Sybris
Into The Trees
Absolutely Kosher Records
7/10
As I started to listen to Chicago’s Syrbis, I was thinking, fuck, not another singer songwriter. Go get yourself on a One Tree Hill episode and get out of my face. But, as I listened to it while reading the news, I realized that, son of a bitch, I like it. Now, I could say that the drumming is this adjective or that adjective, combined with some other -ism, but that really wouldn’t give you anything to go on, would it. For example, Pitchfork, whose little …

Yamaha Dealer show – NAMM show 08
Disney’s California Adventure
Fuck Yea.
So, as I ran around with Racket’s new Techno-Guru, Patrick, getting massive amounts of free shit, he asks me if I was going to the Yamaha Dealer show after NAMM. I had no idea what he was talking about, so we headed over to Yamaha’s massive display and I haggled my way into a pair of tickets. Now, the show was not one I was particularly stoked about, but I was stoked about carpooling, so I went. Jon Anderson of Yes …

Our Last Night
The Ghosts Among Us
Epitaph
3.00/10.00
Our Last Ghost…what the hell do I even say about this album? I just really can’t suggest enough that these boys look into other professions.
While the instrumentation isn’t particuarly offensive (the drummer incurred all of the score I gave this album on his own.) it’s
everything else.
They have a dual vocalist thing going on. The off-key melody, and the designated yeller. Now…the designated yeller is probably the worst one of all time. The best way I can describe it is…this is what an angry dyke …

No Use For a Name
The Feel Good Record of the Year
Fat Wreck
7.00/10.00
I’ve never really been able to get into NUFAN, but “Feel Good…” is pretty quality pop-punk. It’s a little formulaic, but I guess if
it ain’t broke, make a record out of it.
If you’re curious about picking this record up, and aren’t quite convinced if theres any stand out’s then rest assured. “Sleeping Between Truck” hits home in such a basic, and primal way. “The Trumpet Player” is endearing to no end, and “Ontario” is just plain good.
Most of the …

Scotland Barr & The Slow Drags
All the Great Aviators Agree
Lenny Gumbo Hit Records
7/10
If you like some country twang with your eggs and tang in the morning, this is for you. If you like Bob Dylan, then this is also for you. Scotland Barr’s voice is very noticeably similar to Mr. Dylan’s with a subtle scratchy tone to it. They also have a huge set of balls. The first song titled “Fall Hard” starts with the lyrics “Now trees are meant for hanging.” The song turns out to be about love, …

James Haitchwai
Stolen and Borrowed
Self-Released
0/10
Sometimes, the only credit you can give to people is that they are trying. James, good try. Some things you should learn:
1) Singing
2) Not singing badly
3) How to make a sign spin like a helicopter. It really grabs the passer-by’s attention.
“Stolen and Borrowed” shouldn’t be, because it isn’t worth the trouble. Instead, steal a chicken sandwich, and borrow some ketchup, neither of which you ever have to worry about giving back. The CD contains a good split of tracks. Half are of James and his acoustic guitar, and the rest …

Amelia
A Long, Lovely List of Repairs
Slow Down Records
6/10
I had a cup of tea the other day, and it definitely wasn’t this, but I liked this anyway. I listened the whole way through without being bathed in boredom once. The vocals are very soothing, borderline eerie at points which adds some great flavor to the subtle musical background. One thing I really enjoy is the moods they are able to create musically. This isn’t your pop-punk singing about how their heart split into two pieces and with one last breathe they …

Kassin +2
Futurisimo
Luaka Bop
9/10
I hear the album name Futurisimo and I see Luaka Bop, one of them there labels that has a niche and sticks to it, I think of some weird South American House music. But nope, Luaka Bop sticks to the idea of having solid tunes, and Kassin +2 (Some producer/songwriter named Kassin and a couple of other dudes) created an album that brought together several of my housemates, each with different musical tastes. Three of us were making our house presentable for a “fancy” dinner for a friend’s …

