Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Label Number: TAD 2214 CD
© 2002 4AD
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: various artists, doctor tigers deathless promise, 2002, flac,
August 24, 2025
Eric Hutchinson - Sounds Like This (2007)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: 460412
© 2007 Let's Break Records
Eric Hutchinson was supposed to be made a star by Madonna, or at least by her label, but after Maverick went bullet-bra-up in 2005 and Hutchinson went back to self-releasing his own albums, it turned out that all he needed was one prominent blogger on his side. After Perez Hilton waxed rhapsodic about Hutchinson's Sounds Like This on his celeb gossip blog in the summer of 2007, the Virginia-born, L.A.-based singer/songwriter suddenly shot into the digital charts. It helps immensely that Hutchinson's third album is leaps and bounds beyond his previous two, That Could've Gone Better and the live EP ...Before I Sold Out: from the frisky piano-driven opener "OK, It's Alright with Me" onwards, Sounds Like This is a well-produced, cleverly arranged, and immensely catchy batch of AAA singer/songwriter pop songs. On the live EP, "Outside Villanova" sounded like the sort of faux-reggae soft rock fluff that Rupert Holmes might have released as a follow-up to "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)," but in its full-band version, the kitsch aspects of the song are transformed into something closer to Ben Folds Five. Overall, the general air of "sensitive guy with an acoustic guitar" endemic to this brand of singer/songwriter pop is neatly balanced with a sense of playfulness and a knack for quirky arrangement choices that keep the songs from merely dissipating in the air between speakers and ears. Sounds Like This will sound great on the in-house stereo at your local Starbucks, of course, but there's more to it than that.
tags: eric hutchinson, sounds like this, 2007, flac,
Eastern Lane - The Article (2005)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Garage Rock
Label Number: RTRADCD184
© 2005 Rough Trade
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: eastern lane, the article, 2005, flac,
August 23, 2025
The Lone Ranger (Q-Tip) & Consequence - It's Yours/The Consequences (1997)
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*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: None
© 1997 Not On Label
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: the lone ranger, q tip, q-tip, consequence, its yours, the consequences, single, 1997, flac,
August 21, 2025
Bone Cellar - Lost In The Light of Day (1995)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge
Label Number: {ynh} 02
© 1995 Your Name Here Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: bone cellar, lost in the light of day, 1995, flac
50 Cent - Power of The Dollar: E.P. (2000) ☠
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*This pressing is a promotional extended play on LP
not intended for consumer sale.
This pressing contains 5 tracks total.
Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.
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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Gangsta Rap, Pop Rap
Label Number: 44 79479
☠: Selected by Lass
© 2000 Columbia Records
You can say this much for 50 Cent: The man knows how to make an
entrance. Before he released the uproariously cunning single "How to
Rob," few knew this Queens, NY, native even existed. But by naming names
and placing his own persona deep in the middle of a non-existent battle
(specifically, casting hip-hop stars as targets for 50 Cent's hardcore,
comedic robbing spree), he assured himself a place among the industry's
most illustrious performers. After all, a challenge rarely goes
unanswered in hip-hop circles and when that gauntlet is raised, the best
retaliation is a lyrical one. Thus setting the stage for his own legend
to emerge, 50 Cent recorded a powerful debut CD to prove he was no
one-hit wonder. Tracks on Power of the Dollar utilize penetrating wit
and funk-infused beats, accompanied by grand orchestrations of
commanding horns, pronounced percussion, and various string elements.
"Slow Doe" features Latin guitar grooves and "Your Life's on the Line"
conveys street life through hard, violent rhythms. Using a New York
"double-time" rap style, 50 Cent presents his verbal art as a visceral
and bold experience. But when he was shot two months before the album's
projected release, Columbia shelved the entire project and released 50
Cent from his contract.
