October 29, 2007

TEGAN AND SARA are no strangers to labels-they’ve been dealing with a variety of them their entire lives. But on their latest album, they’re letting the music do all the talking, hoping to encourage others to do the same. Story: Rachel Lux Photos: Roberto Chamorro Tegan and Sara Quin are many things-some more...

Whether they’re walking away from great opportunities or stamping some new character on the veneer of death metal, it’s all in a day’s work for the members of JOB FOR A COWBOY. Story by Amy Sciarretto Photos: Tim Harmon “We don’t get it at all,” says Job For A Cowboy vocalist Jonny Davy...

After agreeing to a reality-show-styled publicity stunt, the members of CARTEL endured the kind of widespread criticism that would make just about anybody go crazy. But after emerging from The Bubble with an album they’re confident in calling their best yet, the Georgia-bred pop-rockers are ready to silence their critics the only way they know...

We last left AGAINST ME! two years ago with a career-best, fan-dividing concept album about the perils of signing to a major label. Then the band actually signed to a major label. Fortunately, the only selling-out going on is at the venues they play. Story: Scott Heisel Photos: Myriam Santos-Kayda In...

Yellowcard Paper Walls [3/5] Newsflash: Yellowcard play cookie-cutter pop-punk that is nearly indistinguishable from any dozen other bands in the genre. The gimmicky violin buried almost inaudibly in every mix notwithstanding, there’s little to set them apart. Except, of course, that 1) they sort of built that cookie cutter; and 2) they can’t...

The Wednesday Night Heroes Guilty Pleasures [3.5/5] Edmonton, Alberta, Canada’s punk revivalists the Wednesday Night Heroes deliver a bracing, nitro-juiced third album with Guilty Peasures, handling the high-throttle hardcore rhythms with a steady hand; leaning into the chunky, shout-along choruses; and blasting through the straightaways with the revolutionary zeal of children weaned on...

The Saint Alvia Cartel The Saint Alvia Cartel [4/5] So we liked A Poet’s Life, Mr. Rancid’s first solo-and primarily ska/reggae-album, which reminded us we love this punk-flavored spin on the roots and island sound. But sorry, it wasn’t the kind of pioneering work found on the refreshingly non-punk punk self-titled release of...

Reel Big Fish Monkeys For Nothin’ And The Chimps For Free [1.5/5] "Ska band member" hasn’t been an easy career choice, since, oh, 1996. But that hasn’t stopped these Orange County horn-blowers from releasing an album every few years-becoming more and more disgruntled at the process along the way. The band’s sixth record...

Joe Shithead Keithley Band Of Rebels [3/5] One thing’s certain after hearing Band Of Rebels’ first couple tracks: the indefatigable Joey Shithead is still a wild man. It’s obvious he’s having a ball as horns blare on the upbeat “Rebel Kind” and while wielding his finest Jamaican accent on the Caribbean-flavored “Bust Me...