Joy Division The Complete BBC Recordings Strange Fruit By: Eric G.
What's left to say? By turning the mirror onto itself, Joy Division led punk out of its socio-political rut and into the realm of personal disaster and the art of falling apart. It all happened so fast. Joy Division [...]

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Photon Band Oh, The Sweet, Sweet Changes Darla By: Eric G.
When bands cover such a small, predetermined niche, particularly one that has been beaten into our subconscious for so long, it’s hard to appreciate the subtleties and nuances without immediately referencing other bands. The Photon Band doesn’t seem to care. [...]

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Cinerama Disco Volante Manifesto By: Eric G.
Is the fact that Cinerama’s second album shares the same name as the second Mr. Bungle album a coincidence or a tribute? Surely, it’s the former because I can hardly imagine David Gedge, worldly musician that he is, rocking out to unpredictable punk/metal/funk fusion. [...]

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National Skyline Exit Now File 13 By: Eric G.
A few seconds after pressing 'play' I had to double check to make sure that I had put the right disc in the player because I could have sworn this was the Foo Fighters, but, sure enough, it's the new National Skyline EP. [...]

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Mojave 3 Excuses For Travellers Beggars Banquet / 4ad By: Eric G.
Wresting the beauty from its flawed second album, Out Of Tune, Mojave 3 returns with a gorgeous batch of heart-soaked, minor-keyed, country-ish tunes that honor Nick Drake as much as Gram Parsons. Neil Halstead sings with a dreamy sigh of [...]

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Bjork Selmasongs Elektra By: Eric G.
Can Bjork make a musical watchable or, in this case, listenable? That all depends on your stance on Bjork (and musicals, I guess- actually, I’ll just assume we all hate musicals). Do you soak up Bjork’s affected and stuttered Icelandic drawl or do you find [...]

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Madonna Music Maverick / Warner Bros. By: Eric G.
She’s already proven that she can wrap herself in (almost) any package and the public will eat it up. Madonna plays the press better than any pop star, actor, or politician. She’s claimed from the beginning that all she’s ever really wanted [...]

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Radiohead Kid A Capitol By: Eric G.
Kid A challenges the idea that electronic music will never be as emotional as guitar music. Does it succeed? Well, yes and no, but either way it's going to be the blueprint for bands that continue the assimilation of rock and electronics. Take [...]

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Soul Junk 1956 5 Minute Walk By: Eric G.
When Glen Galaxy (a.k.a. Galaxalag) left Truman’s Water to start a band devoted to Jesus I just thought he was going through some kind of drug-induced, post-euphoric haze. Six albums later, I guess it’s safe to say the “born again” thing isn’t a [...]

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Chris Knox Beat Thirsty Ear By: John McFadden
Chris Knox is an anomaly. While that may be easy to say for most artists whose career spans decades but barely leaves a blip on the radar screen- for Chris Knox it’s warranted. His prolific output on New Zealand’s legendary Flying Nun label rivals that [...]

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The Jealous Sound S/T Better Looking Records By: Eric G.
Unfortunately, The Jealous Sound lets all the air out of its tires before it tries to ride anywhere. I’m so sick of fey posturing in so-called “punk” music. Is it to get laid? Is it to get on MTV? [...]

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Guyana Punch Line Irritainment For The Masses 7inch X-mist By: Eric G.
Guyana Punch Line follows up its brutal debut LP, Maximum Smashism, with this jarring 7" on Germany's X-Mist label. The band continues to balance a searing wall of noise with snatches of melody, thanks to former Antischism guitarist Kevin Byrd. [...]

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Dennis Lyxzen: Interview The Voice Of The (international) Noise Conspiracy And Ex-refused Frontman Dennis Lyxzen Talks Music, Politics, And Revolution Burning Heart / Epitaph By: Eric G.
Drawer B: With Refused your lyrics packed as much punch as your delivery, but with The (International) Noise Conspiracy you have to refine your bark into [...]

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90 Day Men It (is) It) Critical Band Southern By: Eric G.
At first you think "oh, Jesus, not another Chicago-based band of wank-officers trying to pull that whole U.S. Maple bullshit on me again", but further listening shuts your fat mouth before you utter something like that out loud. 90 Day [...]

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The Black Heart Procession Three Touch And Go By: Eric G.
The Black Heart Procession has cemented its place in the hall of doom over the course of its past three records with a dramatic blend of country, blues, and heart-wrenching soul mining. Each song is a slow journey to the center [...]

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The Clientele A Fading Summer EP March By: Eric G.
A Fading Summer is the perfect title for The Clientele’s debut American EP. The Clientele’s shimmering 1960’s-style pop has a dark undercurrent, but it’s so restrained that you just sit mesmerized by the reverb-drenched melodies. The vocals are heavily accented, enveloping [...]

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Sunday's Best Poised To Break Polyvinyl By: Eric G.
This is the type of record that your girlfriend will steal within one week of your purchasing it, and you probably won't even care. Sunday's Best sounds a tad too earnest and sensitive for those who like their rock on the abrasive side. [...]

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Trans Am Red Line Thrill Jockey By: Eric G.
Each record by Trans Am over the past five years has been a progression until Red Line. With twenty-one songs of self-referential indulgence, the band barely even steps outside of the parameters of its previous output on its fifth album. This is [...]

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The 6ths Hyacinths And Thistles Merge By: Eric G.
It's hard to hear these songs without Stephin Merritt's baritone droning alongside. His lyrics, equal parts sentimentality and acerbic wit, draw as much attention to themselves as his tinny arrangements do, and his voice seems inextricably bound to their performances. The 6ths [...]

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Radio 4 The New Song And Dance Gern Blandsten By: Eric G.
Bored by the cliquish and self-indulgent path of modern punk rock, Radio 4 rejects such trappings by turning back the calendar to 1979 when bands like The Clash, Gang Of Four, Wire, and The Fall were writing the book of fiery [...]

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