tags: 50 cent, power of the dollar, ep, lp, vinyl, 2000, flac,
August 19, 2025
Rubyhorse - A Lifetime In One Day (1995)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: HT-CD-1001
© 1995 Horse Trade
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: rubyhorse, ruby horse, a lifetime in one day, 1995, flac,
August 16, 2025
'Til Tuesday - Everything's Different Now (1988)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: EK 44041
© 1988 Epic Records
As commercially successful as 'Til Tuesday's debut album was, the Boston band could have easily slipped into formula and continued making infectious, synth-soaked pop/rock. But instead, Tuesday continued to challenge itself and grow with each album. Everything's Different Now, the group's third and final album, lacks the immediacy of Voices Carry and is even more intimate than Welcome Home, but is every bit as rewarding. An often poignant and moving singer/composer, Aimee Mann leaves no doubt that she's coming from the heart on such introspective and personal gems as "Long Gone (Buddy)," "Why Must I," and "(Believed You Were) Lucky." Comparing something as slick as "No More Crying" to much more organic and understated offerings like "Rip in Heaven" and "J for Jules," it becomes obvious just how much Tuesday evolved in the course of three albums.
tags: til tuesday, everythings different now, everything's, 1988, flac,
August 15, 2025
Various Artists - Firestarter (1998)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: Various
Language: English, Dutch (Nederlands)
Genre: Black Metal, Death Metal
Label Number: 7900-2
© 1998 Century Black
Its title no doubt alluding to the violence and church arson permeating the Norwegian black metal scene from which many of the label's artists come, Century Black's Firestarter compilation is a handy overview of the label's roster, making a solid sampler for those new to most of the artists present. Highlights include new (in 1997) material from Emperor, Borknagar, Arcturus, Old Man's Child, and Sacramentum, plus archival material from Rotting Christ, Samael, and Tiamat, and a live track from Mayhem's 1991 pre-suicide/murder lineup.
tags: various artists, firestarter, fire starter, 1998, flac,
Bone Cellar - Now That It's All Over (1994)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge
Label Number: 00
© 1994 Your Name Here Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: bone cellar, now that its over, 1994, flac,
Ultimate Fakebook - This Will Be Laughing Week (2000 Reissue)
*Reissued in 2000 by Epic/550 Music
with a new album cover.
This pressing contains 14 tracks total.
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Power Pop
Label Number: BK 63854
© 1999-2000 Epic/550 Music
Ultimate Fakebook isn't totally glossy post-pubescent frat rock. The trio does pick up those familiar three-chord guitar licks found most popular in bands like Green Day, but they spank the punk-pop sound up a bit. This Will Be Laughing Week is 14 songs of lingering melodies and it is something listeners have all heard before in bands like Better Than Ezra and Vertical Horizon. Lead singer/guitarist Bill McShane's dizzy harmonies are undauntedly similar to late Material Issue frontman Jim Ellison. The sweet cries of wishing and dreaming for perfect love life is the same old spiel.
tags: ultimate fakebook, this will be laughing week, 1999, 2000, reissue, flac,
Howlin' Maggie - Hyde (2001)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: None
© 2001 PopFly Music
Emerging from a five-year silence, Howlin' Maggie decisively fulfills the extended promise of 1996's critically acclaimed but underappreciated Honeysuckle Strange. Founder/singer/guitarist Harold Chichester's original band incarnation and ties to Columbia slowly disintegrated while he was busy contributing his venerable musicianship to Afghan Whigs and Twilight Singers projects. Eventually recording and releasing Hyde independently, he overhauled HM, recruiting the talents of guitarist Lance Ellison, bassist Christian Hurd, and drummer Carlton Smith. The results are an amalgam of hard rock styles, dynamic instrumentation, and sophisticated lyrics, sounding both infectiously lush and fierce. Fueled by Chichester's penchant for crafting vivacious pop songs brought to life by his chameleon vocals sung with effortless, intense conviction, "Nobody Calls Her Baby," "Lookin' Out My Window," and the furious "Elephant Runs Amok" display atmospheric exuberance and instantly catchy guitar hooks. Although there's a tendency to overcook song endings in screamy euphoria, solid churners "Love Is All Around x 4" and "I Fall in Love With My Friends" are balanced by the superbly hip, grooving gem "FWINA" and the sublime funk sparkle of "Friday Nite." This is a solid sophomore effort, admonishing that Howlin' Maggie wasn't a one-album wonder, instead exhibiting signs of longevity further reinforced by ex-Afghan Whigs drummer Michael Horrigan's permanent replacement of Smith in March 2002.
tags: howlin maggie, hyde, 2001, flac,
El Meswy - Se Habla Español (2003)
Se incluye una foto del disco en el archivo RAR.
