Just because a band is making waves, it doesn't mean their latest album is any good. Check here for reviews on your favorite artist's latest release, as well as reviews of some punk essentials.
MxPx has a Punk Rawk Christmas ready, and it's actually quite merry.
Five leftover tracks that didn't make it to 'Coaster,' 'Cokie the Clown' is in many ways more powerful than the songs that did, a 'Cokie the Clown' offers a rare glimpse into the mind of NOFX's Fat Mike.
On Jemina Pearl's solo album, the former vocalist for Be Your Pet has reemerged with a new sound. Unfortunately, Jemina Pearl is now a pop singer.
On Ten Glorious Animals, old schoolers Alice Donut explore more than ten glorious sounds. Way more.
On They Came From The Shadows, Teenage Bottlerocket is proving they can play like the Descendents and Ramones, without trying to be them.
Frank Turner, former singer for Million Dead, went unplugged, and on Poetry of the Deed, Turner has probably made his punkest record yet.
Banner Pilot is the latest addition to the Fat Wreck Chords roster with the release of their album [i]Collapser[/i], and they’re a band that conjures up elements of Jawbreaker, Alkaline Trio, blink182 and The Lawrence Arms at times. Unfortunately, none of it’s very memorable.
On Crash Love, AFI is reexploring who they are as a band, and tackling social and political themes at the same time.
On Watch Me Fall, garage punk rocker Jay Reatard has compiled some perfect pop tunes.
On Up End Atom: A Tribute To Atom and His Package, a host of suitably geeky bands get to together to pay tribute to Atom and His Package and fight diabetes.
Call it crunkcore if you want, just don't call Brokencyde's I’m Not A Fan But The Kids Like It! good.
On Skeleton Crew Records (owned by Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance), New Tomorrow is bringing back old school hardcore. On 'We're Counting On The Youth,' New Tomorrows hardcore sound is a blast from the past that smells like fresh air.
On 'It's All Happening,' iwrestledabearonce have reinvented grindcore, making iwrestledabearonce and 'It's All Happening' both really innovative.
With, Old Crows/Young Cardinals, Alexisonfire's first album in three years, Alexisonfire is reinventing themselves, and Old Crows/Young Cardinals is their best album to date.
A solidly influential death rock band from California, Burning Image has been out of the loop for over 20 years. Fantasma changes this. With Fantasma, Burning Image brings their dark sound back to the light.
On 'Trio B.C.,' Girl in a Coma have proven that they can evolve, making Trio B.C. an even better record than 'Both Before I'm Gone', Girl in A Coma's first release.
MXPX frontman Mike Hererra releases his second album of the year with Mike Hererra's Tumbledown. This time it's a country album.
Coaster, the latest from NOFX, is nothing new for the band. But with NOFX, it doesn't have to be.
A lesser-known, yet influential punk band, Glasgow's the Vaselines have a new release of old material on Enter the Vaselines.
With Let the Dominos Fall, Rancid has released what Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong calls his favorite Rancid album yet.
Following 2004's American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown will be another punk rock opera that shows the way Green Day is headed.
The band's first release on Epitaph, Not Without A Fight finds New Found glory heading back to classic pop punk.
With a complex sound that ranges from blues to Gypsy punk, Stef Murphy isn't really a Celtic punk musician, but he does fit in with them.
'When The Fabric Don't Fit The Frame' is great album when the band's sound works. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, it doesn't.
The long-awaited followup to 'On The Cover,' MXPX is back with more covers on 'On The Cover II."
With 'Underneath the Owl,' Riverboat Gamblers have evolved and matured without losing any of the energy that makes their live shows so incredible.
Hardcore veterans (hed)p.e. return with their seventh, and most political album yet — the driving 'New World Orphans'.
It's surely not Stigma's best work, but 'New York Blood' is a good nostalgic record for long-time Agnostic Front Fans.
Alternative Tentacles has done an amazing job getting rights to repress essential out-of-print albums in recent years, and 'The S**t Split' is surely no exception.
Thursday is promising an evolution of their post-hardcore sound with their latest release, Common Existence.
It's been 10 years since their last album, but 'Quickly, Rapidly, Efficiently... And Fast' shows waht Cousin Dale has been up to. They've been growing up.
Former Dropkick Murphy Mike McColgan is back with 'State Of Grace', the third from blue-collar Boston punks the Street Dogs.
Four Japanese musicians express their love affair with Devo with a really catchy release.
Following 2006’s widely successful release, 'The Sufferer & The Witness', Rise Against has released 'Appeal To Reason', a record that proves the band is not content to rest on the laurels of the sound and following they’ve developed.
