review

A Lot Like Birds DIVISI FILE UNDER: Something Different Returns ROCKS LIKE: The Receiving End Of Sirens, HRVRD, Tides Of Man WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Yes, vocalist Kurt Travis is out of the picture, and the band’s sound has shifted. But DIVISI deserves its own conversation: A Lot Like Birds’ fourth album chases that atmospheric progressive/post-hardcore sound […]

Jimmy Urine The Secret Cinematic Sounds Of Jimmy Urine FILE UNDER: Synthesizers With Attitude ROCKS LIKE: Gatekeeper, John Carpenter, Justice WHAT’S DIFFERENT: As ringleader of Mindless Self Indulgence, Jimmy Urine kept things jittery and furious in a way that appealed to drum-and-bass enthusiasts and industrial-rock rivetheads. On this mostly instrumental solo offering, he explores more […]

Terror The Walls Will Fall EP FILE UNDER: Hardcore Groove ROCKS LIKE: Stick To Your Guns, Hundredth, Bane WHAT'S DIFFERENT: The Walls Will Fall adds a chug-tastic flair to Terror’s classic hardcore sound with guitar riffs reminiscent of Pantera’s golden age. Tracks like “Balance The Odds” and “No Love Lost” dip cautiously into the metal […]

Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles Police Department FILE UNDER: Beefed-up bedroom pop ROCKS LIKE: Elliott Smith, Daniel Johnston, Grizzly Bear WHAT'S DIFFERENT: The sense of intimacy and the country-tinged aesthetic survive from LA songwriter Ryan Pollie’s 2014 debut, which produced the left-field hit “She Came Through (Again).” But this eponymous follow-up wisely turns its […]

The Dirty Nil Minimum R&B FILE UNDER: Bubble-grunge ROCKS LIKE: SWMRS, WAVVES, Partybaby WHAT’S DIFFERENT: Minimum R&B is a compilation of deep tracks from this Canadian trio’s illustrious catalogue of EPs and singles. Brandishing noise with crass emotion and a grounding simper, the Dirty Nil write songs that show off their diverse abilities and dynamic […]

New Found Glory Makes Me Sick FILE UNDER: Pop-punk icons ROCKS LIKE: All Time Low, State Champs, Waterparks WHAT’S DIFFERENT: NFG’s ninth LP is a decidedly more robust affair than 2014’s Resurrection. Rhythm guitar makes a reappearance after a brief, one-album departure, and the sound is rounded out even more with an abundance of ’80s-leaning […]

Have Mercy Make The Best Of It FILE UNDER: Alt-rock emo ROCKS LIKE: Jimmy Eat World, the Early November, I Am The Avalanche WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Have Mercy’s growth seems subtle at first glance on their third full-length, but further listening exposes the maturation and darker shades of their melodic, emo-leaning alt-rock. Their aching, observant lyrics […]

Here Lies Man Here Lies Man FILE UNDER: Afro-Latin Acid Funk ROCKS LIKE: Brownout, Antibalas, Funkadelic WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Guitarist/vocalist Marcos Garcia (of Brooklyn-based Afrobeat ensemble Antibalas) is exploring heavy acid funk with this new project. Fuzzed-out guitar and organ riffs thick as a mud-coated shag carpet lay on top of complex polyrhythms that’ll readjust your […]

Wear Your Wounds WYW FILE UNDER: Depressive Art-Rock ROCKS LIKE: Neurosis, Swans, Pink Floyd WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Wear Your Wounds is Converge frontman Jake Bannon’s new project. The songs started out as lo-fi home recordings, but have been filled out by Converge’s Kurt Ballou, the Red Chord’s Mike McKenzie, Trap Them’s Chris Maggio and Hatebreed’s F. […]

