album review
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On Toxic Holocaust’s fourth album, the Portland band takes a leaner approach to its grimy fusion of punk and thrash metal, lowering the black metal influences that were once prominent on the band’s earlier releases. While there’s not a lot of variety to be had on this
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On the Horrors third LP, the primary colors that combined to created the band’s eccentric brand of post-punk start to fade a little bit; however, I think the move is sort of intentional. Rather than sticking to their guns, the band is moving in a decidedly psychedelic and atmospheric
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Washed Out’s debut LP definitely brings a comparative change from the project’s early EPs. I guess my issue is that the change just isn’t enough to make me wanna stick with this album over previous efforts. There are flashes of progression and ambition here and there, but
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Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar doesn’t follow the usual tough and hardened stereotypes that come with repping the California city. The guy isn’t a wimp, but he’s more interested in saying something thought-provoking than violent. Backed by some fantastic beats, that’s what every track on this new
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On Sam Baker’s Album, Samiyam pulls together some pretty great grooves and sounds. My problem is not much of it moves or develops into anything interesting. This release is more like a sampler of various atmospheres this L.A. producer can create, and that’s fine. Maybe it’ll
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On Iceage’s full-length debut, the band forges a cohesive style in raw, messy musicianship and noisy guitars. Sometimes it’s overwhelming, and sometimes it’s just catchy and loveable. But it’s always giving off some kind of strong energy or emotion–even at its most apathetic. WATCH THE
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On Bon Iver’s Bon Iver, the project opens the floodgates and welcomes in a sea of new instrumentation. Everything from clarinet to string arrangements are laced into these songs to widen the spectrum of sounds that were once so sparse four years ago on For Emma, Forever Ago. But
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On the Beck-produced Demolished Thoughts, Sonic Youth member Thurston Moore takes things down a notch for a series of acoustic songs wrapped in well-arranged violins and harps. Some tracks come off like softer versions of what might make on a Sonic Youth album, but others reveal a sweeter side of
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On the band’s sixth album, Black Lips clean up their sound with Mark Ronson at the mixing board. And even though things are coming in cleaner and clearer, the band hasn’t lost any of their energy and attitude in the process–which is what makes Black Lips records
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Considering this album’s lineup change, its group of new guest singers, Gloss Drop must have been a bit of a challenge for Battles. Also, don’t forget to add the fact this thing is the band’s Sophomore LP, which comes after a highly praised first album. If this