After more than a decade, Unwritten Law's high energy live show has been captured for posterity.
You probably won't ever hear Danzig with the Misfits again, so 'Manmade Monsters' by Plan 9 might be the next best thing.
On 'Back From The Dead,' G.G. Elvis and the TCP Band have achieved the unthinkable by making a punk Elvis tribute that is somehow gimmicky without getting overly gimmicky.
On, 'Come All You Madmen,' the Briggs play So Cal punk with an East Coast flair.
Never mind the politics; Toronto's Sound and Fury are here to party.
With alternative power pop that recalls the Foo Fighters and vocals that range from breathy to vulnerable, Song of the Siren debut with the eclectic 'City Lights Are Blinding You.'
Former L7 frontwoman Donita Sparks is back with her solo debut, proving she's the '90s bad girl that won't - and shouldn't - call it quits.
Although it's only five songs long, the debut EP from The Feelings Mutual shows a wide range.
Crass spawned Amebix, Amebix spawned crust. This is when they did it.
On "Try This On For Size", Spark Is A Diamond merge dance music with hardcore - and somehow it turned out great.
It's fun, but not necessarily great.
Handheld's years of hard work may have finally paid off with the release of their energetic self-titled CD.
Melodic metal meets screamo with "Reach", the debut album by Eyes Set to Kill.
Essential old schoolers D.I. are back, and they still have something to say
Even at 12 minutes, Smartbomb's debut EP is too long.
District Line is an album that sums up all of Bob Mould's sounds thus far, and leaves me eager to hear what will come next.
MySpace darling Jon Vesely is back with another album, fully-fleshed and lusher than a bucket of... some other things that are lush.
Danger Radio started as an indie pop-punk band, but decided they’d rather play the music they most enjoy listening to. That is, dance pop with more musical sophistication than what is typically found on the dance charts.
"City of Microphones" from Buffalo's The Exit Strategy is a tough record to get into, but it's really worth the work.
On Imagine Our Love, Becky Stark and Lavender Diamond have crafted ethereal pop tunes that are perfectly written and infinitely cute.
On Schematics, Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer delivers 10 tasty pop-punk ditties that make you feel good about feeling bad.
For this, the 11th, Deep Elm records has compiled the "finest" in emo. To be fair, only half of the record is awful.
On their sophomore release, Boston's Far From Finished have put together a record that's often blatantly negative, but also intensely sincere.
Help George Tabb - Volume I, is a Psychic Hamster Records tribute to help punk veteran George Tabb pay his medical bills in the wake of 911.
The Meanest of Times finds the Dropkick Murphys on top of their musical game. So why don't I like it?
Boston's Mouth Sewn Shut meld hardcore and crust with reggae rhythms to create a sound all their own.
Boston hardcore punks A Global Threat are back with what may be their tightest album yet.
A Heartwell Ending's latest release is pure emo, but nothing new. If you like this kind of stuff, you'll be into it. Just don't look for innovation.
These guys have always been some of the best songwriters around (especially when you're in the mood for bitter, drunken breakup songs, or bitterness in general), and their buzzsaw guitars are distinctive and memorable. Their latest release just confirms it.
American Eyes debut EP consists of five songs about broken hearts, with a nice little dance beat to back them up.
Anti-Flag's latest release is both their most aggressive and their most musically diverse album to date.
The Applicators play a brand of punk rock that is straight out of the mid-80s. This is definitely an album you could file under guilty pleasures, but you don't need to feel guilty for simply loving it either.
The self-titled sophomore release from this Long Island outfit is a swirling blur of well-mixed indie sounds.
Hailing from the land of Iggy Pop and The MC5, Awesome Color are definitely influenced by them. Their album is a dirty, decadent tribute the big rock sounds of the bands that helpred create American punk.
This bunch of punk rock high schoolers blend hard-hitting power and melodic punk into a sound that's nearly flawless.
The compiled recordings of this Midwestern hardcore noise band were recorded over 20 years ago, but they hold up really well.
Bloodhag combines literary references with punk and metal under the banner of "edu-core". Their mission? To expose punks and metalheads to reading.
If the Stooges and AC/DC had hooked up to jam in a basement somewhere, I'm not to sure the results would have been any different than this album.
Boys Like Girls doesn't reinvent the wheel, they take some else's wheel and roll with it.
Brats On The Beat is a collection of kid-friendly versions of Ramones songs. Performed by real punk musicians, this should be an essential album in any parent's collection.
On In the Mouth of the Young, the latest release from Bullets and Octane, the band blends gritty punk and hard rock into a result that's better than its ingredients.
