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

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

One Sentence Album Reviews (#20)

Ahhh! So close to the end of my 2011 list. A few more CDs and I'm moving on to the 2012 collection.

Howling Bells - The Loudest Engine (2011): another indie album from the ex-pats with beautifully haunting female vocals 3.7/5

The Subways - Money and Celebrity (2011): a very up-beat pop/grunge/punk album, with a beat great for jogging. It's very fun 4.6/5

Blink 182 - Neighborhoods (2011): After realizing it's not immature-joke punk, it's an album that grows on you. Reminds me of Boxcar Racer 3.7/5

Tori Amos - Night Of Hunters (2011): A very orchestral, almost cinematic album full of Tori's beautiful voice 4.7/5

The Smith Street Band - No One Gets Lost Anymore (2011): a masterclass in writing hella-emotional and catchy sing-a-long folk-punk 4.5/5

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - ST (2011): Surprising album that shows why he is a great songwriter. he's still got it 4.8/5

The Jezabels - Prisoner (2011): Obviously schooled in the Nick Cave style, this has dark lyrical content & a sound of great 80s post-punk 4.4/5

New Found Glory - Radiosurgery (2011): at their age can they still make pop-punk songs about teenage stuff? The answer: yes 3.8/5

Into It. Over It. - Proper (2011): Another one of those pop-punk albums that sound similar. Just can't get into it, I'm kind of over it 2.9/5

Tom Waits - Bad As Me (2011): Tom's most pop album yet? He still throws in so many random instruments and sounds though 4.5/5

Raein - Sulla Linea D'orizzonte Tra Questa Mia Vita e Quella Di Tutti (2011): Italian (real)screamo band's free album reminds me of how good scramz can be sometimes, without being extreme 3.8/5

No Anchor - Real Pain Supernova (2011): Imagine the bass from Fugazi being doubled up (2 basses!), lengthened and made into sludge metal 4/5

Bridge and Tunnel - Rebuilding Year (2011): it borders between orgcore and post-hardcore, but fuck genres, it's a rad punk album 4/5

Tony Sly - Sad Bear (2011): As far as former punks doing alt-country-folk goes, this is not that good. 2.5/5

Bush - The Sea Of Memories (2011): There's glimpses of their former past in there, but I still blame Gwen Stefani for making Gavin too happy 2.6/5

Samiam - Trips (2011): a good punk rock album that makes me think "this is what I want Alkaline Trio to always sound like" 4/5

Kasabian - Velociraptor (2011): Their stoner-indie-rock has lost a lot of its electronic edge to have a very brit-rock (even Beatles) sound 4/5

VA - (Ahk-toong Bay-bi) Covered (2011): Great covers by amazing artists celebrating U2's classic album. This is 100x better than the original 4.6/5

Florence + the Machine - Ceremonials (2011): Bringing opera and soul music to the indie hipsters since 2007, now to the pop-music world 3.5/5

VA - Come As You Are: A 20th Anniversary Tribute to Nirvana's 'Nevermind' (2011): My favourite tribute so far, includes a quirky mewithoutYou cover 4.5/5

The Black Keys - El Camino (2011): hard to believe it's 2 guys making such a sonically rich album; finally taking blues-roots mainstream 4.8/5

Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires (2011): the ultimate Greys Anatomy soundtrack now channels the Postal Service with more electronica 2.8/5

Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness (2011): Lyrically dark & depressing twee-pop that makes you lonely and happy at the same time 4/5

 

Johnny Foreigner - Vs Everything (2011): punkier, less produced Los Campesinos! I listened to the 2 back-to-back and didn't notice a change 3.8/5

The Dear Hunter - The Color Spectrum (Complete) (2011): Epical prog-indie journey representing all colours. Misses sometimes, overall good 4.3/5

H2O - Don't Forget Your Roots (2011): A cover album of classic hardcore/punk songs, made kind of soft and pop-punky by H2O. 3.6/5

Spank Rock - Everything Is Boring And Everyone Is A Fucking Liar (2011): Okay beats under some less thank okay rapping 3/5

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Magic Of Youth (2011): Who said ska is dead? Not these guys. They've still got it 4.5/5

Guthrie - ST (2011): my dad, the old blues loving soul that he is, loves the dirty modern blues of this album. So do I 4.4/5

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (2011): Every Coldplay album is radio pop, with one song I really love. This album breaks that mold. Not one good song 2.4/5

VA-ZZ Top:A Tribute From Friends(2011):Some good covers, even Coheed sounding 80's rock. But it has Nickelback ruining my fav song: Legs 3/5

 

Pangea - Living Dummy (2011): a garage rock record that sounds like it was lost from the 60's 3.8/5

Pianos Become The Teeth - The Lack Long After (2011): soundds like a dirtier/more falsetto Touche Amore. Very similar styles 3.5/5

One sentence album reviews (#19)

Zebrahead - Get Nice! (2011): Just a fun pop/punk/rock album that doesn't take itself seriously at all, making it enjoyable to listen to 4/5

The Living End - The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating (2011): I promised not to write a review saying I miss their rockabilly days. So... um.. yeah. Very mainstream rock 3.4/5

The Horrible Crowes - Elsie (2011): The Gaslight Anthem's lead singer creates a stripped back folk album that is just beautiful 4.6/5

Saves the Day - Daybreak (2011): A surprising upswing in mood from their last 2 albums sees them lapse back in time to sound like 2003 4/5

Engineer - Crooked Voices (2011): Sludgy hardcore that seems to want to be metal, but just can't quite get there with it's vocals 3.6/5

Powerman 5000 - Copies, Clones & Replicants (2011): sounds like a bad nu-metal band butchers good songs to sound like bad new wave 2/5

VA - A Tribute To Alkaline Trio (2011): 39 mostly unknown mediocre artists for the most part butchering Alkaline Trio songs 2.2/5
There are a few good songs in there, but after a while they have the sameness that 90% of Alkaline Trio songs already have

Kevin Devine - Nevermind (2011): Sounds like a note for note copy musically of the Nirvana album, but with K-Dev's less gravelly voals. 3.9/5

VA - SPIN Presents Nevermind (2011): An interesting mix of different interpretations of Nirvana. Falls short on all but a few tracks 2.5/5

VA - Kerrang! Presents Nevermind Forever (2011): Heavier bands covering the Nirvana legacy. Some of the metal interpretations put a new spin on it. 4/5

Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind Of Fix (2011): I'm definitely getting a Coldplay meets Radiohead and goes hipster vibe from this 3.7/5

Wilco - The Whole Love (2011): An uncharacteristically noisy, electric and long opening song gives way to the classic Wilco sound 4.5/5

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (2011): 70 minutes of lush and beautiful shoegaze. This will be my future album for long hot baths 5/5