Young Livers
New Drop Era
No idea Records
9/10
The Young Livers, and I don’t know if they will hate this statement or feel honored by it, but they are everything that At The Drive In could have been. Solid jams that make me want to thrash my body, spit venom and kick some ass for no good fuck reason. No Idea is one of the few labels that seems to keep their bands to, well, a certain genre. This is NOT a bad thing. The Motown Sound is called as such for a …

Anti-Flag – The Bright Lights of America
RCA
5/10
I have to admit, I was pretty excited about Anti-Flag’s new album Bright Lights of America. The few tracks I’d heard, coupled with the hopes that their last album, “For Blood and Empire” was just a very cruel and unorthadox practical joke, led me to my aforementioned excitement.
So out comes “Bright Lights…” and immediately one thing became apparent: they are trying to be epic as FUCK. There’s pianos, and children’s choruses, and I think I might’ve actually even detected a kitchen sink thrown in …

August Burns Red @ Take Action Tour
March 20th, Clifton Springs, NY.
Attended by Kim Worpek
I was brought to this show by a friend who happened to have an extra ticket – given the fact that while I have heard of the attending bands, I’d just never bothered to check them out – I was not particularly excited to go to the show, nor did I really expect to be all that impressed. I’ve been to a lot of hardcore metal shows, and despite the fact that I do thoroughly enjoy the …

Presidents of The United States of America
With Ludo, Pleaseeasaur
House of Blues, Anaheim
3/19/08
After the easiest entrance to the House of Blues Anaheim ever encountered, Racket’s Emperor and Patrick surveyed the crowd, an odd mix of blonde pseudo-milfs and kids who have just outgrown their scene-hair. We were just there to see PUSA, as our mid-twenties asses were stoked to finally be able to see them sing Lump. We were so stoked on the song when we were in middle school, and in a desperate attempt to regain some nostalgia, we heard …

Radiohead
In Rainbows
No Fucking Label.
 
Well, I really have to admit that the albums that get Radiohead the most pussy and dicksucking are the ones I am least impressed with. I still stand firm in my belief that OK Computer was their best. Now, when they started getting all kinds of atmospheric and trippy, I couldn’t get into it for fear of falling into a chronic depression. Though, that probably does explain why so many Radiohead fans are such little crybabies. However, In Rainbows does, I think, bridge the gap between …

Viva La Bands
Various Artists
7/10
I am so confused. Bam Margera listens to the weirdest shit. But then again, RacketMike listens to the same shit. These dudes should hang out. Between Norwegian love metal dudes the 69 Eyes, Brandon DiCamillo-led Gnarkill and non-genre ridden GWAR lies some definite hints that Margera has some deep-seeded issues. Throw in metal-core schmucks A Life Once Lost and his bro’s band CKY, and you have a decent sampler CD to get you accustomed to the weirdness that is Margera. They should totally let me make a …

Baby Elephants
Baby Elephants
7.5/10
            The only bitch I have about this sweet ass Prince Paul project is the excessive intros and segue ways between tracks. I mean, an intro and an outro is one thing, but six tracks of 30 second dialogue bits? Excessive. And I understand that you are trying to tell the story of how fucking amazing Bernie Worrell is, the dude is a keyboard virtuoso, but, well, I feel slightly ripped off by 6 of the 17 tracks being a waste of what could be Worrell’s screaming synths …

Puscifer
V is for Vagina
9/10
Holy shit, man. I always wonder why a recording artist does side projects rather than just do the new style with his regular band. Well, Maynard James Keenan cleared that the fuck up quick. While a lot of the foreboding basslines and epic instrumentations are still Tool-esque, this is not Tool. This isn’t A Perfect Circle. This is a new entity that is ballsier, more masculine. I’m not, in any way, shape or form, saying that Tool is feminine, but what I am saying is that Puscifer …