Country: Norway
Language: English, Norwegian (Norsk)
Genre: Black Metal
Label Number: NPR071
© 1999 Naplam Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: svartahrid, forthcoming strom, 1999, flac,
November 07, 2025
Svartahrid - As The Sunrise Flickers (2000)
Country: Norway
Language: English
Genre: Black Metal
Label Number: NPR087
© 2000 Napalm Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: svartahrid, as the sunrise flickers, 2000, flac,
Don Caballero - World Class Listening Problem (2006)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Math Rock
Label Number: RR6693-2
© 2006 Relapse Records
Known for their deft, forceful, and mechanically inclined hard rock, Pittsburgh's Don Caballero was the flagship band for progressive, instrumental rock music in the United States during the 1990s. Having been estranged from the group's last configuration--which included Battles' Ian Williams--since 2000's AMERICAN DON, drummer and founding member Damon Che has assembled the 11th lineup of the group out of the guitarists and bassist from the band Creta Bourzia. The result is WORLD CLASS LISTENING PROBLEM, which re-imagines the group via an expressive, power-melodic, and slightly emotive approach to composition, best likened to the directions taken on 1994's landmark DON CABALLERO 2.
tags: don caballero, world class listening problem, 2006, flac,
Don Caballero - Punkgasm (2008)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Math Rock
Label Number: RR 6124-2
© 2008 Relapse Records
As the second album by the new incarnation of Don Caballero, led by the last remaining original member, drum virtuoso Damon Che, Punkgasm finds the band desperately searching for a new direction. Some of the old sensibilities remain, but here they rifle through various styles outside the realm of syncopated interplay, even (gasp!) incorporating songs with vocals. While it's interesting to see them try to break the holding pattern of intricately carved polyrhythms, the trio's try-anything behavior results in a random assortment of songs, some of which will leave old-time fans scratching their heads and wondering, who is this? "Why Is the Couch Always Wet" swims in My Morning Jacket reverb and harmonies, "Celestial Dusty Groove" mimics the choppy indie rock of Jawbox and Shiner, and the titular song that ends the album is a '70s punk throwback to the Fall and P.I.L., complete with snidely squeaked vocals. The good news is that these songs are actually executed quite well, and the group seems to have a chameleon-like ability to impersonate. It's doubtful, however, that fans of their trigonomic beginnings will want to accept this new, less inventive version of Don Cab. After straying this far from their initial role as forefathers of the math rock movement, and losing most of their members, it's hardly even Don Cab anymore. While the instrumentals that highlight pinprick guitar picking and syncopated beats have moments of technical brilliance and make for almost half of the album, they stick out in stark contrast from the other genre attempts, making for a scatterbrained affair that seems unfocused and unusually forced. Reinvention is one thing, but this is the sound of a great band completely losing its way.
tags: don caballero, punkgasm, 2008, flac,
November 05, 2025
Jann Arden - Living Under June (1994)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: 31454 0336-2
© 1994 A&M Records
This western Canadian singer/songwriter is brutally introspective, yet outgoing. After all, she's hosted the Juno Awards (Canada's version of the Grammys). She writes and sings beguilingly on this strong debut about temptation, salvation, jealousy, and loneliness. Former John Mellencamp drummer Kenny Aronoff helps to ground the album's seamless sound, and Jackson Browne drops in for "Unloved."
tags: jann arden, living under june, 1994, flac,
EK Squad - Th Ultimate (2000)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: None
© 2000 Original Nation Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: ek squad, th ultimate, the, 2000, flac,
November 01, 2025
Creep - What's Wrong With Myself (1997)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Punk Rock
Label Number: L7-002;CD 84142-2
© 1997 Lucky Seven/EFA Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: creep, what's wrong with myself, 1997, flac,
Jill Parr - Jill Parr (1998)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: 57131-2
© 1998 Absolute Records
Jill Parr's self-titled debut is a more groove-fueled take on CCM than the usual. While it adapts to current pop music trends, its emotional feel works well with the lyrical content of the album. The songs take the listener on a journey through the personal ups and downs of this singer/songwriter. Childbirth, faith, and marriage are all very important to her, but so is crafting a listenable, emotional album.