Tokyo Police Club - 10 Days, 10 Covers, 10 Years (2011): When they cover indie bands they sound okay, but there's some horrible song choices 2.4/5

Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire (2011): He's about 1 album and a few whiskeys away from being Neil Young now. 4.4/5

I Am The Avalanche - Avalanche United (2011): I was not expecting this to be the fun punk album it is. Preconceptions can be very very wrong 4.3/5

Bjork - Biophilia (2011): typical Bjork: layered, quiet, weird, discombobulated and full of odd instruments and wavering vocals 3/5

This Is Hell - Black Mass (2011): it truly is a strange time we live in when one of the best thrash albums this year is by a hardcore band 4.2/5

Kevin Devine - Between The Concrete & Clouds (2011): More of his style than his Nirvana album this year, but nothing that really stands out 3/5

Northington - Borrowed Time (2011): An orgcore album that harks back to some of the punk of my earlier years 3.8/5

Polar Bear Club - Clash Battle Guilt Pride (2011): Solid, but doesn't make me pump my fist in the air and sing along like their 1st album 3.3/5

Chuck Ragan - Covering Ground (2011): He was one of the first punks to go folk-country, and he's still the best 4/5

The Medics - Dance Into The Dark (2011): I dub these boys the Two Door Cinema Club of the Netherlands. But better. 4/5

 

Misfits - The Devil's Rain (2011): Sounds like they haven't changed sound in 20+ years. Which is not a good thing. 2.4/5

Star Fucking Hipsters - From the Dumpster to the Grave (2011): A great mix of old school punk, hardcore and ska. It's me, in an album 4.3/5

The DC3 - The Future Sound Of Nostalgia (2011): The song "I Was the Guy in TISM" sums up this album perfectly. Best TISM spin-off yet. 4.7/5

Skalapper - Go Along Sing Along (2011): Japanese ska-punk in poor English. Or is it just bad Japanese? I can't quite tell. 3/5

Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist (2011): Unlike their previous albums, I like all of the songs on this, not just one good song 4/5

Dude Jams - How To Abuse Everything (2011): raw, rough and edgy punk which tips its hat to the sounds of the 70s and 80s 3.6/5

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical (2011): Another album of weird falsetto-vocals indie music. 2.8/5

 

We Were Promised Jetpacks - In The Pit Of The Stomach (2011): Embracing more of a post-rock sound on this album really pays off 4.3/5

Maylene & the Sons of Disaster - IV (2011): stepping away even further from their hardcore roots, this album is very mainstream US radio rock 3/5

The Kooks - Junk Of The Heart (2011): Embracing a 1960s Brit-pop sound, they've finally produced an album that lives up to their hype! 4.4/5

Andrew Jackson Jihad - Knife Man (2011): Quirky, acoustic-folk-punk. Although a common genre now, their more comedic take is a good spin 4.7/5

Nuclear Summer - ST (2011): locals' noodly heavy band's 1st album is good, with some ex-Ironhide thrash vocals thrown in for a surprise 4/5

Screaming Trees - Last Words: The Final Recordings (2011): a soft, for grunge, recording from the late 90s, highlighting Lanegan's brooding vocals mainly 3.6/5

One sentence album reviews (#18)

It's really built up lately, what with a 2 week blog absence and the push to review as many albums before the end of the year. But here we go:

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde (2011): Maybe it's the name, but I get a very country feel to this lo-fi rock 4.1/5

Social Jet Lag - The Monster Inside (2011): Generic modern post-hardcore, but with a female that can actually sing. She should do pop instead 2/5

Starfucker - Reptilians (2011): Hipster indie-dance. At times I think Flaming Lips, Of Montreal or Avalanches. The whole time I think "YES!" 5/5

Tennis - Cape Dory (2011): an album seemingly transported from the pop music of a hot 1960s summer 3.9/5

Whirl - Distressor (2010): The Jesus and Mary Chain, if they wrote good music after the 90s. 4/5

White Lies - Ritual (2011): Editors get drunk at New Order concert, hooks up with Interpol; 9 months later their baby sounds like this 3.8/5

Autre Ne Veut - ST (2010): It's a modern Prince album basically, with the same level of annoyance 2.3/5

Tim Blood & The Gutpanthers - Summer Of Our Discontent (2011): lofi pop punk, with a sound that makes me think of a non-folk Defiance Ohio 3.4/5

The Cab - Symphony Soldier (2011): If I was a teenage girl that likes soft contemporary rock, this would make me swoon. Too bad I'm male. 2/5

Nekromantix  - What Happens In Hell, Stays In Hell (2011): Songs about ghosts and devils... Never would have guessed that in psychobilly 2.5/5

Kimbra - Vows (2011): A beautiful funky and jazzy album of soul from a talented kiwi female singer 4.2/5

Bomb the Music Industry! - Vacation (2011): The album starts nothing like a BTMI! album, but luckily the quirky ska comes back at the end 3.3/5

311 - Universal Pulse (2011): A 311 album in 2011 just sounds dated and so forced. Nothing even remotely funky about their current sound 2/5

Regurgitator - Superhappyfuntimesfriends (2011): As disjointed and random as any 'gurge album, but doesn't have a noticeable hit song on it 3.4/5

Staind - ST (2011): Less nu-metal than they used to be, but the song Wannabe makes me laugh so hard I can't take this album seriously 1.6/5

Frenzal Rhomb - Smoko At The Pet Food Factory (2011): Tyical Frenzal: fast songs with very non-PC yet hilarious subject matter 3.8/5

Puddle of Mudd - Re(Disc)overed (2011): This cover album takes everything I love about the original songs and destroys them forever 0.3/5

The Drums - Portamento (2011) & Dum Dum Girls - Only In Dreams (2011): surf rock albums almost identical, minus the female singer of Dum Dum Girls 3.3/5
(I had those 2 albums queued up back to back and I didn't notice when the album changed. They are so similar, except Dum Dum Girls is louder)

La Dispute - Wildlife (2011): an emotional trip with some of the best lyrics I have heard recently, each song is a story 4.7/5
(it took me ages to listen to the album, as seemingly each song is about dealing with death. Hits close to home. But unlike their last album, I don't think I heard the word "darling" once. In Wildlife the repeated word seems to be "cancer")

Mates of State - Mountaintops (2011): I listened to this 10 times without forming an opinion; which means it is still perfect lofi pop 3.8/5

Bury Your Dead - Mosh N' Roll (2011): In my world, this album is how I imagine all good straight edge hardcore to sound. 3.8/5

Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows - ST (2011): At times he gets close, but Craig Owens' new band just can't sound as good as Chiodos 2.3/5

Thrice - Major/Minor (2011): The post-hardcore sound is almost fully gone, but it has been replaced with some amazing rock song writing 4.6/5

