Atombomb Pocketknife Alpha Sounds Southern By: Eric G.
When you wear your influences on your sleeve as proudly as Atombombpocketknife does you had better deliver the goods or be prepared to die by faint praise. The band obviously has Sonic Youth, Blonde Redhead, Unwound, and Girls Against Boys prominently placed in its record [...]

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All About My Mother Directed By Pedro Almodovar Sony Pictures Classic By: Eric G.
Who else would pay tribute to his mother with a film about men with tits, pregnant nuns, and babies with Aids but Pedro Almodovar? All About My Mother, of course, deals with more than just the showy eccentricities of [...]

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Braid Lucky To Be Alive Glue Factory By: Eric G.
If you’re in high school and you’re not already a rap metal fan or a Goth and you have a soft spot for sensitive post-punk, then this might be your Frampton Comes Alive; otherwise, this is just another gratuitous live album (except its by [...]

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Mycomplex If We Keep Moving Cargo By: Eric G.
Mycomplex mixes pistol shot hardcore with fringe metal riffs and throaty, shouted vocals, which is nothing new under the sun, but at least it’s played here with aggression and precision. It hits harder than your typical pop punk band while still searching out melody [...]

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Knifehandchop Fighting Pig Learns Judo Tricks Irritant By: Eric G.
19 year old Billy Pollard Scarborough is Canada’s Knifehandchop, and Fighting Pig Learns Judo Tricks is his debut album recorded in mono on his parents’ PC to retain that “in-front-of-the-TV-feel.” Scarborough sifts through pop culture and junk culture with maniacal obsessiveness. Growing [...]

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Melvins The Crybaby Ipecac By: Eric G.
Following Santana’s example of recruiting famous singers to make music that is palatable for the lowest common denominator of music fan, the Melvins release the final installment of its self-proclaimed trilogy with tongue firmly planted in cheek. The Crybaby features the Melvins playing all the instruments [...]

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The The Naked Self Nothing By: Robert H.
Matt Johnson has been making albums under the moniker "The The" for over twenty years, but as Naked Self proves, he is not, and will never be, an obsolete voice in the music world. He continually weans himself from genres in which he has flourished [...]

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Sweet And Lowdown Directed By Woody Allen Sony Pictures Classics By: Eric G.
The best thing about Woody Allen is that he doesn't adhere to Hollywood conventionality, and he never has. He makes movies that interest him first, and, if they so happen to please audiences, then that's just a bonus. Sweet [...]

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Unwound/versus Split 7inch Troubleman Unlimited By: Eric G.
After months and months of rumors and pushed back release dates, the highly anticipated split from Unwound and Versus is finally here. Both bands cover songs by the long-defunct and relatively obscure New York City band Flower from its album Concrete Sky. Flower was [...]

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The 1985 Obscured By Pink Clouds Carbon By: Eric G.
With an equal parts mix of experimental British punk (Crass, Gang Of Four) and Chicago noise rock (Jesus Lizard, The Necros), The 1985 returns with its second album of schizophrenic no-wave. Divided into two parts, Obscured By Pink Clouds is an aggressive assault [...]

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From Bubblegum To Sky Me And Amy And The Two French Boys Eenie Meenie By: Eric G.
From Bubblegum To Sky is the kitschy moniker for Mario Hernandez, formerly of the pop duo Ciao Bella, and his first solo album is a kaleidoscopic blend of Beatles, Glam, New Wave, and Japanese pop. The [...]

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Boiler Room Directed By Ben Younger New Line Cinema By: Eric G.
Boiler Room may borrow heavily from its obvious influences (Glengarry Glen Ross, Wall Street), but novice director Ben Younger manages to give props to his precursors while still managing to pull off an unique twist in the cliched, high stakes New York stock [...]

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Yo La Tengo And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-out Matador By: Robert H.
If Yo La Tengo has proven anything over the years, it's that they are a band you can count on. While this means that their albums are almost never disappointments, it also means that there are very few surprises. [...]

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The Pacific Ocean Less Than The Needle, More Than The Shotgun Enchante By: Eric G.
You might think The Pacific Ocean would be all introspection and no rock with its members coming from a band like Containe, but Less Than The Needle, More Than The Shotgun features some truly astounding guitar work from ex-Versus [...]

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