One Sentence Album Reviews

Because it took me forever to finish my 2011 list, here's the first for the year!

Tennis - Young And Old (2012): another girl/boy duo making dreamy summer tunes; makes me think of pastel polo shirts and country clubs 3/5

Anti-Flag - The General Strike (2012): As always, Anti-Flag make a fun punk album full of catchy hooks and politics. It's damn catchy 4.3/5

Every Time I Die - Ex Lives (2012): typical ETID album: features the same guitar/vocal styles & funny titles but with a more metal edge 4.3/5

Bleeding Through - The Great Fire (2012): This metal album tries hard, but falls short. Especially with its overuse of fake synth violin 3/5

The Mars Volta - Noctorniquet (2012): The poppiest album Omar/Cedric have released yet. Short songs, no spacey solos, understandable lyrics 3.7/5

Caliban - I Am Nemesis (2012): Breakdowns, samples, clean singing parts, swearing. A fairly typical metalcore album 3.2/5

Hank Williams III - Rebel Within (2010): Someon with a hardcore background decided to imitate the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack 4/5

Air - Le Voyage Dans La Lune (2012): accompanying soundtrack to the 1902 movie is a return of form. The music doesn't even need the movie 4.8/5
Sonic Armada may be the song of the year

Quiet Steps - Secular (2012): The screamo influence is largely cast aside on this album, substituted for some great noodly melodies 4/5

Bleeding Knees Club - Nothing To Do (2012): Retro sounding garage rock from the Gold Coast. It's like a 60's surf party! 4/5

Narrows - Painted (2012): Every year there's a dirty, sludgy hardcore album I dig. I'm pretty sure this is it for 2012. 4.2/5

MxPx - Plans Within Plans (2012): A flashback to when I was 16 and pop-punk blared through my car windows as loud as it could go 3.8/5

Sleigh Bells - Reign Of Terror (2012): Not much changed for the 2nd album, except the riffs are more 80's power-metal. Not in a good way 2.3/5

Fanfarlo - Rooms Filled With Light (2012): Delightful indie-pop, but the album lacks a standout wow factor, it'll be forgotten quickly 3.5/5

Fun. - Some Nights (2012): Imagine if you were in a cute romantic (indie) movie, this would be your soundtrack 4/5

Kaiser Chiefs - Start The Revolution Without Me (2012): Unlike their last few albums, they don't sound totally bored. Still not great 2.4/5

Useless ID - Symptoms (2012): The melodies! I find this album so gosh darn catchy in a good pop-punk way 4/5

Lucero - Women & Work (2012): A more upbeat Lucero album, probably thanks to all of the horns. Magnificent whiskey fueled rock still 4.6/5

Ceremony - Zoo (2012): It appears the hardcore and anger is gone, replaced with a brooding almost indie sound. Not what I was expecting 3.3/5

Young Guns -  Bones (2012): an attempt at a big stadium-rock, radio-friendly sound. Meh 2.3/5

Punk Show of the Year: 2012 edition

The Flatliners.
Strike Anywhere.
Anti-Flag.

That's all I'm really going to write about this tour.

You like punk music yeah? WELL GET YOUR ASS TO THIS.

Seriously, I've already written a draft review of the new Anti-Flag album and it's shortlist on being my album of the year already, seriously catchy political punk. If that's not enough reason, Strike Anywhere are one of the best live punk bands I've ever seen, also with their political hardcore-punk. And the Flatliners, I've missed them on their earlier tours, but dammit, this is finally my time to see them!

The Zoo

May 30

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