Lollipop Magazine

Skullflower – Orange Canyon Mind – Review

April 13, 2005

20 years of “lumbering abstraction” and “freeform, bass-heavy, feedback-driven improv noise rock.” This stuff can be glorious, or like leaving the vacuum on.

Signs of Collapse – Weep for the Lives Your Wishes Never Led – Review

April 13, 2005

Look at the cover, read the album title, the bio is in all caps, and the CD booklet is in all lowercase. In other words, trendy noisecore.

Shortie – Without a Promise – Review

April 13, 2005

Sacramento fashion metal, with heartfelt vocals and groove guitar, eyeliner, and dyed black hair. Earache doesn’t promote, so you’ll never have to hear this.

R-H – Black Asia Volume One – Review

April 13, 2005

Sounds worldly, lots of cultural textures, and beats that move, but don’t (usually) skitter or try to impress. This should be listened to from end to end.

Post Stardom Depression – Prime Time Looks A Lot Like Amateur Night – Review

April 13, 2005

May have the tunes or just the posture of solid swagger rock. Hints of self-aware attitude, and nothing kills the rock like trying to rock.

Please Mr. Gravedigger – Throw a Beat – Review

April 13, 2005

Thankfully, it’s just a five-song EP. Ex-members of As I Lay Dying throw in some trendy keyboards to their “punk” take on screamy nü-style hardcore.

Giles – Review

April 13, 2005

Between the Buried and Me are passable metalcore, with glimmers of interesting. This is an experimental electro side project of the singer. It’s horrid.

Whiskey Rebels – Create or Die – Review

April 13, 2005

Perfectly ok for anyone into personal street punk. Gruff vocals, group shouts, and some pounding paces, a few mid-tempo hard-life rockers.

VCR – Review

April 13, 2005

I like Devo and a bunch of jerky new wave, sure. VCR should back to the rehearsal space and not come out again until they have something worth listening to.

Valery Gore – Review

April 13, 2005

She sings, she plays piano, she does both well. She likes Tori Amos, Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, Elliot Smith, and other stuff we like. Nice, but nothing new.