May 22, 2008

Pedro You, Me & Everyone [4/5] Pedro (a.k.a. England’s James Rutledge) counts many scene heavyweights among his fans (Thom Yorke, Danger Mouse, Kevin Shields), but chances are you haven’t heard of him. Your bad: Pedro has some seriously advanced skills. You, Me & Everyone delivers a punchier sound and more dynamic rhythms than its self-titled...

DJ A Plus Callous Realism [3/5] Under normal circumstances, it might be easy to dismiss Callous Realism as just another mix CD. However, things change when you find out the DJ behind the collection is 15 years old. Still in high school, DJ A Plus has not only won over audiences at the prestigious DMC...

Within Chaos Virulent [2.5/5] There are no surprises to be heard on Within Chaos’s Virulent. However, that shouldn’t dissuade you from buying and listening to it because originality’s not what this band’s about. They almost seem to be in a contest with Throwdown to see who can sound more like Pantera (a contest Throwdown are...

Under Pressure Black Bile [3/5] Under Pressure’s Black Bile is a pure blast of burly ’80s hardcore, pulling from tried-and-true influences like Negative Approach and Poison Idea. It’s a hard, fast and rocking formula that sometimes brings to mind fellow Canucks Fucked Up (although less dynamic and more economical with song lengths). When the band...

Tusk The Resisting Dreamer [3.5/5] Tusk are better than Pelican. That’s a weird statement to make, given the bands are basically the same (three-fourths of Pelican are also in Tusk), but the music they make is much more vibrant and alive here than within the context of their more recognized project. The presence of vocals...

S.S.S.P. For Life [3/5] Mike DeLorenzo and Vinnie Value are veritable NYHC veterans, with resumes including Warzone, Kill Your Idols and a couple other peacefully named acts. But S.S.S.P. (short for Skinheads Still Scare People) aim to inject their fluid display of hardcore prowess with the pride and unity of Oi!. “Jimmy” could certainly ruffle...

Om Pilgrimage [3/5] It took three albums and change, but finally, Om fans won’t listen to Pilgrimage and reminisce about Sleep (who spawned both Om and High On Fire), while imagining Matt Pike’s guitar raining feedback over the proceedings. Om lock in the tempo somewhere between “tortoise” and “elderly driver” and never waver. In some...

Dysrhythmia/Rothko Fractures [4/5] Dysrhythmia’s half of this split release, “Earthquake,” is a song that acts as a trailer to the eight years of the instrumental band’s existence. All the elements that perk up the ears and fingers of shredheads (as well as the not-so-musically astute quiver in frustration and boredom) are present and accounted for....

Ahleuchatistas Even In The Midst… [4/5] It might be somewhat inaccurate to compare this avant-punk power-trio to everyone’s favorite epic instrumentalists, but Ahleuchatistas and Explosions In The Sky may have more in common than a cursory listen to Even In The Midst… might suggest. Sonically similar to Explosions’ debut full-length, How Strange, Innocence, Midst possesses...