K.Flay Every Where Is Some Where FILE UNDER: Pop, politics, power ROCKS LIKE: Santigold, MC Lars, Lizzo WHAT'S DIFFERENT: In our Spotified world, the hard-to-classify genre-bending that used to bedevil artists like K. Flay (aka Kristine Flaherty) has now become an asset. Every Where Is Some Where is a suitably expansive title for an album […]

Falling In Reverse Coming Home FILE UNDER: Turning Over A New Leaf ROCKS LIKE: Blink-182, Dangerkids, Anberlin WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Falling In Reverse’s previous records have travelled every corner of the music map. With Coming Home, the band seem to have calmed down and centered themselves a bit more. This record is heartfelt and genuine, compared […]

The Smith Street Band More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me FILE UNDER: Modern melodic punk ROCKS LIKE: Against Me!, Billy Bragg, the Flatliners WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Not much, honestly, but it doesn’t matter. Though they’ve rubbed shoulders with rambling, modern emo wordsmiths (cf. the Front Bottoms, Modern Baseball), the Smith Street Band ride […]

The Maine Lovely, Little, Lonely OUR PICK: “How Do You Feel?” After five albums and nearly twice as many EPs full of left turns sharp enough to keep the band’s reverent fans on the edges of their seats without shaking them loose, Lovely, Little, Lonely marks the point where everything comes together for the Maine. […]

Wire Silver/Lead FILE UNDER: Post-punk promise made manifest ROCKS LIKE: Beach House, Interpol, the Chameleons WHAT’S DIFFERENT: The creative hot streak that these post-punk pioneers have been on since reuniting in the new millennium continues. With 2012 addition Matthew Simms now comfortably ensconced in the lineup as lead guitarist, Wire feel free to stretch out […]

Mastodon Emperor Of Sand FILE UNDER: Trailblazing Prog-metal ROCKS LIKE: Atheist, the Mars Volta, ZZ Top WHAT'S DIFFERENT: There is only one band who can go from extreme metal to classic rock and somehow make it sound seamless and that band is Mastodon. On “Steambreather,” they show a wildly increased confidence exploring their classic-rock sensibilities […]

HalfNoise The Velvet Face EP If you’re looking for a throwback that feels fresh, then HalfNoise have you covered with their latest EP full of groovy vibes you’d expect from a band thriving in the ‘60s. The creative vehicle for Paramore drummer Zac Farro, HalfNoise’s first few releases (2012’s self-titled EP and 2014’s Volcano Crowe) […]

Creeper Eternity, In Your Arms ROCKS LIKE: My Chemical Romance, NOFX, Alkaline Trio WHAT'S DIFFERENT: How many punk bands out there loosely base their releases around Peter Pan? This quirky and imaginative aspect of the band is what makes Creeper stand tall as perhaps the greatest punk band in recent years. Their first two EPs, […]

Sorority Noise You’re Not As _____ As You Think… FILE UNDER: End of the world blues ROCKS LIKE: Manchester Orchestra, Modest Mouse, Death Cab For Cutie WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Sorority Noise have really looked to expand their sound with this follow-up to 2015’s acclaimed second album Joy, Departed. Like that record, this one traverses the dark […]

The Obsessives The Obsessives FILE UNDER: Best-Bud Power Pop ROCKS LIKE: Pavement, Modern Baseball, Weezer WHAT'S DIFFERENT: The Obsessives were born out of friendship: BFFs Nick Bairatchnyi and Jackson Mansfield were two 15-year-olds attempting to craft complicated blues-rock. Two years later, they found a comfortable home in emo, releasing their 2015 debut Heck No, Nancy, […]

Obituary Obituary FILE UNDER: Swamp Death ROCKS LIKE: Cannibal Corpse, Bolt Thrower, Autopsy WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Obituary’s doomy, swamp-water-logged brand of death metal has always been as much about groove as grind. John Tardy’s unhinged vocals and his brother Donald’s thunderous, jackhammer drumming are bolstered by face-punching guitars and deep, gut-churning bass. There’s plenty of down-tuned […]