Tim Den – Page 60 – Lollipop Magazine

Isis – Oceanic – Review

January 17, 2003

The quintet no longer rely on a straight-ahead “wall of noise,” instead submerging the listener in an ocean of effects, hence the title.

Gregor Samsa – Review

January 17, 2003

Dreamy, layer upon layer of sound, swirling like air pockets trapped in Mogwai and Slowdive albums.

Starflyer 59 – Can’t Stop Eating EP – Review

January 17, 2003

Even with only five songs, Starflyer 59 can take you on a transcendental (Californian) pop trip like no other. They’ve perfected their Pet Sounds-like power.

Beth Orton – Daybreaker – Review

January 10, 2003

Downtempo rhythms and deep bass paint the background while Orton’s folksy guitar and vocals moan melodies like the first ray of light breaking on the horizon.

The Reindeer Section – Son of Evil Reindeer – Review

January 10, 2003

Son of Evil Reindeer sees the 27-headed monster paying more attention to vocal hooks, cutting back the “lo-fi” gibberish, and coming up with far superior songs.

The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots – Review

January 10, 2003

Electronic beats and monolithic orchestral arrangements in a Blade Runner setting, this sounds like a voyage to an eternally-sunsetting futuristic planet.

Dredg – El Cielo – Review

January 10, 2003

Why can’t modern rock sound like this? Ambitious, melodic streams of aggression mixed with cloud-splitting choruses that raise your arms to the sky.

Sick Of It All – Live in a Dive – Review

January 10, 2003

Live in a Dive has the band tear through songs from each of their records, sounding as blood-boilingly exciting as the first hardcore show you ever went to.

We Don’t Need Society – A Tribute to D.R.I. – Review

January 3, 2003

I own all the D.R.I. records (except that Full Speed Ahead travesty) as all good punkers should, but I certainly don’t need 37 covers of gurgled nonsense.

Survive and Advance – Vol. 1 – Review

January 3, 2003

A nice display of what Merge has to offer in the year 2002; mostly singer/songwriter stuff that embraces minimalism over lush instrumentation.