Album Review: Save Face - I Won't Let This Take My Life

Album Rating: A-

I Won't Let This Take My Life combines brisk and intensified hardcore with memorable, hooky pop-punk from the great Garden State. The raw energy and fervor found on this record is undeniable - further blurring the lines between brutal new-age hardcore and jovial pop-punk. If you dig bands such as Counterparts and New Found Glory, Save Face might just be the new band you are looking for.

Album Review: The Year Fifteen - As A World Entire

Album Review: A

Stemming from the mind of Billy Duprey, keyboardist for The Republic of Wolves, an alternative indie band based out of Long Island, The Year Fifteen is his wonderful solo project that showcases the talents of an exceptional musician. His debut, As A World Entire, is nothing short of riveting. It's concise, the production is wonderful, and it will put you in a state of trance as each song gently passes through you, like the ebb and flow of an emotionally heavy ocean tide. There is a certain aesthetic that lingers long into the melodies like an undeniable yearning that can make the wintriest of hearts succumb to a warm Sunday in summer. This record challenges conventional pop music by serving it up with spoonfuls of raw, passionate sentiments not utilized by most underground contemporary artists.

Interview With County Drop

Garnering a name in the New Brunswick, NJ underground circuit is not an easy mission to accomplish. There are a number of superb bands all fighting for a chance to get their music heard by the tons of kids dedicated to the scene. I was lucky enough to have a word with County Drop, an up and coming band that takes a unique approach to the whole emo/punk blend. With the recent release of their third record, The Origin of Skeletons, we talk about life in the New Brunswick scene, the awesomeness of couscous, and the band's plan for the future. 

Album Review: Counterparts - The Difference Between Hell And Home

Album Rating: A

The Difference Between Hell and Home, the latest effort from Canadian hardcore outfit, Counterparts, combines a unique cocktail of masterful syncopation, brutal breakdowns, memorable leads, and powerful lyrics. It is a concise album that does not overstay its welcome, consisting of eleven tracks and clocking in at thirty-seven minutes.

Album Review: A.M. Overcast - Pellow

Album Rating: B+

Imagine if Rivers Cuomo and the rest of Weezer decided to actually take lessons on how to better play their instruments. You know what, I'll do you one better - imagine if their teachers were the members of This Town Needs Guns! Luckily for you (and for me), this happened, well, sort of...

Stemming from the mind of Alexander Litinsky, comes his latest album, Pellow, from his project known as A.M. Overcast. If there was ever a happy medium between pop, punk, and math-rock, I believe Litinsky has created it. It's an intricate, catchy album with a constant ebb and flow of twinkly guitar and flailing drum rolls. While it may appear to be busy at times, Pellow is an engaging listen, perfect for a tranquil drive along the shoreline.

Album Review: County Drop - The Origin of Skeletons

Album Rating: A

Hailing from the heart of the New Brunswick, NJ basement scene, County Drop proves that sincerity is the best policy. Released in late August of last year, The Origin of Skeletons is a raw mess of emotions smoothed over with unusual song structures, intricate drum patterns, and hooky choruses. It’s a heartfelt record that fuses the likes of emo, indie, and punk.