Blogcritics Category: Music: Emo

Music Review: Richard Hawley - Lady's Bridge

Holly Hughes — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:30:17 EDT

Mellow Brit singer-songwriter strums his way through a disappointing solo effort.
I had such high hopes for Richard Hawley. British singer-songwriter, Jarvis Cocker's guitarist from Pulp, known in his solo work for folky acoustic numbers about love and loss, nominated for the 2006 Mercury Prize (Britain’s annual new music award) for his previous CD Coles Corner — it sounded like he’d be right up my...

Concert Review: Okkervil River and New Pornographers - St. Louis, MO - April 19, 2008

Eric Whelchel — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:56:44 EDT

One indie music enthusiast drags his wife to the Okkervil River/New Pornographers show.
Somehow I had managed to convince my wife that attending the Okkervil River/New Pornographers concert in St. Louis was the best way to spend our two-year anniversary. Certainly better than a quiet, romantic dinner and a few glasses of wine. After all, if spending an April night in a packed concert club with various hoody-wearing indie fans...

Music Review: Avenging Force, Drive by Argument, Son Lux, Terror, and Michael Bormann

Marty Dodge — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:55:33 EDT

A bit of a journey this week; from the goth dancefloor, through the CBGB mosh pit to the classy end of hard rock.
Yet again, I have a very odd selection for you; from the utterly sublime to the screamocore metal. Most of it's quite good, but not all.CD ReviewsAvenging Force: The Avenging ForceA load of Steve Albini self-obsessed bollocks can be found on this disc. Avenging Force evokes a band of metalheads giving it all they got. Iinstead, it's an...

Music Review: The Cute Lepers - Can't Stand Modren Music

Brandon Daviet — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:02:02 EDT

Blackheart records releases the debut lesson by the Cute Lepers.
I always liked some of Joan Jett's music but thought her wasted punk rocker look was a bit lame. Then I saw the now stunning Ms. Jett on the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony and I had the sudden urge to rub one out. The next day a package from Joan Jett's record label, Blackheart Records, who have been in existence for...

Music Review: Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies

BrianMcIrish — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:01:22 EDT

Enter Shikari's debut makes you want to grab your lightsticks and head to the pit for some hardcore goodness.
The do-it-yourself hardcore act Enter Shikari has released Take To The Skies on their own label, Ambush Reality. Normally this is nothing new to hear -- that a band has released a CD under their own label -- but this is the band’s debut CD. The band actually turned down offers from heavy hitting labels in favor of releasing the CD on their...

Yay or Nay: Year of the Sun Records featuring Of The First Born Son, Dear Black Diary, Handheld, For The Mathematics & What's He Building In There?

Jerry Rojas — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:18:40 EST

Thumbs up or thumbs down?
Established in 2002, Toronto, Ontario's Year of the Sun Records strived to make Canada another hotbed for all things punk, metal, and the experimental. In this 3rd installment of “Yay or Nay?”, here are some of the label’s latest (and mostly self-titled for some reason) releases. Do they make the cut? Let's find out. Of...

Concert Review: Aiden with Schoolyard Heroes & Ivoryline at the Bricktown Ballroom

Katie McNeill — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:33:04 EST

As part of Aiden�s 2008 The World by Storm tour last Thursday night the bands put on an energetic and entertaining show
In the heart of Bricktown in Oklahoma City there is a small venue called the Bricktown Ballroom. Up a few flights of stairs and into a room with a low exposed ceiling and a small stage they’ve got shows booked almost every night of the week. On the far wall a sign reads “No Moshing. No Crowed Surfing.” Something that hasn’t...

Music Review: Halou - Sawtooth

Lou Novacheck — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:09:20 EST

A dream, wrapped in ecstasy.
The music of Halou is as varied as the cast of characters they’ve worked with or performed with: DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born, Frank Sinatra, Galactic, Blackalicious, John Cale, Low, No Doubt and even a Rod Stewart remix which hit #1 on Billboard. The band's music was included on one of TV’s hottest shows, CSI, and they’ve scored...

Music Review: Four Letter Lie - What A Terrible Thing to Say

Chris Beaumont — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:34:40 EST

Well written screamo that is less filling and easily forgotten.
Are you looking for well-crafted screamo mixed with a little post-hardcore and plenty of pop? Then Four Letter Lie may be the band for you. Perhaps not for me, but I am sure they have fans out there. This quintet from Minneapolis, Minnesota, definitely knows how to play both sides towards the middle. There is enough poppy hook-laden material to...

Music Review: Eyes Set to Kill - Reach

Chris Beaumont — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:00:14 EST

A confectionery treat with very little aftertaste.
When I first listened to Reach, I was sucked into the catchy sound that escaped the speakers. I was pleasantly surprised by their music, as it was not quite what I was expecting based on the band photo. I know, I shouldn't judge based on a photo, but they look like so many other emo/screamo acts, what with the black hair swept over one eye. They...