Trivium - In Waves (2011): Enough heavier thrash for old fans & melodic metal for newer fans. Summary of their career really... 3.2/5

The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love (2011): They've lost the dance-punk edge and this album just sounds like modern elevator music 2/5

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You (2011): A watered-down version of their past (needs Frusciante!) that would be suited for AM radio 2.4/5

I Break Horses - Hearts (2011): This Swedish male/female synth-pop duo stands out from the pack because of their My Bloody Valentine influence 4/5

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost (2011): They've lost a bit of the dreamy hipster sound and now almost sound alt-country. My Weakness! 4.3/5

Primus - Green Naugahyde (2011): The first new album from Primus in 12 years sounds as if it is from the Brown Album years. Funky and quirky 4.3/5

Ladytron - Gravity the Seducer (2011): Very quiet ambient synth music, like every Ladytron album. Just no stand out songs on this one 3.4/5

Eskimo Joe - Ghosts of the Past (2011): A very brooding mainstream-rock album, I can imagine the radio loving it. It just sounds cliche to me 3/5

Owen - Ghost Town (2011): Absolutely beautiful folk/indie/acoustic album, with just subtle touches of his noodly emo past showing 4.5/5

Skyway - Finders Keepers (2011): Imagine New Found Glory circa 2000, but Australian. That is this album. 3.6/5

One sentence album reviews (#17)

After some constructive criticism over drinks this weekend about my Twitter reviews, there may be a change soon. But for now, here's the ones I've posted recently:

The Vines - Future Primitive (2011): It's been 11 years since they were hailed the future of rock and they still sound the same: Whiny. 2/5 

The Weeknd - House of Balloons (2011): a modern RnB album with a lot of dub/electro overtones. Great rainy day  or laid-back romance music 4.7/5

William Elliot Whitmore - The Death Valley Sessions (2003): Sounds like Woody Guthrie soundtracking O brother Where Art Thou in an open field 5/5

The Wonder Years - Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing (2011): A pop-punk album with a theme. The songs show depth not known to the genre and aren't generic or whiny. 4.5/5

Noah and the Whale-Last Night On Earth (2011): He seems to be much happier than his last album and thus migrated to radio friendly rock 3.6/5

Wugazi - 13 Chambers (2011): It's Wu-Tang songs mixed with Fugazi songs. This does not need a description to why it's amazing 4.4/5

The Airborne Toxic Event - All At Once (2011): At stages sounds like AFI, The National and Titus Andronicus. A bit confused, but well rounded indie 4/5

Big D & The Kids Table - The Damned, the Dumb & the Delirious (2011): An album where they finally balance their ska-punk & dub-reggae sides 4/5

Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra (2011): The musical trip down nostalgia lane is quite excellent... until Fred opens his mouth. Worst. Lyrics. Ever 3/5

Junior Battles - Idle Age (2011): yet another Canadian band that sounds similar to Billy Talent, but a hell of a lot more pop-punk! 3.9/5

Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain In The Cloud (2011): an indie album that sounds dangerously like a 90's pop album 3.7/5

August Burns Red - Leveler (2011): a rare "metalcore" album that is composed of more than just breakdowns and screaming for no sake 3.8/5

Algernon Cadwallader - Parrot Flies (2011): fairly lo-fi midwestern emo album. The lo-fi makes it more raw and shows more emotion 3.4/5

Cake - Showroom Of Compassion (2011): Without the wit and comedy of their old stuff, it just sounds like a poor man's Presidents of the USA 3/5

Departures - When Losing Everything Is Everything You Wanted (2011): dark and dirty hardcore that just attacks you with raw emotion 4/5

Sublime With Rome - Yours Truly (2011): He has a voice like Brad, but not the lyrical ability or background to write the gritty songs 1.5/5

Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs (2011): Ukulele = happy. Eddie Vedder = sad songs. Ukulele + Eddie = a surprisingly odd yet enjoyable serious album 3.8/5

Dead By April - Stronger (2011): An album that sounds like a really shitty techno synthesiser collided with a real crappy metal band 1/5

Farewell To Freeway - Filthy Habits (2011): Alright metalcore, which doesn't have one hint of synthesizer or auto-tune (bonus point!) 3/5

The Fresh & Onlys - Play it Strange (2010): I kept thinking I'd picked up a 1960s garage rock vinyl from a thrift shop 3.3/5

Haram - Drescher (2007): Another good album from the old school of post-hardcore, but with a bit more of a jangly guitar element 3.8/5

Have a Nice Life - Deathconsciousness (2008): a 2 hour trip through a shoegaze, garage rock & ambient landscape that I want to do again 4.7/5

Hold Tight! - Can't Take This Away (2011): A nice DIY styled pop-punk/orgcore band; takes me back to the good old days of late 90s punk 4.2/5

The Hotel Year - It Never Goes Out (2011): This is shaping up to be the year pop-punk gets good again, thanks to great albums like this 4.6/5

Joyce Manor - ST (2011): Quirky and fun orgcore/pop punk. Fun to listen to. 4.4/5

Lionheart - Built on Struggle (2011): The most typical "good" hardcore album ever: breakdowns, gang vocals, catchy lyrics & short solos 3.6/5

Millionyoung - Replicants (2010): I think I finally understand what the chillwave genre is. It's this. And this is happy lofi-pop music 4/5

New Lows - Harvest Of The Carcass (2011): hardcore with a low and sludgy sound that makes you wonder if they used broken recording equipment 3.5/5

Salva - Complex Housing (2011): good dubstep album (it exists!) in that it's more of a minimalistic techno feel than just wub-rinse-repeat 3.8/5

One sentence album reviews (#16)

Here's some more one sentence reviews. I've got to say, it's really hard to condense my feelings down to 144 characters without just saying "I like it" over and over again. Especially when some of these band names/album names are just way too fucking long.

Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys (2011): Ben Gibbard shows off his amazing songwriting with their most accessible album yet 4.3/5

The Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction (2011): Reminds me of the firstime I heard Buckethead: crazy non-sensical songs of metal awesome 4/5

Fireworks - Gospel (2011): Nothing as catchy as their old song Detroit, but they are evolving to sound a lot like early Fall Out Boy 3/5

Flogging Molly - Speed of Darkness (2011): My favourite Irish-folk-punk band have moved away from punk to a folk style that I'm unsure of 3.6/5

I Exist - II: The Broken Passage (2011): Not the best production, but excellent Australian hardcore/sludge with some amazing acoustic work too 3.7/5

Boris - Attention Please (2011): Their 2nd album this year sees them make stripped back, yet bloody catchy, J-Pop, still with overtones of heavy rock 4.7/5

Boris - Heavy Rocks (2011): their only album of the 3 this year that channels their older metal sound, but with a garage rock twist 4.3/5