tags: jill parr, jill par album, 1998, flac,
Sarah Harmer - You Were Here (2000)
*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Indie Folk, Pop Rock
Label Number: 0121596452
© 2000 Cold Nap/Universal Music
Sarah Harmer's first solo effort, You Were Here, doesn't allow a simple categorization of style or reveal a sweeping trend in progress. But it is certain that she is an artist choosing wisely from a great scope of colors. With a pleasing and misleading start, the rollicking opening track asserts its individuality with a Vaudevillian clarinet, keeping one foot in Kinks pop and one in some elusive species of country rock. The next track leaps into the present, utilizing rhythms that sound somewhat synthesized in the mode of David Gray. "The Hideout," having appeared also on a Starbucks coffeehouse compilation disc, has the feel of Neil Young circa Harvest, and becomes a powerful single with its heavy drum line, bold "fifths" chords, and strong chorus with a memorable hook. Moving on, the energy level quickly drops to a spare meditation, featuring vocal, guitar, subtle organ, and the dark psychology of the lyrics. This ebb and flow proves to be the experience throughout You Were Here. Songs may begin with a soft acoustic, then unfold assuredly toward their climax. Various instruments add character now and then, such as a muted trumpet or a harmonica, and the energy level can sway between a lullaby and full pop treatment with a definite destination. The music can also have a heavier edge, driven at times by a malcontent electric guitar. Throughout, the cello is a recurrent staple, as is Harmer's self-harmonized lead vocal. In conjunction with her sonorous, folky vibrato, the melodies are built of simplicity and sweetness, making it an easy album to latch onto. Produced by Harmer herself, along with Peter Prilesnik, You Were Here is keen to a number of musical influences. Her Canadian nationality notwithstanding, there is more than a whisper of Joni Mitchell or Ron Sexsmith in the music. Moments which might feel slow or meandering could likewise feel pensive, meditative, or gather interest from their potential to reveal something more. The lyrics are observational yet detached, and poetic without being arcane -- the album as a whole feels sincere, answering to a variety of moods and whims. It is a work of quality, from the songwriting clear to the production.
tags: sarah harmer, your were here, 2000, flac,
October 29, 2025
Jann Arden - Time For Mercy (1993)
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: 31454 0071 2
© 1993 A&M Records
Jann Arden's debut, Time For Mercy, features 11 songs all focused on relationships, but with an uncommon intensity of commitment. When she sings the chorus of the passionate and intriguing "I Would Die For You," you believe every syllable -- just as when she delivers the bad news of "I Just Don't Love You Anymore." Piano and Arden's own acoustic guitar work provide the main backing, with electric instrumentation adding subtle flourishes. Little Village drummer Jim Keltner anchors the rhythm section. A lonesome harmonica wail and the sweet bite of pedal steel color "We Do Strange Things" and "The Way Things Are Going" respectively. Strings are used to heighten the title track's emotional peak rather than drenching it in syrup.
tags: jann arden, time for mercy, 1993, flac,
Ruby - Salt Peter (1995)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Trip-Hop
Label Number: OK 67458
© 1995 Creation/Work Records
Formerly of the aggressive feminist punk outfit Silverfish, Leslie Rankine renamed herself Ruby in 1995 and changed her musical tactics. Instead of hard-edged post-punk, Ruby's music is a dark, eerie fusion of trip-hop and industrial, with quietly menacing beats and droning synths. Although it could be said that she was simply trend-hopping with Salt Peter, Ruby's music is substantially better than Silverfish -- it's more provocative, as well as better written. Not all of the album works, but Salt Peter remains a promising debut.
tags: ruby, salt peter, 1995, flac,
October 26, 2025
T. Rex - The Slider (1993 Reissue) ☠
*Reissued in 1993 by Marc On Wax.
This pressing contains 13 tracks total
and non-remastered audio.
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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Glam Rock
Label Number: 00CP-1509
☠: Selected by Buccaneer
© 1972-1993 Marc On Wax
Buoyed by two U.K. number one singles in "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru," The Slider became T. Rex's most popular record on both sides of the Atlantic, despite the fact that it produced no hits in the U.S. The Slider essentially replicates all the virtues of Electric Warrior, crammed with effortless hooks and trashy fun. All of Bolan's signatures are here -- mystical folk-tinged ballads, overt sexual come-ons crooned over sleazy, bopping boogies, loopy nonsense poetry, and a mastery of the three-minute pop song form. The main difference is that the trippy mix of Electric Warrior is replaced by a fuller, more immediate-sounding production. Bolan's guitar has a harder bite, the backing choruses are more up-front, and the arrangements are thicker-sounding, even introducing a string section on some cuts (both ballads and rockers). Even with the beefier production, T. Rex still doesn't sound nearly as heavy as many of the bands it influenced (and even a few of its glam contemporaries), but that's partly intentional -- Bolan's love of a good groove takes precedence over fast tempos or high-volume crunch. Lyrically, Bolan's flair for the sublimely ridiculous is fully intact, but he has way too much style for The Slider to sound truly stupid, especially given the playful, knowing wink in his delivery. It's nearly impossible not to get caught up in the irresistible rush of melodies and cheery good times. Even if it treads largely the same ground as Electric Warrior, The Slider is flawlessly executed, and every bit the classic that its predecessor is.
