| Great Lake Swimmers |
self-titled |
Misra |
2/12/05 |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
| Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers |
self-titled |
Universal |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Contemplation |
demo |
self-release |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Armor for Sleep |
What to do When You Are Dead |
Equal Vision |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Seconds Before |
Further Destinations |
Lost Arts |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Pomonas |
Demo |
self-release |
2/11/05 |
2/12/05 |
|
See Feb. 12, 2005, blog entry.
The CD is rough, but captures part of their charm. The best
songs from their live set are not included. 2/13/05 |
Yes
|
| The Holy Ghost |
Welcome to Ignore Us |
Clearly |
2/12/05 |
3/21/05 |
3/25/05
|
Former Lincolnite Chris
Heine (Urethra Franklin, Opium Taylor) and his gang of NYC
devils vamp up their angular punk sound for the better. (3/25/05) |
Yes
|
| Kidda.kit |
demo |
self-release |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Erick Zwieg |
Dance of the Sugarpug |
self-release |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Uber Cool Kung Fu |
3 |
Omega Point |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Dirtminers |
Meat and Electricity |
Animalville |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| DesArk |
Loose Lips Sink Ships |
Bifocal Media |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Delcielo |
Us Vs Them |
Lovitt |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Peppers Ghost |
Shake the Hand That Shook the
World |
Hybrid |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mystechs |
symbols |
Omega Point |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Slater & Shellans |
Living in Absentia |
self-release |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Heavy Trash |
self-titled |
Yep Roc |
2/12/05 |
2/21/05 |
3/25/05
|
Jon Spencer's latest is
cooler and cleaner than anything that hepcat has done in years.
(3/25/05) |
Yes
|
| Armored Frog |
Weasel on a Weathervane |
Sleepsound |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Two Turntables and a Saxophone |
self-titled |
Da Da Da |
2/12/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Bella Lea |
3-song demo |
self-release |
2/12/05 |
2/21/05 |
|
|
|
| Bettie Serveert |
Attagirl |
Minty Fresh |
2/4/05 |
2/4/05 |
|
See Feature/profile |
Yes
|
| Sparkwood |
Jalopy Pop |
self-release |
1/27/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Maya Azucena |
Maya Who?! |
self-release |
1/27/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Madras |
Dimestore Raves |
self-release |
1/27/05 |
|
|
|
|
| 19 Wheels |
Jawbreaker |
Standard |
1/27/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Seemless |
self-titled |
Losing Face |
1/27/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Mars Black |
Folks Music |
Team Love |
1/22/05 |
1/27/05 |
|
See Feb. 5, 2005 blog entry. |
No
|
| Ringleader |
4-song demo |
self-release |
1/22/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Tammany Hall Machine |
self-titled |
self-released |
1/22/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Brazilian Girls |
self-titled |
Verve Forecast |
1/22/05 |
1/27/05 |
|
Highly lauded critical darlings
for their electronic/bossa/reggae style I think of these New
Yorkers as Air meets Sade with a slight island lilt. Terrific
upon first exposure, but a little goes a long way. The best
parts are the dance tracks ("Don't Stop," "Sirenes
de la Fete") that make up a lot of it, but there's little
here that I'd care to hear again. (7/27/05) |
No
|
| The Cricket Rumor Mill |
If Only Then |
Loose Thread |
1/22/05 |
1/27/05 |
|
All instrumental ultra-clean
smooth indie rock/jazz that conjures memories of Steely Dan
at times ("When Eyedrops were Animals"), it lacks
variety, daring, intensity of, say, a Tristeza (but even that
style seems to have passed some time ago), and wanders too
close to Weather Channel music too often. Standout track "Siamese
William" is remarkable only because of a brief rap moment
toward the end -- though not exactly groundbreaking they should
have done more of it. 1/30/05 |
No
|
| Forty Twenty |
Sober and Stupid |
Slackjaw |
1/22/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Used Alien Mind |
Positive Mental Theme |
Zonked |
1/22/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Shearwater |
Thieves |
Misra |
1/15/05 |
1/15/05 |
|
|
|
| The Postal Service |
We Will Become Silhouettes |
SubPop |
1/15/05 |
1/23/05 |
|
|
|
| Iron & Wine |
Woman King |
SubPop |
1/15/05 |
1/23/05 |
3/28/05
|
Breathy folker Samuel Beam, a.k.a.
Iron and Wine, already has been embraced by the same O.C.
crowd that's been gobbling up copies of the Garden State
soundtrack like they were coupons for free cell service. Don't
be dissuaded by the cool-kid factor. From its rat-a-tat mantra-like
title track to its urgent, harmony-tinged, finger-picking
closer, any of the six songs on this EP would make perfect
mix-tape fodder. An acoustic-powered gem. (3/23/05) |
Yes
|
| Jennifer Gentle |
Valende |
SubPop |
1/15/05 |
1/15/05 |
|
|
|
| Low |
The Great Destroyer |
SubPop |
1/15/05 |
1/15/05 |
|
See Feature/profile |
Yes
|
| The Academy Is |
4-song demo |
self-release |
1/15/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Televangelist and the Architect |
The Mass Exodus from California |
Undetected Plagarism |
1/15/05 |
|
|
|
|
| Curiosity |
The Forced Magician |
self-release |
1/15/05 |
|
|
|
|
| 50 Foot Wave |
Golden Ocean |
Throwing Music |
1/15/05 |
1/27/05 |
3/23/05
|
The sweet-voiced, demure Kristen
Hersh who emerged in the '90s with Throwing Muses and withdrew
in the '00s with her fey solo projects on 4AD, has re-emerged
once again. And this time she's pissed. No woman since (early)
PJ Harvey or the late great Courtney Love has rocked so hard
so well with so much intensity. As punk as it is anthemic,
this is a brutal, bruising guitar rock record that burns with
Hersh's throaty, snarling voice singing (screaming) lines
like "I've never been afraid to die / I've never been
afraid before." Guttural. (3/23/05) |
Yes
|
| Skittish |
From My Parents Basement |
self-release |
1/15/05 |
|
|
|
|
| The Red |
Burn |
The Red |
1/15/05 |
|
|
arrived destroyed. |
|
| Vinni Blue |
More Than Anything |
Smelly Girl |
1/15/05 |
|
|
|
|
webboard
interviews