Abbe May - Design Desire (2011): Australian whose album starts as a blues-rock explosion, but slowly becomes regular female singer-songwriter affair 3.5/5

Adolescents - The Fastest Kid Alive (2011): Although an old punk band, this album still sounds rather childish and thrown together 2.5/5

Cults - ST (2011): The ultimate hipster-indie-female-singer-lofi-pop album, but Christ it's good 4.5/5

Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones (2011): It's hard to imagine this almost British-folk album is the work of a former hardcore man 3.8/5

Arms Exploding - Ruminari (2008): Amazing post-hardcore/noise band that reminds me of the glory days of post-hardcore in early 2000s 4.5/5

Mr Big - What If (2011): The original lineup returns to show us how to make a good rock album, in an 80s style that doesn't feel dated 4.1/5

Sharks - The Joys Of Living (2011): a punk album by a band that really misses the 70s style of the Clash, Buzzcocks, etc. 3.4/5

Taking Back Sunday - ST (2011): The old lineup sounds great at the start of the album, but it drops off rapidly 3.7/5

Foster the People - Torches (2011): Definitely flavour of the month Triple J "indie" music, but it's kind of damn catchy 3.5/5

Kaiser Chiefs - The Future is Medieval (2011): Novel idea, make your own album from 20 songs. Too bad only about 3 of them are good songs 2/5 (What sucks about Kaiser Chiefs is that their 1st album was so awesome, every other one sounds as if they're as bored as I am listening to it)

Memphis May Fire - The Hollow (2011): Title of this album should be "generic metalcore album of 2011 #69". But it's still reasonably good. 3/5

Monument - Sweat Pants Fever (2011): An excellent, heavier 90's style midwest-emo album. The four covers on it are just amazing 4.7/5

Panda Bear-Tomboy (2011):he must be the guy that writes the stretched out & boring Animal Collective songs. This album droned me to sleep 2/5

Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers-Rare Bird Alert (2011):the comedian makes an accessible bluegrass album with plenty of wit 4.3/5
(Who knew he was such a good banjo player?!)

Of Mice & Men - The Flood (2011): Perfect combination of really heavy music, with clean parts and just the right amount of breakdown 4.3/5

Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania (2011): lo-fi pop music, sounding as if those surf bands of last year decided to do drugs and write psychedelia 3/5

This Will Destroy - You Tunnel Blanket (2011): Cinematic instrumental post-rock that in my head is the perfect soundtrack to a thriller alien move 3.5/5

One sentence album reviews (#15)

Yoyoyo, so if you don't know by now, well... I do one sentence album reviews on my Twitter when I feel up to it. I normally build up a review list over the week and post them during the work days to keep me somewhat sane. When I build up a few, I post them all here for historical reasons.

Today saw me hit a new point, I've run out of reviews. I've been so busy lately that I've got a giant stack of CD's next to my comptuer, a stack of vinyl on my bookshelf and about 130 hours of new music queued up on my computer. So, as a consequence, it might slow up for a while. But here's the last bunch:

Lonely Island - Turtleneck & Chain (2011): A few funny songs, but mainly sounding like the Beastie Boys did 20 years ago, with bad humour 2.4/5

Saul Williams - Volcanic Sunlight (2011): 1st listen: like 2 minutes only of spoken word. Disappointed. 5th listen: a clever rap album 4/5

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (2011): They have gone slightly back in time and got their heavy back. I scarily like it 4/5

Death Grips - Ex-Military (2011): Excellent grimey rap with lots of classical rock samples that make my inner music nerd jump for joy 4.5/5

Fucked Up - David Comes To Life (2011): A departure from their hardcore to make a brilliant rock opera. May alienate old fans. 5/5

Touche Amore - Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me (2011): Hardcore that sounds like La Dispute had a musical baby with Defeater. 4.5/5

Face to Face - Laugh Now, Laugh Later (2011): This is how pop-punk should be. A lesson from the masters 4.5/5

Boy Hits Car - Stealing Fire (2011): A very American rock sound, kind of like nu metal crossed with classic Iron Maiden style vocals 3/5

Braveyoung-We Are Lonely Animals (2010): Instrumental post-rock eh? So you build up each song slowly into a drawn out crescendo? #cliche 1.5/5

Bullets in Madison - We Became Your Family When You Died (2010): starts as boring post-rock and then slowly merges into a Thom Yorke sound. 2/5

Cloud Nothings - Cloud Nothings (2011): Jangly lo-fi guitar pop. Sounds like a lot of other bands, but with more personality due to raw and rough edges 4/5 The song Heartbeat is a contender for song of the year

Crocodiles - Sleep Forever (2010): This album is from the wrong decade, it needs to be in the mid 90's new wave-era. Oh the memories 4/5

The Black Powder - The Black Powder (2008): Unclassifiable noisy-post-punk-hardcore (that's a classification I guess). The kind of band I want to be in 4/5

Ampere - Like Shadows (2011): 11 Songs, 15 Minutes of good hardcore. They exemplify short and sweet 4/5

The Antlers - Burst Apart (2011): It took me 5 listens to take it all in, as it's so quiet and unassuming. Modern elevator music maybe? 2/5

Kindest Lines - Covered In Dust (2011): A band that grew up listening to way too much of the Cure and wants to keep their spirit alive 4/5

Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See (2011): Less garage rock and more indie, there's 2 songs that channel Interpol deeply 3/5

City & Colour - Little Hell (2011): I like Alexisonfire, but I don't like Dallas' solo stuff, way too mopey. #emo 2/5

The Paper Scissors - In Loving Memory (2011): Australian band making brooding moody indie. Channeling their inner dance-goth I think 3/5

One sentence album reviews (#14)

Violent Soho - Violent Soho (2010): Excellent grunge-rock, channeling the 90s and based out of Brisbane. Noisy and funny at times too. 4/5

Emery - We Do What We Want (2011): I never know how to feel about Emery, are they hardcore or emo? This album is like the 2 sides clashing. 2/5

The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? (2011): Summery 1960's-esque twee dance music.. If they had dance music then. 3.5/5

Yellowcard - When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes (2011): Heavier than what I already know of them, I still laugh when I hear violin in 'punk' 3/5

Coolrunnings - Dracula Is Only The Beginning (2011): relaxing, ethereal, sounds of a 60's summer, all rolled into light pop music 3/5

Lemuria - Pebble (2011): Poppy indie music, with a bit of a distorted edge. Reminds me of Sonic Youth if Kim pop songs. 3/5

Alea Jacta Est - Gloria Victis (2010): Very generic French hardcore. It's basically all bad breakdowns and movie samples 1/5

The Vandals - Hitler Bad, Vandals Good (1998) - A perfect mix of comedy, politics and punk. One of my all time favourite albums 6/5

Alpinist - Lichtlaerm (2010): Dark and heavy German hardcore, bordering on black metal. The music is depressing sounding, but still good. 3.5/5