(A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.)
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish (Castellano)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: CRU-05
© 2003 Crudo
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: el meswy, se habla espanol, 2003, flac,
August 13, 2025
Rubyhorse - Goodbye To All That (2004)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: BRH 000082
© 2003-2004 Brash Music
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: rubyhorse, goodbye to all that, 2004, flac,
Various Artists - Currents & Directions (2002)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Art Rock, Lo-Fi
Label Number: mrdn 002
© 2002 Meridien Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: various artists, currents and directions, 2002, flac,
Yovee - Too Far Gone (2005)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: MANALOFT 001
© 2005 Manaloft Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: yovee, too far gone, 2005, flac,
August 10, 2025
SixNationState - SixNationState (2007)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: JPRCD 016
© 2007 Jeepster Recordings
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: six nation state, sixnationstate album, 2007, flac,
Director - I'll Wait For Sound (2009)
Country: Ireland
Language: English
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: CSHOOT01
© 2009 Crapshoot Econimics
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: director, i'll wait for sound, 2009, flac,
Mutemath - Armistice (2009)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 519783-2
© 2009 Teleprompt/Warner Bros. Records
MUTEMATH indulge their experimental side with Armistice, the band's first album since "Typical" climbed up the Billboard charts two years prior. While "Typical" featured Technicolor guitars and arena-ready vocals, the songs on Armistice don't reveal their hooks so easily, cloaking themselves in electronics, strings, and ambient guitars while largely avoiding the poppier elements of the band's previous album. For all their experimental wrapping paper, however, these tracks still deliver what has become MUTEMATH's signature sound: a melodic brand of alternative rock that combines Paul Meany's tenor voice with an epic, nocturnal ambience reminiscent of Radiohead, Muse, and the Music. There's a good deal of dance-rock here, too, and the angular "Goodbye" is a welcome reminder that MUTEMATH's work can target the feet as well as the head. This is essentially a thinking man's album, though, more indicative of the band's breadth than its ability to make hit singles.
tags: mutemath, armistice, 2009, flac,
August 09, 2025
Rough Edges - Put Da Gunz Away/Children Learn What They Lived (12" Single) (1995)
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*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Conscious Rap
Label Number: A-9262
© 1995 Jody Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: rough edges, put da gunz away, the, guns, children learn what they lived, single, 1995, flac,
The Giant - Hidden Crate/Hold Mines (12" Single) (1998)
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*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: PJ-002
© 1998 P-Jays Recordings
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: the giant, hidden crate, hold mines, single, vinyl, 1998, flac,
Jadakiss - Kiss of Death (2004)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Pop Rap, Gangsta Rap
Label Number: B0002746-02
© 2004 Ruff Ryders/Interscope Records
The most startling thing about Kiss of Death is that Jadakiss dumped a bunch of Neptunes productions and kept only "Hot Sauce to Go," one of the record's poorest tracks. This, along with a particularly ill-suited "soft and smooth track for the ladies" featuring a carted-in Mariah Carey as well as a too-familiar-sounding Scott Storch production, is thankfully the only outright blights on an otherwise satisfactory showing. These issues aside, Jadakiss makes good on his promise to become a rounded lyricist and receives some valuable help in the form of tight production work from a handful of pros -- surprisingly enough, Swizz Beatz's work on "Real Hip Hop" tops anything that producer did for Cassidy's debut, and the Red Spyda-manned title track (bizarrely tucked near the end) is Jadakiss' most vicious track yet. No matter the number of bright moments, you can't help but feel that Jadakiss has his best days ahead of him. For further proof, listeners looking to go deeper are strongly advised to seek out The Champ Is Here, a teaser mix presented by Big Mike and Green Lantern. Provided you can stomach the Will Smith version of Cassius Clay proclaiming "The champ is here!" about every 30 seconds (Jada's cackle could've been kept in check a little more, too), you should find that it's actually superior to this fine record.
tags: jadakiss, kiss of death, 2004, flac,
