First quick time through this sounds samey but good. Usually the sound of a solid grower. Hope this even comes close to Let Go.

aaaand we have a winner.

Worst RIYL ever.
It sounds like someone accidentally broke open a time capsule
full of concentrated shit from 1996.

Another turd from Samson/ the Weakerthans.
Cringeworthy lyrics.
(I get it. You're a horrible poet.)
Musically stale.
(B-sides off of Reconstruction Site).
Fuck hockey. Fuck your cat. Fuck this regurgitated piece of shit.

nothing new here, folks.

Oh, please correct it for me in a way other than shit capsule.

Sorry. That would require me to re-D/L and think more about it. It is not time well spent. Very similar to commercial hard rock radio from 1996.

I think time capsule full of concentrated shit from 1996 is a way more apt description.

Fair enough. I'm gonna throw Helmet in as an RIYL as well. Any objection?

i thought helmet, too. the drums are recorded so horribly on this. i hope they clean that up in the future.

Helmet used to be my favorite band when I was 12. This does not compare at all to Helmet. But if you must....

Hey, someone who doesn't like the Weakerthans continues not to like them. Nice contribution! It's like a bizzaro me!

I like the Weakerthans.
Except Reunion Tour was forgettable.
And Samson solo work is even more.
This most recent album sounds like someone not trying very hard given their back catalogue.
Maybe he's just run out of ideas since several of these songs sound almost identical to those on past records; and the the lyrical "poetic" garbage is, as described, tired and cringeworthy.

I thought the last Propagandhi record showed that the band can still put out a solid rockin' record without this pussy who was supposed to be the backbone of the band.

the last Propagandhi album kicked ass, though I always thought of that band as Chris Hannah's baby, not Samson.

Well there was something missing from the albums after Samson left. And Samson apparently played a large part in the band. The most recent Propagandhi record was the only record I kept returning to since his departure.

i suppose so. On the one hand Less Talk More Rock is the best of both worlds. On the other, looking at the direction each band went after the split, perhaps they were holding each other back.

Maybe, but this new Samson record sounds like he just wants to buy a new pair of CCMs. Those things are $600.

Machinedrum - SXLND EP - 2012



Luckyme bring the best out of Travis Stewart on his 2nd Machinedrum single for the Glasgow institution. Following his scorching 'Alarma' 12", the 'SXLND EP' comes with a slightly more refined, sexier sound running classic Chicago, Italo and current UK sounds to his exacting specifications. The tracks were originally written in 2010, around the time of his 'Many Faces' EP, but have been recently re-engineered for 2012 'floors. He comes with deeply infectious, futurist R&B tribalism on the title track, all snagging vocal hooks and bashy drums with a sweeter tilt, while 'No Respect' sounds like a more optimised, heavyweight version of his Sepalcure sound. Our percy has to be the barking, Italo-sampling 'Van Vogue': a dance-owning swinger with cruising sub strafes and super-glossy arpeggios, but then again the stylish House grover 'DDD' is another strong contender. Ach, it's all good!

Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions - 2012



1. Sacrilegious
2. 2 Raw Ft. Jay Rock
3. Oxy Music
4. My Hatin' Joint
5. How We Feeling
6. Druggys Wit Hoes Again Ft. Ab-Soul
7. NigHtmare On Figg St.
8. THere He Go
9. My Homie
10. Hands On THe WHeel Ft. A$AP Rocky
11. Gangsta In Designer (No Concept)
12. Groovline Pt. 1 Ft. Dom Kennedy
13. Tookie Knows (Interlude)

Porcelain Raft - Strange Weekend - 2012



Home studio recordings can be quite charming: the notion of a man left alone with his creativity, manipulating divergent sounds without restrictions. But with that independence comes a possible downside. The drums may be a little off. Or there’s a persistent hiss you just can’t ignore. Perhaps the mix is somewhat dim. Still, the freedom of making music in the basement works for an artist like Mauro Remiddi, a former member of the band Sunny Day Sets Fire, now recording under the name Porcelain Raft. His brand of fidgety synth-pop sits somewhere between 1990s George Michael and M83: a stomping display of inaudible vocals and restless rhythms.

On his proper solo debut, Strange Weekend, Remiddi builds upon the foundation of his independently released Porcelain Raft work; except this recording, captured in a New York basement, is glossier and more focused than his previous collections. Just five months ago, the Fountain’s Head EP provided a brief glimpse into his withdrawn shoegazing aesthetic, even if the finished product felt somewhat unfinished. On the track Everything From Your Hands, for instance, his falsetto shimmered – and eventually cracked – atop an acoustic guitar melody. But while that set found the artist searching for his creative voice, Strange Weekend is a streamlined affirmation benefitting from a visceral approach. Here, the Porcelain Raft sound writhes with urgency, merging an isolated side with cleaner instrumentals.

On Shapeless & Gone, for example, Remiddi sings like a veteran John Lennon over a bouncy array of echoed drum drips and muffled strings. If You Have a Wish is an airy blend of sputtering thumps, the central voice drifting softly through the melody. At certain points during this efficient 34-minute recording, Remiddi disappears into the music, his ambient voice becoming another instrument in his self-effacing dance mixture. Perhaps, though, Strange Weekend needed seamless transitions between songs, as the awkward spaces disrupt the continuity and stall this album’s momentum. Nonetheless, this is an impressive debut and a solid step toward a more realised identity. There’s something soulful in the cellar.

these guys are douchebags, this EP is much better than I thought it would be...and RIYL The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, angry hipsters that drink PBR and fuck skanky tattooed chicks

This sounds more like Betty era Helmet, when they started sucking.

Just heard that there is going to be a new Dexy's Midnight Runners album.
Gotta say that I am more excited about this than I probably should be. Still, this is a promising little teaser:

I'll admit to getting excited about this as well. For me Dexy's are the leading example of a band unfairly consigned to the one hit wonder bin despite putting out a couple really excellent albums. I figure anyone who thinks Come On Eileen was all these fellas had to offer didn't hear Let's Make This Precious or Jackie Wilson Said or many others.

I don't get the comparisons in that review, but I swear I'm hearing a channeling of Bolan more than anyone else. I've liked most of what I heard and the opener Drifting In and Out is great. Back melody reminds me of a song where the chorus goes"we are, we are, we are ..." 1980's-ish? Can't think of it now.