Gun Outfit - Possession Sound(2010): I hated this at first, but then realised it's just a poor man's Sonic Youth. 3/5

The Babies - The Babies (2011): Sounds the same as the Vivian Girls. Probably because it's mostly the same people, with a dude singing as well. 3.5/5

Beach Fossils - What a Pleasure (2011): More generic jangly surf-rock. #yawn #cliche #next 2/5

Adventure - Lesser Known (2011): If you were to Google the phrase "hipster electronica" this would come up. 2.5/5

My Morning Jacket - Circuital (2011): Every album gets more country, but in a weirdly good way. The Black Metal song may be song of year. 4.5/5

The United Sons of Toil - When The Revolution Comes, Everything Will Be Beautiful (2011): Whenever I hear this album, I can't help but picture them angry union protestors in the 70s 3.5/5

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011): They somehow make an album that sounds as good as Hello Nasty, but 10 years in the future. 4/5

Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math (2011): An album that grew on me. It combines some classic rock, some emo and indie in complex layers 4/5

Bon Iver - Bon Iver (2011): I still don't understand what Bon Iver are trying to do with their sound. Regardless, this is a beautiful album. 4/5

Battles - Gloss Drop (2011): With the departure of the lead man, they've lost the random and become almost symphonic. Dare I say... pop? 3/5

Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts (2011): The Sonic Youth lead singer takes his noise rock acoustic, compensating with beautiful layering 4/5

Tyler the Creator - Goblin (2011): The lead of OFWGKTA makes a solo album that sounds like a conversation with his messed up conscience. 3/5

Swingin' Utters - Here, Under Protest (2011): It's basically an album that sounds as if punk goes country 3/5

Man Overboard - The Human Highlight Reel (2011): The better end of the pop-punk spectrum. He sings a lot about when he was 15 3.5/5

Balance and Composure - Separation (2011): It sounds as if young Silverchair dropped the grunge and made an emo album. The voice is so similar. 4/5

One sentence album reviews (#13)

The Sweet Revenge - Creatures Of Routine (2010): Sounds like: A perfect crossover of Billy Talent and Alkaline Trio 4/5

Light the Fuse and Run - All Your Base Are Belong To Us (2002): noisy and punky screamo. This band summarises my current musical tastes perfectly. 4/5

Letlive - Fake History (2011): It's like Finch. Before they broke up the first time. Of course I love it. 4.5/5

Pour Habit - Got Your Back (2011): A fast and fun punk album. 4/5

ArpLine - Travel Book (2010): Sounds like: Animal Collective, with a lot less weird-ass noises 4/5

Ironhide - Create/Collapse/Repeat (2011): Such good technical metal from an awesome bunch of Brisbane dudes. Amazing production too. 4/5

Dredg - Chuckles and Mr Squeezy (2011): The band name makes me think of msludge etal, but it's cliche soft alternative rock. 2.5/5

Young Widows - In And Out Of Youth And Lightness (2011): Dark post-punk which, to me, seems to channel a hell of a lot of Nick Cave 3.5/5

Raein - Ah, As If (2011): Italian screamo. They do it even better than the French apparently. I still have no idea what they are singing 4/5

Thursday - No Devolucion (2011): it's a more ambient sound, but there's a few songs that channel the heavierside band United Nations 4/5

Between the Buried and Me - The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues EP (2011): 3 songs, 30 minutes of crazy and epic metal, including gypsy circus music. 4/5

Fires of Waco - Old Ghosts Never Sleep (2011): Local band I've seen many times, after hearing this album I finally get the At the Drive-In comparison. 4/5

Deftones - Covers (2011):Recorded over their career, this is surprising as they are beautifully crafted, not heavy covers I was expecting 3.5/5

Incubus - If Not Now, When? (2011): Softer, more like a Brandon Boyd solo album. Some songs have a 1960s Pink Floyd or Neil Young feel. 2.5/5

Jebediah - Kosciuszko (2011): For a 10 year break, these Aussie indie rockers sound like they've barelyskipped a beat. 4/5

Kvelertak - Kvelertak (2010): This Norwegian black metal/hardcore cross over almost reminds me of Refused if they sang in Norwegian. 4.5/5

TV On the Radio - Nine Types Of Light (2011): The first TOTR album where the lead singer's wavering voice doesn't annoy me. Nice indie. 3.5/5

Sum 41 - Screaming Bloody Murder (2011): Less punk and more... My Chemical Romance-esque? But not in a bad way. It's more rounded overall 3/5

Vivian Girls - Share the Joy (2011): Female indie pop, which feels as if it has just fallen into my CD player and my heart direct from 1960. 4/5

Unwritten Law - Swan (2011): It sounds like the Unwritten Law of old, but that's not a good thing. It's like a greatest hits with no hits. 2/5

Title Fight - Shed (2011): Punk with emo cross over, that I sometimes hate, but mostly just love. Feels very gritty. 4/5

Man the Change - Weather the Storm (2011): fun melodic hardcore punk. I like it, and bonus points for it being a free album. 4/5

Smoking Popes - This Is Only A Test (2011): Old/slow punk, but some great song writing. 3.5/5

Panic at the Disco - Vices & Virtue (2011): Fills a weird place between the first 2 albums. Poppy, but not the beatles sound of #2. 3.5/5

One sentence album reviews (#12)

No Joy - Ghost Blonde (2010): noisy shoegaze with beautiful sirens crooning over the top 4/5

Sun City Girls - Funeral Mariachi (2010): avant garde roots and folk music. Words I never thought would go together, yet it's bliss. 5/5

Uncommonmenfrommars - I Hate My Band (2010): fun punk from French, luckily in English though. 3.5/5

Plebeian Grandstand - How Hate Is Hard To Define (2010): chaotic hardcore, channels French anger yet slows down in all the right places 4/5

Defeater - Empty Days & Sleepless Nights (2011): Brilliant hardcore that is turned on it's head with an acoustic finish to the album 4.5/5

Dropkick Murphys - Going Out In Style (2011): 3 listens in, and it may already be my favourite celtic-punk album. Of all time. 4.5/5

Bayside - Killing Time (2011): It's like alternative rock meets pop-punk, and I scarily like it 4/5

Radiohead - The King of Limbs (2011): too much like background music to be their best, couple of ok songs makes it not their worst. Middling. 3.3/5

The Strokes - Angles (2011): Every time I've tried to listen to this album so far I've fallen asleep. 2.5/5

Akron/Family - S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT (2011): The first track had me thinking I was listening to Sleigh Bells, but luckily it became electronic-folk 4/5

Protest the Hero - Scurrilous (2011): 70's metal style vocals over some of the most technical musicianship I've ever heard 4/5

