- KYS: 85
- User: 78
- 81
Owen - Ghost Town
Ten years into his solo career under the Owen moniker, Mike Kinsella has released ‘Ghost Town’, an LP which marks a return to a more organic sound built around threadbare, single-track vocals and soft, shimmering melodies plucked from the strings of his acoustic guitar. As always, his words are deeply poetic and intensely personal, bearing his soul before the listener with songwriting that is as endearing as it is aggrieved.
- KYS: 70
- User: 72
- 71
A Loss For Words - No Sanctuary
No Sanctuary is a solid record from a band that might have headed into their major label debut without enormous expectations. Instead of simply borrowing, repeating and fitting into the stereotypical created by the pop punk genre, A Loss For Words are proving they aren’t afraid to mix it up from time to time. While there are no songs that totally hit it out of the ballpark, No Sanctuary is definitely a complete album featuring 12 tracks that will keep you coming back again and again.
- KYS: 67
- User: 60
- 64
As I Lay Dying - Decas
'Decas' is essentially intended and dually designed for pre-existing fans. It is more symbolic than it is engaging. What 'Decas' provides is worthy recognition of a band that continues to survive in an often cruel scene. There's some decent bits to pick out from here but not much else.
- KYS: 74
- User: 25
- 50
Boris the Blade - Tides of Damnation (EP)
With each passing Australian metal release seems to come the notion that there is no longer any inferiority between local bands and international outfits. Boris the Blade have a sound (that although still finding its feet) is nevertheless, in both production and overall delivery, just as strong as similar bands playing across the ocean.
- KYS: 65
- User: 57
- 61
Four Year Strong - In Some Way, Shape Or Form
‘In Some Way, Shape Or Form’ is a competent, coherent, but decidedly unfortunate release for Four Year Strong that sees them discarding most of the pop punk and melodic hardcore sensibilities that leant them their widespread accessibility and crossover appeal in the first place. The band’s trademark hard-biting, soaring hooks and dynamic vocal interplay laced with large, well-positioned nods to a heavier sound have taken the wayside on this album, weighed down beneath a wall of influences sourced largely from contemporary radio rock. Despite having the potential to please some fans, it is inevitable that this dramatic shift will isolate many longstanding listeners of the band.
- KYS: 90
- User: 90
- 90
Northlane - Discoveries
Australian release of the year.
- KYS: 80
- User: 100
- 90
Driven Fear - Contender
These days hardcore music needs bands like Driven Fear and albums like ‘Contender’ as they offer something new, in balance, with the elements of the genre that people know and love. Hopefully the band continue to push the more off kilter aspects of their sound in the future as it will be interesting to see where that could take them.
- KYS: 91
- User: 88
- 90
Transit - Listen & Forgive
I’m not sure whether it’s a case of third time lucky or whether Transit needed to impress the Rise Records executives, but “Listen & Forgive” is an A record. Far from over-hyped new band as they’re too often unfairly written off, Transit have delivered an exciting and relevant pop punk release with album number three. Having worked hard to make a name for themselves over five-odd years, it’s great to see their efforts paying off.
- KYS: 90
- User: 85
- 88
Pianos Become The Teeth - The Lack Long After
The refined style of ‘The Lack Long After’ is a huge leap forward in maturity from its raw toned predecessor, ‘Old Pride.’ Judging by the quality of the records produced by this new wave of post-hardcore bands, the future of music may not be as dim as the radio would have us believe.
- KYS: 78
- User: 57
- 67
Mayday Parade - Mayday Parade
With their third full length, Mayday Parade has definitely returned to form. They have left behind all the big technical production elements that hindered their last release and have taken it back to basics, showing fans what they do best by creating a solid pop rock album full of massive hooks played out through back and forth dual vocals and upbeat instrument lines. Mayday Parade is an album that proves everything is better when you do things your own way, and that is exactly what this Florida quintet have done.