Lollipop Magazine

A Wilhelm Scream – Ruiner – Review

February 3, 2006

If you’re 16 and pissed at your parents, A Wilhelm Scream make sense. Anthemic, fist-pumping choruses? Metal as fuck riffs? Self-loathing lyrics? Check ’em all.

The Aquabats – Charge – Review

June 1, 2005

Never much cared for this goofy skapunk band, and catering to the “the kids like Casios” crowd just makes them even more loathesome. Proceed with caution.

The Letters Organize – Dead Rhythm Machine – Review

February 23, 2005

Decent jerky, yelpy, chaotic rock band with screaming and thick bass production. A few very catchy choruses slathered in yelp so no one thinks they’re pussies.

A Wilhelm Scream – Mute Print – Review

September 27, 2004

O.C. harmonies track non-committal emo tunes. Sporadic death metal chugging and hardcore double bass add some flavor to songs painted with the same brush.

The Start – Death Via Satellite – Review

June 21, 2004

The Gossip without the blues riffs, The Faint without the electro/Goth overtones, and The (International) Noise Conspiracy without the politics.

T.S.O.L. – Divided We Stand – Review

March 1, 2004

T.S.O.L has melded their metal tendencies into a controlled element of the snotty punk mix. The Goth creepiness as well has nicely settled in.

Rufio – MCMLXXXV (1985) – Review

October 22, 2003

They don’t bring anything new to the genre that they’re so clearly trying to fit into, and they don’t even excel at doing basic poppy-punk, which isn’t hard.

Rufio – Review

September 3, 2003

Simultaneously combine fast and intricate guitar work with hard-fisted drums and the honest voice of Scott Sellers, creating a perfect recipe to sell records.

Original Sinners – Review

January 10, 2003

Exene’s latest project, the Original Sinners, are like “X for beginners.” The band is tighter than X was, and certainly has more musical tricks up its sleeve.

Lost City Angels – Review

January 3, 2003

Give us more charging, anthemic rockers like “You Think You’re Alone?” and “Another Beaten Soul” over the Weezer/Nerf Herder roll of “If You Go.”