Selenites - Jeder Für Sich Und Gott Gegen Alle (2009): Wow. So the French do heavy music really awesomly apparently. 4.5/5

Forming - 7" (2010): Excellent fuzz rock EP in the style of Dinosaur Jr, yet signed to a crazy hardcore label 4/5

Boris - New Album (2011): Experimental metal band go electro J-pop... Confusing, But oh so good in a guilty pleasure way. 4/5

Rise Against - End Game (2011): Listen to this. Now listen to Siren Song of the Counterculture. 'Nuff said 2/5 #Iliketheiroldstuff

Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (2011): typical post-rock in every way possible. 2.5/5

J Mascis - Several Shades Of Why (2011): First solo album from the Dinosaur Jr lead, sounds exacly like an acoustic Dinosaur Jr album. 3.5/5

Shigeto - Full Circle (2010): quiet ambient electronica that paints some beautiful soundscapes 4.5/5

Deafheaven - Road to Judah (2011): 4 songs, 40 minutes of dark, dark black metal. Dark like my soul. 4/5

Peter Broderick - How They Are (2010): unassuming, sombre and beautiful piano led singer-songwriter, who's normally a violinist. 4.5/5

Supermachiner - Rust (2009): Listen to this instrumental scenery. Then listen to his full-time band, Converge. Is it really that different? 4.5/5

Calories - Basic Nature (2010): Every song on this album sounds different, like an homage to each subgenre of indie over the last decade. 3.5/5

Frank (Just Frank) - The Brutal Wave (2010): A bunch of French dudes who never left the 80's and nu-wave and post-punk behind 4/5

One sentence album reviews (#11)

I do these reviews on Twitter during the day sometimes. Find me here @moshpitson.

Lower Dens - Twin-Hand Movement (2010): Moody post-punk with a female singer means I am less likely to bedpressed while listening 3.5/5

Mark McGuire - Living With Yourself (2010): Beautiful ambient guitar-based music, reminds me a lot of some slower Buckethead stuff. 4/5

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Tao of the Dead (2011): Not quite as noisy as past, but a return of form for this unclassifiable band. 4/5

Architects - Here and Now (2011): A bit softer from them; as such I now refer to them as "Britain's Alexisonfire" 3/5

Bright Eyes - The People's Key (2011): It is beautiful, but there's something about Conor's voice that just doesn't seem to cut it. 3.5/5

Cold War Kids - Mine Is Yours (2011): As always, the Kids deliver an album of relaxed indie; although it seems to be more stripped back than previous releases. 3.5/5

Destroyer - Kaputt (2010): Laid back rock from my favourite, albeit part-time, member of the New Pornographers. 4/5

Everyone Everywhere - The Rookie (2011): This is not the emo band of awesome. However, it is the debut of a pop-punk band of fairly good. 3.5/5

Iron and Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean (2011): I only knew him for his acoustic stuff, this is great band-backed folk. Even a bit jazzy 4/5

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - White Lunar (2009): a collection of cinematic scores from classic garage-rockers is surprising and gorgeous 4.5/5

Social Distortion - Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes (2011): More country than punk, but I guess that happens after a few decades 3/5

Scott & Charlene's Wedding - Paravista Social Club (2010): this album continues a grand tradition of excellent Australian garage rock 4.5/5

Yuck - ST (2011): It's awesome lo-fi fuzz, as if Dinosaur Jr mated with Sonic Youth

and their child dated the Japandroids. 4.5/5

The Methadones - ST (2010): I wouldn't exactly call this punk. It's very slow if it is. 2/5

Toro y Moi - Underneath the Pine (2010): I think I finally figured out what chillwave is, thanks to this album: modern elevator music 2/5

No Joy - Ghost Blonde (2010): noisy shoegaze with beautiful sirens crooning over the top 4/5

One sentence album reviews (#10)

Electric Wizard - Black Masses (2010): Imagine Black Sabbath smoking a hell of a lot more pot. 4/5

Eternal Summers - Silver (2010): dreamy, jangly lo-fi. Honestly thought it sounded like it was from 10 years ago. 3/5

Forever The Fallen - Narrations (2010): Why do I keep listening to post-hardcore?! I hate 95% of it. At least this one has no electronica 1/5

Midi & the Modern Dance - Make it Easy on Yourself (2010): quiet jangly guitar indie, with a hint of 90s emo influence 3.5/5

Magic Man - Real Life Color (2010): quiet synth-pop indie. Very cheerful. 4/5

Former Ghosts - New Love (2010): Imagine Joy Division doing moody electronica. This is that. 3.5/5

Grids - Kansas (2010): A brutal noise-rock assault by a band that sounds like they listen to a lot of Cursed. 4/5

Hellogoodbye - Would it Kill You (2010): The last time I listened to these guys they were bad electo-pop-punk; now 60's inspired pop. 3.5/5

Ill Niño - Dead World (2010): Old nu-metal band embraces the regular metal sound; highlight: Smashing Pumpkins metal cover 2.5/5

Jim Bryson & The Weakerthans - The Falcon Lake Incident (2010): My new favourite folk-rock supergroup (sorry Travelling Wilburys) 4/5

John Steel Singers - Tangalooma (2010): Excellent local pop, that channels big band music through their use of horns 4/5

Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager (2010): Can someone tell me why there is not more beautifully crafted hip-hop like this? 4.5/5

Killing the Dream - Lucky Me (2010): Very fast hardcore punk with gravelly vocals, like Comeback Kid where the vocalist has a cigarette habit 3.5/5

The Aquabats - Hi-Five Soup! (2011): It's fun, but after time every song is starting to sound the same and the novelty is becoming thin 3/5

Casey Jones - I Hope We're Not the Last (2011): Excellent hardcore album. But really, listen to it for the intro to the song Butt-Hash. 4/5

The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules (2011): It's much heavier than their classic emo sound and may alienate old diehard fans, but not me 4.5/5

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (2011): I wish every post-rock album was like this, not just droning & dreary guitars. 4.5/5

The United Sons of Toil - Until Lions Have Their Historians, Tales Of The Hunt Shall Always Glorify The Hunter (2008): this is what happens when 90s-midwest-emo-loving kids grow up, get angry and discover feedback and distortion. 4/5

Lack - Saturate Every Atom (2008): My review of this indie-punk-hardcore band is moot as the first lyric is "behead all the screamo kids" 4/5

One sentence album reviews (#9)

Due to the floods this went on the backburner, but I'm slowly bringing it back on my Twitter.