Bullys frontman Johnny Heff was a New York City firefighter, one of the many who died in the World Trade Center saving others. This nearly spelled the end of the Bullys, the end of a great sound in New York punk. Ultimately, the band decided to carry on and keep the sound - and Heff's memory and punk rock spirit - alive.
The Buzzcocks' newest release brings more of their classic pop punk sound, but that's not all. Steve Diggle also delivers some stripped down tracks, giving listeners a glimpse at a new direction for the band.
Clit 45's latest release, a re-recorded compilation of some of their earlier songs, proves that old school hardcore punk is alive and well.
Clorox Girls play great, fast bursts of California punk rock that owe as much to the Beach Boys and Buddy Holly as it does to the Germs, and their new album is quickly on its way to becoming my pick for this year's summer soundtrack.
[p]What happens when Dante's [i]Inferno[/i] gets moonshine spilled all over it, and is then set on fire? [i]Hee Haw Hell[/i], the latest from Dash Rip Rock.
Die Hunns, a band dually fronted by Duane Peters of U.S. Bombs and Corey Parks from Nashville Pussy, never fails to bring the rock. This album might be their best one yet.
Fishbone's unique blending of ska, punk, reggae, funk and metal has long made them one of America's most innovative and exciting punk bands. The band's first recording of new material in six years is easily one of the best albums you'll hear this year.
After two years in the studio, the Fleshies are back with their most ambitious record yet.
Girl In A Coma is one of the latest bands to come out on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records, and based on what I've heard so far from this label I'm yet to be convinced that Joan Jett and Kenny Laguna can do any wrong when it comes to choosing young bands and producing stellar records.
Gogol Bordello's latest release is a swirling Eastern European dance party, complete with fiddle, accordion, and the nice addition of electric guitars.
By compiling all of their anthems on one album, these UK punks have created an album that's a definite winner in my book.
Golem is a six-piece outfit that blends Eastern-European folk music and traditional Jewish Klezmer with a bit of folksy punk rock to make an exotic, edgy, explosive dance party.
They never intended to be band, but Goons of Doom had so much fun pretending to be a band that they kept with it. It was a good call.
The latest album from Arizona's Greeley Estates attempts to follow in the footsteps of bands like Taking Back Sunday, and misses a few steps.
For ten albums that span over a decade, Guttermouth has been creating smug, snotty punk rock. Once you hear their latest, you'll realize some things never change.
On the Inevitability of a Strange World, Halifax brings out a helping of Crue-inspired hardcore that really rocks.
Before you pick up this album, you should be aware that it contains no songs about zombies, aliens, vampires or dinosaurs. In fact, despite it's title, this album is preominantly made up of synthesized love songs. As long as you're aware of that, you won't be too disappointed.
Formed from the remnants of the indie powerhouse Duster, Helvetia blends low-fi indie rock noise with psychedlic rock for a result that's soothing, dreamy and a bit dark.
A fiercely political hardcore band with a female vocalist, upstate New York's I Object deliver angry hardcore with a positive message.
A documentary on the Detroit garage scene, "It Came From Detroit" is candid and fun. It paints a picture that allows you to see exactly how it all came together to create a great music scene.
Whether you consider her the godmother of punk, the first riot grrl, or simply a great rock and roll musician, the simple fact is that Joan Jett's latest album is solid, fun rock and roll.
The Kings of Nuthin' add saxophones and piano to street punk to create a bizarre but fun blend of punk and swing.
Knowing that Lion Of Judah makes DC Hardcore and draws heavily from their predecessors does nothing to prepare you for this record; it's anything but predictable.
Mad Sin serves up psychobilly, rockabilly, country and punk. It's the last thing you'd expect from a German band.
For his 11th and final album, Al Jourgenson has rediscovered what made Ministry great.
Fronted by former Discount guitarist Ryan Seagrist (not Seacrest), this is very much an ep from a band that sounds like a work in progress.
One of the great third-wave ska bands, Mustard Plug, is back with a record that's a little old and a lot new.
The latest from New Found Glory, Coming Home is a poppy masterpiece that's a bit light on substance.
It's an album that's equal parts Ducky Boys and Social Distortion, equal parts honky tonk and punk rock, and equal parts desperation and inspiration.
With song titles like "I Heard That New Ashlee Simpson Record is Pretty Killer" and "Motley Crue, Probably Saved My Life", you might think you're looking at a joke album. That's not the case.
On Ouija Radio's Oh No... Yes! Yes!, this Minneapolis-based trio delivers a sound that mixes up punk, rock, folk and a bunch of other stuff. It's thick and delicious.
