One Sentence Album reviews (#22)

Foxy Shazam - The Church of Rock and Roll (2012): The funky-hardcore sound I fell in love with has been replaced with mediocre rock 2.6/5

Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit (2012): a very quiet little alt-county album that got my toes tapping to every song. 4/5

Xiu Xiu - Always (2012): sounds like a best-of album: it covers all of their styles (synth-pop, darkwave, avant garde) and controversial topics 3.8/5

Enter Shikari - A Flash Flood Of Colour (2012): a horrible amalgamation of politics, dubstep and heavy rock, with seemingly no direction 1.6/5

Voodoo Glow Skulls - Break The Spell (2012): their ska, with a tinge of hardcore, dirty punk and hispanic influences, is still great 4/5

The Ting Tings - Sounds From Nowheresville (2012): Proves that they are a band that can write 1 good song, and make an album to hide it 1.5/5

The Skatalites - Treasure Isle Time (2011): Instrumental ska, from one of the pioneering groups. Retro sound, but classic music 4.7/5

The Menzingers - On The Impossible Past (2012): It's not exactly what I would call "punk"... too melodic. But damn it's good American rock 4/5

Say Anything - Anarchy, My Dear (2012): I've never liked them, but this album is good. I think he's dropped the whiny and gone a bit angry 4/5

Pulled Apart By Horses - Tough Love (2012): This album just smacks you in the face with great rock. I want to see this band live 4.7/5

Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy (2012): delightful indie-guitar-rock album showing Nada's song writing is still strong 4/5

Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks (2012): A confused meandering album of disjointed noise with no discernable theme 2/5

Buckethead - Electric Sea (2012): 1 man, 2 guitar tracks: an album of beautiful and relaxing melodies 4.3/5

Attack Attack! - This Means War (2012): You know the formula for post-hardcore by now. Scream + sing + 10% synth + breakdown = every song. 2.8/5

Loma Prieta - IV (2012): dirty, intense hardcore. The tracks of their trilogy (4,5,6) will be
some of the best heavy music of 2012 4.6/5

The Saddest Landscape - After The Lights (2012): 90's style screamo. Like an early era Touche Amore demo where the songs are 3+ minutes 3/5

Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline (2012): I always considered these guys the lesser Italian
cousin of Evanescence. I still do 2.5/5

Ani Difranco - Which Side Are You On? (2012): blues sound coupled with ranty political views. Lyricallyr not my thing, but I like the music 3.8/5
 
Lana Del Ray - Born To Die (2012): An indie-girl's take on soul, dripping with overt
sexuality. Makes for a refreshing change in pop-music 3.9/5

Pennywise - All Or Nothing (2012): it's not the band we once knew. Oh no. But it's a bloody awesome skate-punk album. 4.6/5

mewithoutyou - Ten Stories (2012): There is a song about eggplant! Less hardcore elements in this, but still uniquely them. And good 4.3/5

Buckethead - Balloon Cement (2012): 80's guitar shredding solos go an almost 8-bit Nintendo
sound 4/5

Maps & Atlases - Beware and Be Grateful (2012): I was a huge fan of their noodyly early days,
this new direction sounds like generic indie 3.5/5

Jack White - Blunderbuss (2012): Jack thinks he is Robert Plant. How cute. 3.9/5

Death by Stereo - Black Sheep of the American Dream (2012): how is this band not  popular? A great mix of hardcore/metal. Efrem's voice is great 4.4/5

Train - California 37 (2012): seems the dude is trying to prove he can write deep songs. Way too much going on with the lyrics 2.4/5

Macy Gray - Covered (2012): She's chosen some of my favourite songs and does alright covers. Except her voice isn't suited to them 3.5/5

Horse Feathers - Cynics New Year (2012): At first thought I was listening to Gomez, but then fell asleep to the quiet folk music 3/5

High on Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis (2012): Imagine Motorhead doing a lot of pot and recording a sludge album. So many huge riffs! 4.6/5

Cancer Bats - Dead Set On Living (2012): A blistering intro in R.A.T.S leads to an album resembling their awesome Hail Destroyer 4/5

Job for a Cowboy - Demonocracy (2012): I am not a fan of most death metal. This album shows some great guitar skill and riffs though 3.8/5

The Forecast - Everybody Left (2012): I thought the indie/emo breakout of 2002 was past dead... Not to these guys. 2.6/5

Paul van Dyk - Evolution (2012): The album goes everywhere electronic (dub, ambient, trance, vocals) and does it well 4/5

Municipal Waste - The Fatal Feast (2012): an album that takes its roots in a mix of 80's thrash and hardcore punk. A healthy combo 4.5/5

Torche - Harmonicraft (2012): stoner metal that is almost pop music. I wish this is what Triple M actually played as rock music 4/5

Future of the Left - The Plot Against Common Sense (2012): More structured songs are change from the random noise of old, but still the same wit and hilarity in lyrics 4.2/5

Fat Louies Hardcore!

Last night I went drinking. In Fat Louies. I also listen to hardcore music. So put those two together and you get this:


In Trenches recently opened for Cancer Bats. They rocked. Hard.
Anchors have a free track at their Bandcamp. They rock less hard, but that's only because they are more punk.

Get to it, it's 18+, cheap drinks, cheap pool and free entry. AND BLOODY GREAT MUSIC. It's also this Saturday.

In Trenches
Anchors

Cancer Bats show

For a while I was consider going to the Bullet for my Valentine and Bring Me the Horizon show at Riverstage, purely to see the Cancer Bats. These Canadians do hardcore punk with lots of dirty southern rock.


Their last few tours have been the same, them opening for some larger band that I didn't want to see forcing me to pay more for tickets. Luckily, it's changing on this tour!

On September 11, when they have finished opening at Riverstage, they'll be running across town for a solo show at the Zoo. Well not much running, I doubt the doors will have even opened at the Zoo before they even finish at Riverstage. I can't wait!

Last.fm, including lots of full length free tracks.