Bad Books - ST (2010): Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine crossover for sweet indie-folk. 4/5

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today (2010): experimental lo-fi pop music doesn't really sound that good to me 2/5

1905 - Voice (2002): Female lead noise rock/screamo. It's currently one my favourite genres and I love this album. 4.5/5

Make Do and Mend - End Measured Mile (2010): This album can probably be the new yardstick for the orgcore genre 4/5

Gorillaz - The Fall (2010): Not bad for free and recorded on an iPad, especially love the almost cinematic instrumentals at the end 3.5/5

A Day to Remember - What Separates Me From You (2010): The idea of a pop-punk/metalcore crossover scares me, but I'll admit this album isn't horrible. 3/5

Anchors - Bad JuJu (2010): good, fast, melodic hardcore punk from Melbourne. Sound better on album than their last live show I caught 3/5

Athletics - Why Aren't I Home? (2010): Ambient post-rock that sounds more like midwest emo. 3.5/5.

Bad Sports - ST (2009): Garage rock that sounds like it's from the prime days of the early 70s! 4/5

Church of Misery - Houses of the Unholy (2009): Japanese/southern-rock/stoner/

sludge/metal, which sounds amazing. 4.5/5

Cloud Nothings - Turning On (2009): happy, jangly guitar-pop; refreshing as it sounds nothing like that current surf rock craze 3.5/5

Colors - Palindromes (2010): this is as cliche as screamo gets. It's neither good, nor bad. It just is. 2.5/5

Burning Love - Songs for Burning Lovers (2010): The former Cursed singer goes into hardcore punk, result is like the Bronx covers Cursed. 4/5

James Blake - James Blake (2011): I always thought dubstep was supposed to be more dancy, not this awesome laid back sound 4/5

One sentence album reviews (#8)

Robert Plant - Band of Joy (2010): Led Zeppelin singer embraces his blues past for an amazing album 4.5/5

Shihad - Ignite (2010): The Kiwis have softened now, sounding more like Triple M radio filler than their anthemic hard-rock 2.5/5

You Am I - ST (2010): The more mellow Tim Rogers showed up on this album, which has more crooning than rocking. 3/5

Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer (2009): Like the Wolf Parade album, I don't like the singer, he still has his damn wavering vocals! 2.5/5

Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky (2010): Moody, dark and at times noisy. It's exactly what you want after 13 years without Swans. 4/5

The Swarm - Old Blue Eyes is Dead (1999): Early hardcore/power violence featuring guys who ended up in Cursed and Fucked Up. Great! 4/5

Tanlines - Z (2010): Dreamy dance-punk/electronica. There's no vocals, perfect study music. 3/5

Titan - Colossus (2010): An almost metal take on hardcore, with lots of long songs. Bloody brilliant 4/5

Meth, Ghost & Rae - Wu-Massacre (2010): It's like half of the Wu are back! best Wu-related release in years. 4.5/5

Trapt - No Apologies (2010): These guys sound the same as they did when I was in high school 10 years ago, maybe a bit softer. 2/5

Vestiges - The Descent Of Man (2010): Deep, doom-laden hardcore. Depresses me a little with their long, long songs. 2/5

The Wives - PvII (2010): I can find absolutely no information on this band. But they are great, moody indie. 3.4/5

You Me & Everyone We Know - Some Things Don't Wash Out (2010): fun pop-punk, with a voice that ins't as whiny as the genre standard. 2.5/5

Young Widows - Old Wounds (2008): Noisy, noisy, noisy (did I mention noisy yet?) garage rock. 4/5

Ghostface Killah - Apollo Kids (2010): Ghostface's best post-Wu album yet, in my uneducated hip-hop opinion 4.5/5

The Damned Things - Ironiclast (2010): Metal/hardcore/pop-punk guys form southern metal supergroup of goodness. 4/5

Snowing - I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted (2010): emo math-rock, which is now starting to sound very cliche: 2.5/5

Headaches - ST (2010): Local hardcore/punk band's first release, good, I think the vocals need reworking. 2.5/5

The Decemberists - The Kings is Dead (2011): They drop the epic stories and songs and successfully go back to folk. 4/5

Cee-Lo - The Lady Killer (2010): Apart from his catchy and lewd hit, this is a good album of almost old-school style RnB ballads 3.5/5

Los Capitanes - Rest for the Wicked (2010): an album that straddles ska, punk, hardcore, dub.. Not sure what it wants to do really 3/5

(hed) P.E. - Truth Rising (2010): 1999 Chuck would've loved this mix of alternative metal/hip hop. 2010 Chuck, not so much. 2/5

One sentence album reviews (#7)

As always, you can get these regularly on my Twitter.

Atlas Sound - Logos (2010): Very soft and quiet shoegaze crossed with electronica; very dream like. 2.5/5

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010): Bieber(-1), Raekwon(+2), autotune(-1), Bon Iver(+1), samples King Crimson(+1) and a "I'm gonna let you finish" joke(+1)=3/5

UNKLE - Where Did the Night Fall (2010): One track features Mark Lanegan. #swoon. Apart from that, great relaxed electronica. 4/5

Less Than Jake - TV (2010): ska covers of tv tunes, may confuse many with American TV references. Worth it for the Animaniacs theme alone. 3.5/5

Bomb the Music Industry - Adults!!!... Smart!!! Shithammered!!! And Excited By Nothing!!!!!!! (2010): As always, just fun ska-punk. Bonus point for being free. 4.5/5

Tigers jaw - Two Worlds (2010): everyone is raving about this, but I find the lead singer's voice too whiney. 2.5/5

Underoath - Disambiguation (2010): The loss of the singer/drummer has somehow steered them towards a more awesome and heavier direction. 4/5

Grinderman - 2 (2010): Dark, brooding garage rock which sounds like a culmination of Nick Cave's entire career. 3.5/5

Ben Folds and Nick Hornby - Lonely Avenue (2010): The author's lyrical contribution just makes it seem Folds is trying too damn hard 3/5

Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Rush to Relax (2010): excellent home grown garage rock; surprising number of long songs. That's not the garage rock way. 4/5

Nas & MF Doom - Nastradoomus Vols. 1 & 2 (2010): The 'best of' Doom's beats with new Nas' raps. Most of the songs aren't as good as the originals. 2.5/5

One sentence album reviews (#6)

Ólafur Arnalds - ...and they have escaped the weight of darkness (2010): modern classical music, much less brooding than his debut album, more happy 3.5/5

Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz (2010): It's as if Sufjan had a late night encounter with Animal Collective and spawned this album. 4/5

Small Black - New Chain (2010): Very relaxed lo-fi, slightly electronic album. Perfect rainy day music 3/5

Sirens - The Gates (2010): First metalcore album I've enjoyed listening to in years. Probably because there's no cliche electronica. 3.5/5

Buckethead - Spinal Clock (2010): Avant garde, almost minimalist guitar album. Half of the tracks are guitar sounding like a shamisen. 4/5

Buckethead - Captain Eo's Voyage (2010): A more sombre and somewhat dreamy instrumental guitar album than his earlier blistering shredding days. 4/5