Building a Better _____, the latest from Park, is pure emo, but don't let that stop you from checking these guys out.
A review of Patent Pending's 2006 release.
Peaches' third album is more of the raunchy raps and crunchy guitars we know and love this little lady for.
This bit of Reggae-influenced rock will appeal to fans of Sublime and anyone else looking to chill out.
PlayRadioPlay! is the creation of Seventeen year-old Dan Hunter, a Texas kid who has become the latest MySpace phenom.
The legendary punk queen is back with a solo album that's just as sexy and hard rocking as she ever has been.
On their first full-length album since they were emancipated from their label, Reel Big Fish lets us know they're back, and they're ready to party.
Reel Big Fish's latest is a three-disc set that works as both a greatest hits compilation and an excellent live album.
In a year that is already proving to be the best year for punk rock in quite a while, The Vacancies are making it even better with Tantrum.
The latest from Chicago hardcore rockers is a dark, vaguely political look at what's going on in the world around us.
The Riverboat Gamblers are a bunch of Texas punks who may have made the album you'll be listening to all summer.
Fronted by the legendary singer from Agnostic Front, Roger Miret and the Disasters latest album is a solid departure from hardcore into simple straghtforward street punk.
After a six-year break, Samiam is back with an album that is rawer and more heartfelt than ever.
Set Your Goals - Mutiny! CD review
A review of Sledgeback's 2004 release.
The newest release from Th' Legendary Shack*Shakers, is dark and a bit frightening. It's also one of the best punk albums to come out this year.
Even after more than 15 years, the Bouncing Souls are proving they can still make fresh, strong punk rock. Their latest album may be their best yet.
A review of The Briefs' 2005 release.
The Bugs - proof that early punk rock wasn't reserved for the U.K. and U.S.
Just like their New York ancestors Sonic Youth, the Dead Betties take punk rock and noise and make it art.
The debut EP from The Dirty Royals is simply 17 minutes of Brit-rock power-pop punk. The guitars are great, and the vocals have a swagger. Expect great things from these guys.
The dynamic duo responsible for inventing the punk cabaret are back, but they've mixed it up a bit.
A review of the Ducky Boys' 2006 release.
Little-known outside of Florida, The Eat were dangerously close to disappearing, until Alternative Tentacles brought them back from the archives.
For 22 months in the early '80s, The Fix was doling out hardcore aggression on the Midwest scene. They're long gone now, but this is their legacy.
The latest from The Gentleman Homicide, Understanding The Words We Speak is a solid attempt at music from some very talented musicians. The resulting album is a bit too complex for the casual listener.
While I'm not sure what Scottish music should sound like, this ain't it. The Hedrons are an all-girl act that are all about punk rock a' la the Stooges and Ramones.
This Christian punk release on Alternative Tentacles is a tough one to figure out.
The latest from Aussie punks The Living End is solid and well-produced, but nothing new.
A carrer-spanning collection of tracks that were left out of previos albums, The Lost Tracks Of Danzig are all new, yet dark and familiar.
The States latest release is a perfect example of post-punk indie rock, with fuzzy guitars and poetic lyrics.
The Vacancies first album on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records, A Beat Missing Or A Silence Added, is a heady dose of rock and punk, with a solid message as well.
Like their North Carolina brethren, Valient Thorr, Thunderlip plays a heavy-hitting twisted version of Southern garage punk.
By mashing hard rock with punk, the Towers of London have created one of the best albums to comoe out this year.
The former frontman of F.Y.P. continues to show why his new band is a good idea.
Triclops! is an ambitious band. Formed by friends from four other bands (The Fleshies, Lower Forty-Eight, Bottles & Skulls and Victim's Family), they have assembled a musical force that is intent on making music that is loud, complex and somewhat disquieting.
While they are made up of half of Be Your Own Pet, Turbo Fruits is nothing like them, other than the fact that they also rock.
On Legend Of The World, the Venusian members of Valient Thorr deliver Southern-styled rock that could have only been created by musicians who are not of this Earth.
While Vice Squad's current incarnation may only have one original member, it doesn't preven them from playing great punk rock.
The latest on BYO Records, Wednesday Night Heroes mashes street, crust and hardcore to create powerful, addictive anthems. It's perfect for any night, not just Wednesday.
A review of Wilson Gil & The Willful Sinners' 2006 release.
From the same scene that brought you the Ducky Boys and Dropkick Murphys, Witches With Dicks serve up a hefty helping of Boston blue-collar street punk.