tags: t rex, the slider, 1972, 1993, reissue, flac,
New York Dolls - New York Dolls (1973) ☠
*U.S. first pressing.
Contains 11 tracks total.
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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Glam Rock
Label Number: 832 752-2
☠: Selected by Buccaneer
© 1973-1989 Mercury
When the New York Dolls released their debut album in 1973, they managed to be named both "Best New Band" and "Worst Band" in Creem Magazine's annual reader's poll, and it usually takes something special to polarize an audience like that. And the Dolls were inarguably special -- decades after its release, New York Dolls still sounds thoroughly unique, a gritty, big-city amalgam of Stones-style R&B, hard rock guitars, lyrics that merge pulp storytelling with girl group attitude, and a sloppy but brilliant attack that would inspire punk rock (without the punks ever getting its joyous slop quite right). Much was made of the Dolls' sexual ambiguity in the day, but with the passage of time, it's a misfit swagger that communicates most strongly in these songs, and David Johansen's vocals suggest the product of an emotional melting pot who just wants to find some lovin' before Manhattan is gone, preferably from a woman who would prefer him over a fix. If the lyrics sometimes recall Hubert Selby, Jr. if he'd had a playful side, the music is big, raucous hard rock, basic but with a strongly distinct personality -- the noisy snarl of Johnny Thunders' lead guitar quickly became a touchstone, and if he didn't have a lot of tricks in his arsenal, he sure knew when and how to apply them, and the way he locked in with Syl Sylvain's rhythm work was genius -- and the Dolls made their downtown decadence sound both ominous and funny at the same time. The Dolls were smart enough to know that a band needs a great drummer, and if there's something likably clumsy about Arthur Kane's bass work, Jerry Nolan's superb, elemental drumming holds the pieces in place with no-nonsense precision at all times. "Lonely Planet Boy" proved the Dolls could dial down their amps and sound very much like themselves, "Pills" was a superbly chosen cover that seemed like an original once they were done with it, and "Personality Crisis," "Trash," and "Jet Boy" were downtown rock & roll masterpieces no other band could have created. And while New York Dolls clearly came from a very specific time and place, this album still sounds fresh and hasn't dated in the least -- this is one of rock's greatest debut albums, and a raucous statement of purpose that's still bold and thoroughly engaging.
tags: new york dolls, new york dolls album, 1973, flac,
Bay Laurel - Under a Clouded Sky (1994)
Country: Sweden
Language: English
Genre: Gothic Rock
Label Number: NOX 003
© 1994 Noxious Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: bay laurel, under a clouded sky, 1994, flac,
October 24, 2025
Suspiria - Tragedy: E.P. (1994)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Gothic Rock
Label Number: Night maxi C.D.004
© 1994 Nightbreed Recordings
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: suspiria, tragedy, ep, 1994, flac,
Suspiria - The Great & Secret Show (1995)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Gothic Rock
Label Number: NIGHT CD 007
© 1995 Nightbreed Recordings
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: suspiria, the great and secret show, 1995, flac,
Suspiria - Drama (1997)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Gothic Rock
Label Number: NIGHT CD 012;AIW 059;CD 36343
© 1997 Nightbreed/Alice In...