She Likes Todd- A Story Still Untold (2010): Fun pop-punk, in a bit of a late 90s style. 2.5/5

The State Lottery - When The Night Comes (2010): Very folky punk, with lots of random instruments; just what I like. 3.5/5

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days (2010): Better than the Black Parade. Story is confusing and half the songs rip off famous riffs. 1.5/5

Terror - Keepers Of The Faith (2010): Quality hardcore album, but funny, because there's a serious hardcore love song on it. 4/5

Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History (2010): Upbeat dance indie, as if Death Cab for Cutie decided to get his groove on 4/5

The Walkmen - Lisbon (2010): The vintage-sounding indie of this album is how they should've sounded over the last 3 albums. 4.5/5

Ke$ha - Cannibal (2010): Autotune + cute girl = profit, but not good music. 1/5 (half a point is for her knowing and capturing her market)

Useless Children - EP (2008): Indie, screamo from Melbourne with a female singer. I'm in love. Reminds me of a better Young and Restless 4.5/5

The Black Pacific - The Black Pacific (2010): New band from former Pennywise lead singer stays rooted in 90s punk, sounds just like Unwritten Law. 3/5

Wolf Parade - Expo 86 (2010): I like thier music, but his wavering vocals still drive me insane on this album. 3/5

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt (2010): I've yet to see a review not compare him to a young Bob Dylan. That's why this is good. 4/5

Weezer - Death to False Metal (2010): ...Wait, they released 2 albums this year? I could've sworn it was the same album. 1.5/5

One sentence album reviews (#5)

My reviews have slowed down a bit, mainly because I'm now dedicating a huge chunk of my day to listening and watching the cricket. But since that ended in a draw today, here's some reviews!

Lantlôs - .neon (2010): German black metal that swings between crushing heaviness and soft ambience 3.5/5

Mark Ronson - Record Collection (2010): Amazing, if not downright unusual, collaborations of random artists makes for a great pop album. 4/5

Outkast - Whatubeenwaitin4 (2010): Is it an album or bootleg? Is it B-sides? All I know is it's the best Outkast release in a decade. 4/5

Neil Young - Le Noise (2010): Neil stripped back to a distorted guitar and his wavering voice. Haunting and beautiful. 5/5

Of Montreal - False Priest (2010): this album sees them get even funkier and the vocals get even more falsetto, but nicer to the ears 3.5/5

Ooga Boogas - Romance And Adventure (2008): an excellent noisy mix of Australian surf and garage rock 4/5

Russian Circles - Stations (2008): I'm waiting for the day when you can tell the difference between post-rock bands. This sounds generic. 2/5

Sea of Bones - The Harvest (2007): 3 songs, 53 minutes of such bleak doom metal that makes me want to go to Norway and burn churches 2.5/5

Phantoms - As Above, So Below (2010): Excellent hardcore-punk album release from one of my current favourite Australian bands. 4/5

My Disco - Little Joy (2010) - Minimalist band gets even more minimalistic with an album of almost pure rhythmic music. 4/5

Marnie Stern - ST (2010): Female singer/songwriter with a twist, she does math-rock: fast guitars and female vocals = yes. 4/5

The Measure [sa] - Notes (2010): reminds me of the Epoxies, but without the synthesisers and a splash more punk 3/5

One sentence album reviews (#4)

Some more album reviews from the last week or so:

From Monuments to Masses - The impossible...(2003): Noodly instrumental post-rock with way too much overdubbed political speeches. 2/5

Islands - Vapours (2009): Disappointing: they've lost their sounds of the first 2 albums and become generic indie-electro-pop. #yawn. 2/5

Kings of Leon -Come Around Sunset (2010):wasted potential; like most of my classmates that are now drug dealers or managers at Woolies. 1/5

Kerouac - Cold and Distant...(2010): Dirty, angry, hardcore and invokes violence and hatred with their music and lyrics. Yet oh so good 4/5

Forest City Lovers - Carriage (2010): Upbeat indie folk pop music, with vocals that sound a little bit like Lily Allen 3.5/5

Gayngs - Relayted (2010): Electronic folk music that is very chill and perfect for a Sunday lying around relaxing, even with a hangover. 3/5

Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill (2008): Very quiet ambient music, I actually didn't notice the album playing a few times. 2/5

Marc Houle - Drift (2010): minimalist techno; cross between nintendo music and 90s neo-gothic apocolyptic movie soundtracks. Amazing. 4.5/5

Girl Talk - All Day (2010): If nightclubs in Brisbane played this music, I'd never stop clubbing. 71 minutes of amazing mashups. 4.5/5

Grown Ups - More Songs (2010): Math rock collides with pop-punk; two guilty pleasures rolled into one. 3.5/5

Koalacaust - Koalaaust (2010): Makes me thing of old school Against Me!, less angsty but with lots more accordians. 3.5/5

Interpol - Interpol (2010): Everything they do is ultra-criticised, but I find this their darkest and most brooding album to date. 3.5/5

Jeremy Messersmith - The Reluctant Graveyard (2010): peaceful poppy folk singer-songwriter, this album is almost like lullabies. 4/5

Kylesa - Spiral Shadow (2010): Amazing sludge metal album that is not too heavy and quite accessible. 4.5/5

Magic Kids - Memphis (2010): It's as if 1960's pop-rock is reborn in an indie band (4/5)

One sentence album reviews (#3)

Here's the last few I put on Twitter:

Good Cean Fun - Between Christian Rock And A Hard Place (2006): Positive/straight edge/vegan/Christian hardcore punk; it's so much fun 4.5/5

Dear Landlord - Dream Homes (2009): Awesome & simple classic punk rock from Chicago (my favourite punk region) 4/5

Cower - Land Before Time (2010): Bluesy sludge metal has a baby with a hardcore band with a speech impediment; vocals are hard to hear 3/5

Departures - EP (2010): Excellent hardcore EP, with vocals that border on screamo/scramz (3.5/5)

Japandroids - Post-nothing (2009): simple yet noisy two piece garage rock with simple and fun lyrics and a beat that makes you move. 5/5

Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue (2009): The bastard child of a folk album and an 8 bit electronic album; Bibio swings between the two. 3/5

Big Troubles - Worry (2010): Two of my favourite things: lots of fuzzy guitars and lots of fuzzy vocals; channeling My Bloody Valentine 4/5

Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (2010): It's as if Bruce Springsteen hit the drugs and formed an indie garage rock band tinged with country. 4.5/5

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (2010): Lo-fi shoegaze that just spaces you out as you get lost in the music; could not stay awake at work. 3/5

Everything Everything - Man Alive (2010): Vocals and pop-stylings of Coldplay get a bit more indie with a splash of Radiohead. 3.5/5

Gin Blossoms - No Chocolate Cake (2010): The 90's called, they want this album and this band back. It's at least 15 years too late. 1.5/5