May 22, 2006

T. Duggins Undone [3/5] You can tell from his solo debut’s a cappella opener, “I Wish I Was Back In Liverpool,” that the Tossers’ Tony Duggins seems to be taking the disc’s title literally: Undone indeed sounds just that, with the songs’ homespun feel finding good company in Duggins’ raw, throaty delivery. Throughout this set...

The Class Of 98 Touch This And Die [2/5] There are countless ways to reference the classic sound of late-’90s emo, and yet the Class Of 98, like so many of their peers, go for the most obvious choice on their debut. Touch This And Die is 12 consistently mid-paced emo-pop tracks that take Jimmy...

Exene Cervenka & The Original Sinners Sev7en [3/5] Even though her seminal band X stopped writing original material in 1993, Exene Cervenka hasn’t stopped making music, and her distinctive voice as a solo artist has been both a blessing and a curse. If you’ve never heard X, you might think she’s got a coy, playful...

Bracket Requiem [4/5] On their first studio album in six years, Bracket show, to tremendous effect, how well they’ve honed their signature sound. Requiem is a charming, hypnotic disc that finds the 14-year-old California quartet running the gamut of their aesthetic–from bubblegum pop to high-quality skate-punk to a lone, full-on heavy composition (the fabulous “Warren’s...

Bigwig Reclamation [4/5] Half a decade has passed since Bigwig’s last full-length, 2001’s An Invitation To Tragedy, but judging from the fiery performance on Reclamation, it’s been time well spent. Sounding as hungry as ever despite their 11 years in the game, the New Jersey quartet come roaring out of the gates from the first...

The Sounds Dying To Say This To You [3/5] The all-star team of producers behind the Sounds’ second album–an ex-Smashing Pumpkin, the guy who gussied up the Killers and a Fountains Of Wayne hook guru-likely explains why Dying sounds like such a slick effort. Although the Swedish band maintain the sneering punk attitude (and arena-sized...

Oceansize Everyone Into Position [3/5] In case you haven’t heard, Oceansize really love Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath. In fact, their love runs so deep that, instead of building upon the genius that was their debut, Effloresce, they chose mostly just to imitate their idols on Everyone Into Position. Yes, the album is as depressing...

Nine Black Alps Everything Is [3/5] Manchester’s Nine Black Alps wear their influences–Nirvana and Foo Fighters, mostly–on the front of their amp grills. But unlike the legion of faceless pretenders to King Cobain’s throne, 9BA have a sense of urgency that should appeal both to Anglophiles and to punk scenesters who also inexplicably like Oasis....

Mudhoney Under A Billion Suns [4/5] Mudhoney have been around for so long that at this point we should be hearing “Touch Me I’m Sick” on classic-rock radio between Mountain and Bad Company. And while the band’s erratic psychedelic squalls are at least partially responsible for whiny stoners like Nebula and Fu Manchu, their blaring...