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: suspiria, drama, 1997, flac,
Shark Taboo - Black Rock Sands (1989)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Gothic Rock
Label Number: PLAS CD 021
© 1989 Plastic Head Records Limited
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: shark taboo, black rock sands, 1989, flac,
Downset. - Do We Speak a Dead Language? (1996)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Rapcore
Label Number: 314 532 416-2
© 1996 Mercury
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: downset, do we speak a dead language, 1996, flac,
Downset. - Check Your People (2000)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Rapcore
Label Number: 6601-2
© 2000 Epitaph
It's the subtle things that distinguish Downset from its many rap-metal peers: the fact that hardcore punk plays a greater role in the band's music than heavy metal, that the bandmembers are better riff writers and arrangers than some of the genre's more popular groups, or that Rey Oropeza writes ambitious lyrics, which come across like a less dogmatic Rage Against the Machine. The band's third album, Check Your People, isn't much of a departure from its previous work, but the CD continues to showcase all of the above traits, and it maintains a tight musical and lyrical focus throughout. Oropeza makes the personal political and vice versa, delivering powerful statements about social ills with an almost evangelical zeal. To the uninitiated, the music might seem a little predictable after a while (most of the choruses seem to start with a cathartic roar), but it's certainly on the high end of the rap-metal spectrum.
tags: downset, check your people, 2000, flac,
Downset. - Universal (2004)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Rapcore
Label Number: HAW 10001
© 2004 Hawino Records
When Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys got the rap-metal ball rolling back in 1984 (Run-D.M.C. with "Rock Box," the Beasties with "Rock Hard"), they probably had no idea that rap-metal would still be around 20 years later. They weren't thinking that far ahead; Run-D.M.C. and the Beasties were simply doing something that felt good to them at the time. But rap-metal proved to be impressively durable, and it has since become an extremely crowded field; the late '90s and early 2000s brought listeners a glut of Korn and Limp Bizkit clones, many of them totally forgettable. Nonetheless, the cream still rises to the top in rap-metal -- not always in terms of commercial success, but certainly in terms of creativity -- and on 2004's Universal, Downset continue to offer some of rap-metal's more substantial grooves. Rage Against the Machine is an obvious comparison on this CD; Downset are also a very sociopolitical band. But while Zack de la Rocha and his colleagues are angrily cathartic (even if you find some of their militant politics to be simplistic at times), Downset aren't just angry -- they're also spiritual. If you combine Rage's verbal bombast with a touch of Limp Bizkit's thugishness and a lot of Public Enemy, KRS-One, and Ice-T's spirituality, you get Universal. Calling Downset spiritual isn't saying that the Los Angeles residents are trying to force some religious dogma down listeners' throats; spirituality doesn't have to be about organized religion or sectarianism. Rather, Universal is spiritual in the way that the best PE, KRS, and Ice-T raps were spiritual -- spiritual as in deep-thinking and conscious, spiritual as in seeing how oppressive life in the hood can be and trying to come up with some possible solutions. There is no shortage of mediocrity in rap-metal, but on Universal, Downset avoid the pedestrian and demonstrate that they are still among the more intelligent and creative bands in their field.
tags: downset, universal, 2004, flac,
October 22, 2025
The Trash Can Sinatras - Cake (1990)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Jangle Pop
Label Number: 828 201-2
© 1990 Go! Discs/London Records
Long before Travis and Coldplay came along, the Trash Can Sinatras enchanted college-aged Anglophiles with their jangly brand of emotive Brit-pop. Seen as musical fluff by fans of early-'90s pre-Nirvana alternative and ignored by fans of mid- to late-'90s post-Nirvana alternative, these five Scottish lads smoothed the edges but sharpened the hooks of a developing genre. The Trash Can Sinatras' 1990 debut, Cake, mixes intricately intertwined guitars, in the spirit of a more charming, less gritty Johnny Marr, with lush strings and sophisticated harmonies. Touchingly clever wordplay ("You came into my life/Like a brick through a window/And I cracked a smile") abounds, as on "The Best Man's Fall." The clean production -- necessary for such elaborate orchestration -- is extremely warm and inviting. Singles like "Obscurity Knocks" and "Only Tongue Will Tell" as well as "Maybe I Should Drive" prove to be the tastiest pieces of pure pop pleasure. But sugar can be bittersweet and laced with longing, as on "Thrupenny Tears" and "You Made Me Feel." Regardless of the relative mood, this debut is noticeably devoid of musical missteps -- quite a feat for a new artist. Easy on the ears and palate, Cake is as filling and digestible an album as one could hope. Subsequent Trash Can Sinatras releases reach for the same greatness but ultimately fall a little short. This precursor to early 21st century Brit-pop darkens the occasional used record store bin. And it tastes almost as fresh as the day it was made.
tags: the trash can sinatras, cake, 1990, flac,
